Smoked my First Decoder - Help

[Anonymous]

Tryed installing my first decoder today, and smoked it. Used an HO NCE D15SR plug in type in a Kato SD 90MAC with 9 pin plug. All was going well. Put it on the program track, no problems, assigned long address, completed programing, put it on the main and poof, smoke. I don't know what I did wrong. Any help would be appreciated.

PS I just got an NCE DCC system

[Anonymous]

You have to insulate the motor from the frame. I don't run DCC or know too much about it, but I know a little.

[Anonymous]

I would have thought with a plug in the motor was isolated

[tstage]

Mrosen,

Sorry to hear about that. [:(] My Proto 2000 S1 switcher has the same issue. Before you ever install a decoder into any locomotive, it's always wise to check out to see if you need to do anything to the locomotive first. Tony's Train Exchange (http://www.tonystrains.com) is always a great reference and dealer for all DCC issues and components.

I don't know how you acquired the NCE decoder but the good seller should have inquired about what locomotive you planned on installing it in so that he could double-check any issues you needed to be aware of. Hopefully, it wasn't too expensive of a lesson learned.

Tom

[Anonymous]

Tom,

I bought the decoder and the system from the source, Tony's. That should have been the right decoder for that loco, per Tony. I followed, or thought I followed all the instructions. NCE's manual is a bit cryptic for the novice DCC user.

[tstage]

Mrosen,

Call them up and tell them what happened. Tony's may even send you a new one free of charge. I've heard that they'll even walk you through the installation over the phone. It's definitely worth calling him about it.

Tom

[Anonymous]

I may have the answer. This loco was a first production release of the SD80MAC. Per Kato, those locos had problem with the motor lead on the board coming in contact with something to short the decoder. See the link below. Didn't know that. Figures thats the first loco I tried!! [xx(]

http://www.katousa.com/consumers/HO-SD8090-DCC-Advisory.html

[grayfox1119]

It is extremely important to read the instructions thoroughly. It will staet to insulate the motor. You had a short, it drew infinite current for a very short time, hence smoke and dead decoder.

[tstage]

Mrosen,

Thanks for the link. Bummer!...but, at least you know now and it's a fairly easy fix. I hope the decoder didn't set you back too much. Were you able to determine if the issue was addressed in the instructions and you just missed it, as you mentioned that being a slight possibility?

I don't know. Still seems to me that, unless this was a new development, Tony's should have known this. I still think it's worth mentioning it to them, since it was an advisory from Kato themselves. Worth a try anyhow. Let me know what happens.

Tom

[Anonymous]

If you can, use TCS decoders until you get real good. They have a goof proof warranty. Send it back even if you let the magic smoke out. They will replace it free. Your only out the shipping.