Farmer Dave the Decoder Buddys are in fact in line with the NMRA and NEM standards. Any of the 21-pin decoders available in the United States will physically fit and are electronically compatible with the Decoder Buddys. The person who helped write the NMRA specification for the 21-pin connector actually reached out to me with accolades for the Decoder Buddys. As Larry mentioned the Decoder Buddys go a little farther because all the function outputs are set up for direct addition of LED lights.
Enjoy all the information you provide. Helps a lot! Note about two sided tape. I do decoder installs/repairs. I have found burned out decoders that have been installed with two sided tape. I think over time the adhesive on the tape can adversely affect the circuitry I caution against allowing adhesive come in contact with wire traces or components on circuit boards. Marv Linke
Thanks Larry. I am working on a project to use the decoder buddy micro and a Digitrax SDXH186MT decoder in a new Bachman steam loco that is labeled DCC Ready. I hope it will work well. I need to figure out how to disassemble the tender to see what Bachman has provided. Should be an 8 pin connector.
If it is like others I own there is one or two screws on the bottom of the tender and 2 clips at the end of the body. Take out the screw(s) and gently pry open. Be careful not to break the clips. There should be a circuit board inside with the 8 pin socket.
Hello Larry, i'm new at the decoder DDC thing . I put 2 together I messed them up like speaker didn't fit them bought a speaker you could hardly hear lol I had no clue on what I was doing. Your videos look so easy explaining we're I have confidence... But if I have a 21 pin ready hook up can I just buy movement and sound with the pin . And I bought 3 Amtrak f40ph diesel DCC used and new in box on eBay I'm sure the new one the girl that's selling it ( I didn't receive it yet) is not DCC so I'm gonna try your decoder buddy . I'm sure I can do it as I watch your video... But if there is a 21 pin DCC ready what would be the best to buy if it has momentum and sound is what I want.... SPECTRUM AMTRAK AMD DIESEL BOUGHT 2 F40PH AND BOUGHT ONE F42
Most of the companies that make decoders offer 21 pin versions so younhave a number of possible options. The Decoder Buddy is an excellent way to add DCC to a loco that does not have a socket or one where you want to pull out the old circuit board and install one.
The lighting board you mention using for function testing. I wonder if you could use it as the main lightning board. Use clear glue to attach fiber optics running up to the shell. Then it become a disconnect to remove the shell from the chassis. Do you think that might work?
So much easier to just use SMD LEDs hard wired to the little removable circuit board. I must have edited out my comment that the video on Friday will be an installation in a Kato loco using a Decoder Buddy.
Hi Larry. Could you tell me the total thickness of the decoder buddy mini and the Loksound decoder? I want to try these on a difficult chassis with only 7 mm between the shell and motor.
So to use one of these, you would install if you have more leds than just forward and reverse, a beacon, ditch lights, lighted steps, etc. So this used in conjunction with a decoder. I have some tsunami 2 decoders, so if I needed extra functions then I would get a decoder buddy, wire it all up and then plug my tsunami 2 into it correct ? Good info to have. A little expensive if your converting a loco from dc to dcc.
Decoder Buddies make it possible to use a 21 pin decoder in locos without a 21 pin socket. They also make the process of making all the wire connections easier in most cases and the plug in board for the lights on their standard size board does make customizing an installation a lot easier.
Go to the Digitrax website and use their decoder selector to see if it comes up there. If that doesn’t work your will likely have to use one of the N or Z scale sized decoders and hard wire it in.
21 pin MTC decoder ? NEM660 or NMRA version ? Some NEM 660 functions are useless since they are logic level and will not even operate a light. Let's standardize on NMRA MTC21 please.
Farmer Dave the Decoder Buddys are in fact in line with the NMRA and NEM standards. Any of the 21-pin decoders available in the United States will physically fit and are electronically compatible with the Decoder Buddys. The person who helped write the NMRA specification for the 21-pin connector actually reached out to me with accolades for the Decoder Buddys. As Larry mentioned the Decoder Buddys go a little farther because all the function outputs are set up for direct addition of LED lights.
Hi Larry, I found your channel about a month ago and am finding all your videos very interesting and informative (I actually ordered some of those voltage reduction boards from China to use on my building lighting) Having watched some of your loco conversion videos, and not knowing where to post this question, I have a challenge for you. I have a Marklin Restaurant car with DCC Sound and need to convert from 3-rail to my 2-rail DCC system www.maerklin.de/en/products/details/article/43308 I have changed the wheelsets along the lines of your video on pickups from trucks (opposite side feeds via insulated Roco axles). I asked Marklin for any guidance and they had no experience of the conversion. As an engineer, I am thinking it should just be a pick up conversion BUT before I connect it to my Ecos 50210, to check the sound (diners chatting, staff giving orders etc), I wondered if you had any thoughts as you have a shed load of experience. My main convcern is not to blow the decoder but as all I have done is ensure the feed is from two rail rather than 3-rail my thoughts just turn to the voltage and amps but a Marklin system should be the same as a DCC two rail. Comments welcome. Paul PS your basic and detailed explanations are great (rectifiers, component markings etc) and takes me back to the Philips Electronic set I had back in the 1970's
Thank you Larry, I appreciate your info keep on modeling. 💯
Thanks for the info. It a great help. 2 Athearn Genesis chassis I bought at my LHS had these preinstalled.
Farmer Dave the Decoder Buddys are in fact in line with the NMRA and NEM standards. Any of the 21-pin decoders available in the United States will physically fit and are electronically compatible with the Decoder Buddys. The person who helped write the NMRA specification for the 21-pin connector actually reached out to me with accolades for the Decoder Buddys. As Larry mentioned the Decoder Buddys go a little farther because all the function outputs are set up for direct addition of LED lights.
