If you plan to add the sound later, the best way to do this is probably install a ecoder that has the 9 pin plug on it. You can then later simply unplug the motor decoder and plug in one that does sound and motor - the best sound decoders currently are ones that do both so it’s a bit of a waster to use two seperate decoders.
The TCS T4X has 4 functions, enough for front and rear lights, plus the ditch lights. The T6X is 6 function, in case you also need a rooftop beacon. Later on, you can disconnect the 9 pin plug and plug in a Tsunami (and find a place to put the speaker) and you will now have sound.
Thanks to all for posting, I’m still yet searching for a 6 functions decoder in my country without luck. Yesterday I got my NCE Power Cab and tested with emotion [:D]
One of the decoders I got was the Digitrax with Sound for Kato AC4400, I think it could be a bit more noise but I’m completely satisfied anyway. The model is SDH164K14
I was thinking if this decoder+sound can have the function for ditchlight to flash alternately? as I see that there are alone cables and maybe I could add two more lamps? If this can works and think this can be a great decoder to add to my Overland locomotive, what do you think? Is this possible?
That decoder has 6 functions, so yes, there are enough to run ditch lights, but the sounds are less than satisfying and some have had operational issues with them, like the loco slowing down when you blow the horn. If you are happy witht he way it sounds, there definitely are enough function connections to do what you want.
Not sure what brands you may have readily available there, but in addition to the Digitrax and TCS ones, NCE has the D15SRJ which has enough functions for the ditch lights, and you can probably get Lenz fairly easily. The Silver+ decoders have 5 functions, the Gold Series have 4, so those would work.
Randy, thanks for you answer! To flash alternately the ditchligths I will have to use the cables that come? if yes, how do I know which one, and what lamp’s voltage should I use?
What brand would you recomend me decoder with sound for the AC4400?? I will try to search for videos but I think they are depending on the video’s camera quality.
I founded this image for wiring the decoder. And this PDF
Also, I’ve some difficult to understand how to program with my NCE Power Cab the Functions 1 and 2 to make ditch lights flash alternately, any help on this?
If you use the green and violet with a Digitrax decoder, the CVs are listed in the PDF document. Use the decimal numbers, only ancient Digitrax systems needed hex numbers.
for ditch lights you will either need some micro bulbs to fit, these are usually 1.5 volts and will need a resistor on each one to reduce the voltage. Or use surface mount LEDs. These also need a resistor. You cna buy them with wires already attached since it does take some practice to solder wires to somethign that tiny. Third option is fiber optics int he actual ditch light castings with bulbs or LEDs inside the body. I recomment LEDs for all lights, they run cool and theoretically will never ever burn out. You’d want a 1K resistor to use with each LED, maybe somethign larger like 2.2K for the ditch lights if they are too bright.
Ok, I’ve just understood how to change the values of the CV’s, but what value should I set for F1 / F2 (Functions) for dicht lights flash alternately? and how can I set to press F12(not used, or another F#) to start flashing? (sorry if this are questions are totally from a newbie, but that’s what I’m hehe)
The settings listed int eh PDF will make the ditch lights flash when you press F2 - which corresponds to the horn, so if you’re using the sound decoder, when you blow the horn the ditch lights will start flashing - exactly as they should. The nitty-gritty is that there is a ‘phase a’ and ‘phase b’ for the lighting effects, when A is on, B is off, and vice-versa. So what those settings do is set it so that one ditch light, on the green wire, is phase A, and the other ditch light on the purple wire is on phase B. Labeling the wire colors as a specific function is only a default - another of those CV settings make both the green and purple wires activate when you press F2. Depending on the decoder, you can change which F button turns on which wire in almost any combination you want.
Great, I’ve one problem. I removed the shell of the AC4400, and I’m watching the cables and I don’t have the blue as shown in the image for common’s cable of the lamps, just red, white, brown, violet, green, and yellow. The blue one goes to the capacitor, and also the black one.
Which would be the two cable for each lamp of ditch lights?
Looks like you’ve hit a serious omission from the manual for this decoder - where the heck are the pads for the extra functions? The wires coming from the 9 pin plug, with 2 already connected to teh speaker adn 2 already connected to the capacitor, are NOT the function wires or the normal hookup for power or the motor, because this is a replacement board for the standard Kato light board. Usually on such decoders there are pads to solder wires to for the extra functions, and one is the equivalent of the blue common wire. But the manual for this one does not show that, nor do any of the similar ones (there are versions for the SD38-2 and F40PH as well - same board but slightly different size to fit the other locos). I did some searching and did not find where this is mentioned anywhere. You may have to call or email DIgitrax about this.
Thanks Randy, what I did was to search for continuity with a voltimeter with the two led’s installed, and I founded the leg that should be blue cable. So I use it for one leg for one ditch light(another led, with 990ohm resistor) and the green cable to the other leg of the ditch light, CV51 with 106 value, and CV52 with 107 value, CV63 with 64 value but this didn’t work. I sent an email to digitrax support already, so when I get news I’ll post them here!
LEDs are polarity senstive - the blue wire is + on the decoder, so make sure you have the LED hooked up the right way. A valid ‘blue’ wire point would be one side of either the front or rear LEDs that are soldered to the board. I’m not so certain the green wire coming from that 9 pin connectors is THE green wire like you’d see on a regular wired decoder. The second connector (or in this case only one) on other Digitrax sound decoders provides the connection for the speaker the capacitor, and the chuff cam (yes, even the diesel decoder has a chuff cam connection, because you can use that decoder in a steam loco and load the appropriate sounds).
Randy, thanks for all your support. Yes, the blue common is the positivie(+) in the led. I have just received the answer from digitrax suppot, and the solution is the following: I use led with 660 resistor. The two led are draw by me as circle with an X, something like this (X)
