H0 decoder in Atlas Genset

[jalajoie]

I am not much into electronics, what is the purpose of thes caps? Is it to suppress radio interference?

[rrinker]

 Sure why not? The decoder would replace the circuit board already in there, adn a speaker enclosure would go in where those moster caps are.

                                     --Randy 

[Motley]

Oh man, even after removing the capacitors. Will there be enough room in that thing for a tsunami or QSI decoder and speaker?

I know there not available yet, but when they are that's what I plan on doing.

[faraway]

rrinker

...Those big caps are in there and connected on a plain DC loco?...

Yes, they are directly wired to the same terminals on the PCB where the cables from the motor are connected to. The DCC decoder was not very pleased with that capacity load parallel to the motor. I wonder the N-decoders did not run havoc too.

[rrinker]

 Those big caps are in there and connected on a plain DC loco?

I think we found the problem with the Tech 6. I'll bet that loco also doesn;t run well on address 00 on those DCC systems that support that. Those caps will be a dead short. I doubt the loco is 'burning up' but those caps might be if subject to other than plain DC.

 ANd like the smaller caps used for RF supression in Bachmann locos, they will cause havoc with the high frequency PWM drive from a good decoder.

                          --Randy

[faraway]

The brand new Atlas Genset is reported in various forums to have no space for a H0 size decoder. A proposed circumvention is the installation of a N-size decoder.

That is true but can be fixed in three minutes.
The DC version of the Genset has two huge 100 10-9 Farad capacitors parallel to the motor stored under the short hood weight. A first test with temporary plugged in decoders (Zimo MX630 and ESU Lokpilot) gave horrible results at low speed. That is quite normal with that huge capacitors exceeding everything I have ever seen for RFI purposed.
Simply remove the capacitors and install the decoder UNDER the short hood weight at the place the capacitors have been installed before.
No more space problems and the Atlas engine runs as smooth like all the Atlas engines do