Is the digitrax sfxSD38 sound and function decoder pair as easy as it is written up to be? My engine is the sound ready one. I searched but found no ref about actual installs and how they went. just how plug and play is it or so? Appreciate your comments. Thanks.
I’ve not done the SD38-2 install, but I have installed the same kind of decoder in a Kato F40PH. The installation is rather straight forward. The F40PH required no soldering for the basic installation. If I recall correctly, the speaker installs in the fuel tank and you replace the OEM board with the decoder. Just be careful of the extra wires and how you route the speaker wires by the motor.
If you want to add additional lights, then things get more difficult.
jktrains
In a word, yes. I’ve put two of the SDH104K1B+FN04K1 Combos into Kato SD38-2’s. The first one took me about 30 minutes. I ran into a slight snag removing part of the shell that took a few minutes to figure out.
Unfortunately, I guess old age has set in because I can’t remember what it was that gave me trouble. Possibly the walkway or the fuel tank? Either way, the 2nd install only took about 15 - 20 minutes since I had already figured out the issue.
The one thing to be careful with is the motor connections. They are very flimsy (brass? phosphor-bronze?) strips that have to be inserted into the decoder from the bottom. Hold them securely with a small pair of pliers and press the decoder onto them, one side at a time.
HTH,
Steve
I think I’ll go ahead and do the digitrax thing. Just got the engine yesterday. Thanks Stevert, Jktrains. also glad to hear even a senior might be able to pull it off.
You should also know that all those extra wires do nothing so can simlpy cut them off. I don’t believe the instructions tell that but I had a dealer tell me they do nothing.
I’ve done the SD-38, no harder than a normal “drop-in” decoder installation. Nice touch on the decoder is you can blow the horn per usual (you get a choice of three horns by the way) but it also has a function button (I think F6?) that automagically blows a --.- grade crossing…but only using the threechime horn however.
installed the sound unit. engine runs good, sounds good, but I’ve got a high spot somewhere hitting the weight in the top of the shell. I’ll have to put some sort of marker transfer in there to show me exactly what’s hitting. I took the weight out and does great. Also when I power up in analog the horn blows 2 road crossings. I want the analog capability for when I carry it to the club. Any ideas what’s the deal with the horn blowing on start up, only in analog. Also, on dcc, I can do one short but the second horn toot is too long. it’ll do two short hoots every once in a while but I haven’t figured out exactly how to make it do it at will. sounds more like quirks that I’ll learn to work around. Thanks for ideas!
You have F7 or F10 pressed (you have to press it once to start the sequence, then once again to turn the function on)
David B
you’re right, got it turned off. thanks!