Enjoy all the information you provide. Helps a lot!
Note about two sided tape. I do decoder installs/repairs. I have found burned out decoders that have been installed with two sided tape. I think over time the adhesive on the tape can adversely affect the circuitry
I caution against allowing adhesive come in contact with wire traces or components on circuit boards.
Marv Linke
Been using it for 25 years with no problems yet.
Thanks Larry. I am working on a project to use the decoder buddy micro and a Digitrax SDXH186MT decoder in a new Bachman steam loco that is labeled DCC Ready. I hope it will work well. I need to figure out how to disassemble the tender to see what Bachman has provided. Should be an 8 pin connector.
If it is like others I own there is one or two screws on the bottom of the tender and 2 clips at the end of the body. Take out the screw(s) and gently pry open. Be careful not to break the clips. There should be a circuit board inside with the 8 pin socket.
Thanks Larry!
Hello Larry, i'm new at the decoder DDC thing . I put 2 together I messed them up like speaker didn't fit them bought a speaker you could hardly hear lol I had no clue on what I was doing. Your videos look so easy explaining we're I have confidence... But if I have a 21 pin ready hook up can I just buy movement and sound with the pin . And I bought 3 Amtrak f40ph diesel DCC used and new in box on eBay I'm sure the new one the girl that's selling it ( I didn't receive it yet) is not DCC so I'm gonna try your decoder buddy . I'm sure I can do it as I watch your video... But if there is a 21 pin DCC ready what would be the best to buy if it has momentum and sound is what I want.... SPECTRUM AMTRAK AMD DIESEL BOUGHT 2 F40PH AND BOUGHT ONE F42
Most of the companies that make decoders offer 21 pin versions so younhave a number of possible options. The Decoder Buddy is an excellent way to add DCC to a loco that does not have a socket or one where you want to pull out the old circuit board and install one.
Hi. The aux lights for the section you can remove from the full size buddy can be soldered in their appropriate slots correct?
The lighting board you mention using for function testing. I wonder if you could use it as the main lightning board. Use clear glue to attach fiber optics running up to the shell. Then it become a disconnect to remove the shell from the chassis. Do you think that might work?
So much easier to just use SMD LEDs hard wired to the little removable circuit board. I must have edited out my comment that the video on Friday will be an installation in a Kato loco using a Decoder Buddy.
@@TheDCCGuy Larry, is that lighting function board from Nixtrains? Can't find it on his website.
Hi Larry.
Could you tell me the total thickness of the decoder buddy mini and the Loksound decoder? I want to try these on a difficult chassis with only 7 mm between the shell and motor.
I’ll measure today sometime and get back to you.
Larry where do you like to get pre wired JST connectors? I am looking for 6 pin preferably in a black male and female end, and 28 awg wire.
Probably eBay, but you may not get that particular wire combination.
So to use one of these, you would install if you have more leds than just forward and reverse, a beacon, ditch lights, lighted steps, etc. So this used in conjunction with a decoder. I have some tsunami 2 decoders, so if I needed extra functions then I would get a decoder buddy, wire it all up and then plug my tsunami 2 into it correct ? Good info to have. A little expensive if your converting a loco from dc to dcc.
Decoder Buddies make it possible to use a 21 pin decoder in locos without a 21 pin socket. They also make the process of making all the wire connections easier in most cases and the plug in board for the lights on their standard size board does make customizing an installation a lot easier.
Larry how do you know which board and decoder works for an old n scale loco non dcc ready.
Go to the Digitrax website and use their decoder selector to see if it comes up there. If that doesn’t work your will likely have to use one of the N or Z scale sized decoders and hard wire it in.
The DCC Guy and where would I find that info at. I just want to put a basic dcc chip those 4 locomotives with a light and maybe basic sound.
when you talk about the 2.2kohm resistors, you point to the switches.
The resistors were hidden under the removable circuit board just to the right of where I was pointing.
21 pin MTC decoder ? NEM660 or NMRA version ? Some NEM 660 functions are useless since they are logic level and will not even operate a light. Let's standardize on NMRA MTC21 please.
Farmer Dave the Decoder Buddys are in fact in line with the NMRA and NEM standards. Any of the 21-pin decoders available in the United States will physically fit and are electronically compatible with the Decoder Buddys. The person who helped write the NMRA specification for the 21-pin connector actually reached out to me with accolades for the Decoder Buddys. As Larry mentioned the Decoder Buddys go a little farther because all the function outputs are set up for direct addition of LED lights.
Hi Larry, I found your channel about a month ago and am finding all your videos very interesting and informative (I actually ordered some of those voltage reduction boards from China to use on my building lighting) Having watched some of your loco conversion videos, and not knowing where to post this question, I have a challenge for you. I have a Marklin Restaurant car with DCC Sound and need to convert from 3-rail to my 2-rail DCC system www.maerklin.de/en/products/details/article/43308 I have changed the wheelsets along the lines of your video on pickups from trucks (opposite side feeds via insulated Roco axles). I asked Marklin for any guidance and they had no experience of the conversion. As an engineer, I am thinking it should just be a pick up conversion BUT before I connect it to my Ecos 50210, to check the sound (diners chatting, staff giving orders etc), I wondered if you had any thoughts as you have a shed load of experience. My main convcern is not to blow the decoder but as all I have done is ensure the feed is from two rail rather than 3-rail my thoughts just turn to the voltage and amps but a Marklin system should be the same as a DCC two rail. Comments welcome. Paul PS your basic and detailed explanations are great (rectifiers, component markings etc) and takes me back to the Philips Electronic set I had back in the 1970's