Decoder buddy question

[asardaro]

Just curious, what are the advantages and disadvantages to installing a decoder buddy?

[Canalligator]

An advantage would be that it can possibly provide a cleaner, more reliable installation. A disadvantage would be that it takes up some space, and if space is limited in your installation, that can be a problem.

You can certainly do a good installation without a decoder, buddy, but you’re more likely to have to deal with unkempt wiring.

[davefoxx]

Pros:

1. A standard Decoder Buddy has a separate board for lighting, so you can unplug that to easily separate the shell from the frame when doing maintenance later.
2. They also make a Decoder Buddy Mini to save space. You lose that separate lighting board, though. This is usually my preferred Decoder Buddy, because I model in the pre-ditch lights era and don’t have a ton of wires between the shell and the decoder.
3. Eliminates soldering directly to an expensive decoder. A Decoder Buddy is inexpensive, as compared to the cost of a decoder, so if you have a soldering accident, you’re only out $10-15, rather than the cost of a decoder which can be in excess of $100.

Cons:

1. Space: It’s not the smallest package out there for DCC installations, but I can only think of two situations in my HO scale diesel fleet where it didn’t work. One was retrofitting a decoder into an older Proto2000 GP30 (it was the height of the 21 pins that got me), and the other was a Walthers Mainline SW7 that I completed just yesterday (the low hood of an SW7 also didn’t have the height needed for a Decoder Buddy and 21-pin decoder). That said, I’ve probably done a few dozen decoder installations, and a Decoder Buddy Mini is still my preferred motherboard with a 21-pin decoder.
2. You will be required to solder.

Hope this help,
DFF

[asardaro]

Thanks guys that was very helpful. I have done a few decoder installs and dealing with the tangled wires has been problematic.
Al

[Tophias]

@davefoxx

Cons:

1. Space: It’s not the smallest package out there for DCC installations, but I can only think of two situations in my HO scale diesel fleet where it didn’t work. One was retrofitting a decoder into an older Proto2000 GP30 (it was the height of the 21 pins that got me), and the other was a Walthers Mainline SW7 that I completed just yesterday (the low hood of an SW7 also didn’t have the height needed for a Decoder Buddy and 21-pin decoder). That said, I’ve probably done a few dozen decoder installations, and a Decoder Buddy Mini is still my preferred motherboard with a 21-pin decoder.

Dave, I too had a height problem in a RS3. JT from Scale Sound Systems offered a simple yet genius solution. Just nip the pins off of the Decoder Buddy to just enough height to accept the 21 pin decoder. Have done this a few times with good results and no extraneous issues.

Regards, Chris