Reporting back. For my first dcc/sound install I am going to declare victory. The MRC decoder was not working out, so I bought an XL systems generic steam sound decoder with stay alive. It was only $35, but I have to say that the sound is dissappointing. Should have skipped that, or spent that money towards a TCS or something. It runs great though. I do have to paint the light pipe so that the light doesn’t leak all over the smokebox door like that. The loco was free to me, so I dove in, made a ton of mistakes, but figured it all out and now feel like I can tackle some more locomotives. You can tell from the video where am I in my journey to have a nice layout… don’t judge me, eh! [:D] I have my yards and industries completely figured out, it’s so much fun to switch the layout. Maybe too fun… I run the wee trens back and forth instead of painting things and working on the details!
Never even heard of XL. They claim they made decoders for MRC - looking at the pictures on their web site, I believe it. And it seems by cutting out the MRC middleman, they can sell them for half what MRC charged.
But no user manuals to download? Not much information at all, really. Definitely a Chinese company with a US drop point like many eBay shops do.
They aren’t listed in the NMRA manufactuer ID list, I’m guessing if you read CV8 it will come back as 143, same as MRC. If not, they must have registered under a different name - can you post that? Just read CV8.
Edit: I see SOME have a manual download available
–Randy
Randy, I will look at CV8 and report back. The decoder came with a very nice page of instructions, so I would say it is fully documented. It will be interesting to see if I can use an existing MRC profile in JMRI or if I have to program each CV.
Honestly, the sound is to tinny, basically digital noise vs a recording, I probably won’t mess with it much further. Is there an exchange somewhere for used decoders other than eBay? This loco doesn’t warrant $150 in additonal decoders/stay alive.
In your video it seems to jump into action - you might be able to tweak the decoder a bit for smoother running, but most of that is probably the ‘quality’ of the motor drive int eh decoder. The top tier motor only decoders cost as much as this sound decoder. Also, the chuffs are just gone once it gets above the slowest speed - that’s 100% on the decoder. You’re never runnign it so fast that the chuffs should become indistinct. There’s a reason the good sound decoders are $100-$120. WAY better sounds, and definitely better drive.
–Randy
Hi, I hate to be the guy, but MRC decoders are garbage. Programming is a nightmare, Ive heard people who had their decoder reset out of no where, and they love to burn out the lightbulbs.
Get yourself an older tsunami decoder, QSI sound decoder, or better yet, TCSwowsound, ESU Loksound or Tsunami2 decoder. Even a Digitraxx sound decoder is better (although I dont prefer the sounds). They atleast work well.
Personally I prefer TCS WOWsound, and since Im on a budget, I buy mine for $69.99 at Modeltrainstuff.com. They are the 21 pin varient, but I dont mind wiring an 8pin socket to one of those.
I buy super capacitors (three 5.5v 1F caps in series) and wire them to “ground” and the “function (+)” outputs for an effective keep alive, and I use standard pins to plug into the decoder.
Pins that fit the 21 pin decoders: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-27mm-Pitch-Male-Pins-Socket-SIL-40-Pin-Header-Single-Row-PCB-Connector-Headers/153429521641?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=453368996760&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
Pins that fit 8 pin sockets: https://www.ebay.com/itm/5-Pairs-Male-Female-40-Pin-2-54mm-Single-Row-Straight-Pin-Header-Strip-USA/113790363271?hash=item1a7e6f2687:g:4wQAAOSwoxVdCuHP
Here’s the wiring diagram for 21 pin and 8 pin TCS socke
Randy, yes CV8 = 143 so MRC. Charles. OK… I’ve got this. That decoder I installed does have a 9 pin flat connector (I think this is the standard 9 pin connector DCC?) that the card is plugged in to. I am comfortable with the wiring, etc… however, can you please explain how the stay alive works. I understand grounding one side of the three caps in series, but not sure how connecting the other lead to function + works. On that 21 pin diagram you included, you would connect the capacitor lead to pins:
3,4,17,15,14,13 ? I can’t visualize how applying the capacitor power to the functions would keep power going to the motor. Or maybe just connect the capacitor to 22 and 21 (Track R and Track L)?
Thanks! I’m intrigued by this. For $75 I’d like to try this, especially since this is my learner loco, the one to try things out on.
CHeck some of the diagrams here:
web.archive.org/web/20120729061658/http:/www.members.optusnet.com.au/mainnorth/alive.htm
You can;t connect a polarized capacitor to the track, which is square wave alternating current. You need to connect it to the main + and - after the bridge rectifier that is on all decoders. The + is the easy one - it’s the same as the blue common wire for functions.
Decoders that don;t provide for a stay alive connection, those are the harder ones to find the - side. There are some hints on how to do that.
A PROPER stay alive circuit includes a resistor and diode to limit inrush, plus a zener diode to prevent overvoltage on the capacitors (capacitors quite literally go boom if over voltage or run with the wrong polarity).
Larry Puckett (the DCC Guy) has some videos on his YouTube channel on making them yourself as well.
–Randy
Randy explained it better than I could, thanks.
Basically DCC is similar to an analog waveform, caps will just ruin the waves, interfring with communication. You need to wire those to the DC source, hence the GND and Function (+) wires.
Im not sure how helpful this is, but I had a casual (non tutorial) video of my work on installing the works into a Bachmann K4s:
Hopefully this helps!
Charles