Chipping an old 2066 Pigsnout?

[SevenOfDiamonds]

Hi Trevor

I don't know if I'm missing the point but surely a model with a decoder interface requires the addition of a compatible decoder (as described in the 21650 leaflet) . . .



If you are proposing to use the decoder from ML Train (the one that encircles the motor) won't you be ripping out the existing board which is (presumably) where the decoder interface is?

Or have I misunderstood what you intend (or am just plain wrong!)?

Cheers

David

 

[Anglian]

Hi David.
Thanks for the reply. Yes, indeed! Now you know what you are dealing with. I had assumed that the ML decoder connected up to whatever was inside the model without all the complicated rejigging of soldering the lighting etc. which had put me off putting a decoder in the earlier version. I have plugged in decoders before to other engines that had an interface, but I thought this was different. If it is just a simple matter of doing the same here, then I am a happy bunny.
Trevor

 

[dunnyrail]

Hi David.
Thanks for the reply. Yes, indeed! Now you know what you are dealing with. I had assumed that the ML decoder connected up to whatever was inside the model without all the complicated rejigging of soldering the lighting etc. which had put me off putting a decoder in the earlier version. I have plugged in decoders before to other engines that had an interface, but I thought this was different. If it is just a simple matter of doing the same here, then I am a happy bunny.
Trevor

What I did with a very early Piggy with an early board and the metal wires leading from the roof to that board was to cut some gaps in the roof board so that I could wire up the lighting direct, I then disconnected all other wires running new wires for the lighting from the chip through the passenger saloon through black heat shrink and wiring up the motor direct utilising direct wires from the pickups also direct to the Dentz sound chip which was mounted under the cab in the pointy bit if the chassis not the snout. The speaker is mounted behind the driver. The small suitcase showing sound functions sits on the luggage rack to assist users with sound. Though it says Massoth system, I was too lazy to change the file when I printed it.

 

[dutchelm]

I have recently added MD decoders to a pair of railbuses. It is not straightforward as MD make out.
The decoder relies on the rods going from the underside to the roof for the roof lighting. The rods are not a tight fit & do not make a reliable connection. I put a kink in the rods top & bottom so they push on the decoder & roof.
There is no where to plug in the front lights so I had to solder the lighting wires onto the "holes" in the decoder where the rods go through.
It now works OK but was not easy.

 

[PhilP]

I have recently added MD decoders to a pair of railbuses. It is not straightforward as MD make out.
The decoder relies on the rods going from the underside to the roof for the roof lighting. The rods are not a tight fit & do not make a reliable connection. I put a kink in the rods top & bottom so they push on the decoder & roof.
There is no where to plug in the front lights so I had to solder the lighting wires onto the "holes" in the decoder where the rods go through.
It now works OK but was not easy.

There are pads on the board, but I know of at least one person who has had difficulty with this..

Many moons ago, I had one (brand new) to initially add sound to...
It had obviously been 'bounced' somewhere in transit, as before I do anything, I run models on a bench supply to check they run, and get base-line figures for current consumption.
This one did not run, and let the magic-smoke out.. The springs which centre the 'bogies' had jumped out of place. - They rest against the edge of the circuit board, and had shorted the board..

Strangely, I have one of these, in the queue for fitting in the near future..

PhilP

 

[Anglian]

Thanks all. So now I ask the question, Where does that leave me? I have the railcar set reserved for me to pick up in Llangollen in May, but I want it to be DCC, otherwise it's of little use to me even though I really want one. I simply do not trust myself to do it. I like to think that for some things I am handy enough, but not for this. I shall have to mull.
Trevor
PS Philip, I will watch out if you post a thread going through the process.

 

[dunnyrail]

Thanks all. So now I ask the question, Where does that leave me? I have the railcar set reserved for me to pick up in Llangollen in May, but I want it to be DCC, otherwise it's of little use to me even though I really want one. I simply do not trust myself to do it. I like to think that for some things I am handy enough, but not for this. I shall have to mull.
Trevor
PS Philip, I will watch out if you post a thread going through the process.

Tis not that tricky, I had never done one till I did my first one. Just take your time, do not rush ask us if you get stuck and you can win through. I have done 6 sets now, 1 a 2 car set with all wheels picking up to the sound chip in 1 car and a 3 car set has also had the multiple connections done.

 

[Paul M]

I would say the best thing to do is visit a knowledgeable person and skthem to physically help you, but I'm not sure whether that's a practical solution in Ireland.

 

[Gizzy]

Thanks all. So now I ask the question, Where does that leave me? I have the railcar set reserved for me to pick up in Llangollen in May, but I want it to be DCC, otherwise it's of little use to me even though I really want one. I simply do not trust myself to do it. I like to think that for some things I am handy enough, but not for this. I shall have to mull.
Trevor

You could run it on address 0, as I do with a couple of analogue locos I own. I ran a Bachmann 2-4-2 steam loco with my V52 on the same track recently so it's owner could see it working....

 

[dutchelm]

You could run it on address 0, as I do with a couple of analogue locos I own. I ran a Bachmann 2-4-2 steam loco with my V52 on the same track recently so it's owner could see it working....

But he wants to buy a railbus without a decoder & fit one so he can run it on digital.

 

[dunnyrail]

Perhaps if Anglian stops off here at St.Neots for an hour or two on one of his many visits to Kent I could show him my Pigs and how he may manage it himself? Good lady and family may like to look around the Town, not the best shopping centre in the worth but worth a gander.

 

[Software Tools]

I fitted Dyntrol command control decoders (pre-DCCj to a pair of the non-snout railbuses several decades ago, and I completely discarded the LGB electronics and just wired everything to the decoder.

 

[PhilP]

PS Philip, I will watch out if you post a thread going through the process.

My first comment would be:
You don't have to do this, to fit a decoder, or passengers!

I didn't, this is how it came to me..


PhilP

 

[MTheStrong]

My first comment would be:
You don't have to do this, to fit a decoder, or passengers!
View attachment 324694
I didn't, this is how it came to me..


PhilP

I thought I was being helpful!!!!

 

[PhilP]

SW does jigsaws....
I assemble LGB..



PhilP