I have a DC layout, powered by a Control Master 20 from MRC. I just bought a real nice 0-6-0 Saddle Tanker from Bachmann, DCC equipped. I was told I could rewire it to run on standard DC. Something about “Backwards-compatible”.
If you could please tell me a good site I can log on to, I have looked at Bachmanns but may have missed it, as to how I can rewire it, I would be most gratefull!!!
Thank you;
Robert
Robert,
That ‘DCC Onboard’ decoder should be able to shift between DCC and DC. If is does not, have someone with a DCC system change CV29 to enable DC. Have you tried it on your DC layout? From the factory, the DC enable should be set on. You do not have to ‘rewire’ anything…
Jim
[#welcome]
If the unit is DCC equipped from the factory then it should run good on DC right out of the box. Is this a brand new loco or did someone put a decoder in it?
Pete
Right from the MRR staff, Check it out.
I have this loco but I run DCC.
Have fun.[Y]
It should run fine on DC. Mine does. It’s a decent loco but could have slightly better low speed response. Looks nice in the quarry scene.
Karl
This loco has a dual mode decoder. Just put on the track and it should run just fine on DC with no modification.
As others have said, if it came from Bachmann with DCC, it will run on DC.
That said, it will run MUCH BETTER on DC without the decoder. You should have found a small plastic bag with two silver three prong jumpers and a small diagram packaged with your loco.
Using the instructions as a guide, remove the loco shell. This should expose the circuit board which will have a small shrink wrapped circuit board on wires plugged into it. Unplug it - using the diagram insert the jumpers. If your pretty good with electronics, see if you can identify the one or two capacitors on the main circuit board that are arross the motor leads. The motor leads are marked M+ & M- . If you can find these one or two capcitors - remove them as well. you need not do anything but cut or scrape off the capacitors. Reinstall the shell.
Your loco will now run MUCH better on DC and will have much slower slow speed and well as a slower starting speed. If you have any trouble, send me a PM.
Wait until you buy some more Bachmann locos, remove those decoders, then sell the decoders in batches of 3-5 on E-bay 
- they sell well.
Sheldon
Why not just run DCC?
I think we lost him
Rich
DCC is the name of the game here.
Here is my Bachmann 0-6-0T ( shell removed ) engine and it now moves so slow at start up that a snail could run circles around it ( [(-D] well almost ). But this is accomplished by adding a drop of “Labelle #108 light oil” on the drive rod pins and a tiny ( very tiny ) toothpick dab of "Labelle #106 Grease ( with PTFE ). Yeah mine was dry right out of the box except for maybe a dash of light grease on the bottom gear, could not see any other grease even with magnification.
Engine out of box had a problem of not wanting to start. LED light both forward and or reverse but no go. I had to just slightly g
Below is my Spectrum 0-6-0T, DCC ready. I have already removed the inductors and capacitor. You can see the two metal clips. The PC board is clearly labeled. Follow the NMRA color code. I can send you the clips if you really want to go down this path. PM me. Do not put a email address in the forum or put your snail mail address here.
You would do better to solder in a Digitrax DZ125. It is about the size of a dime.
It is an excellent decoder and runs quite good on DC compared to the Bachmann factory decoder.
Rich
“DCC is the name of the game here.”
What does that mean? The OP asked about running the loco on DC?
“BTW there is no plastic bag, no three prong jumpers and the only instructions are Bachmanns exploded parts sheet in a PDF, also a page stating CV 1 was #3 and the light on/off instructions.”
OK, that’s fine, I don’t own one, but I do own about 30 other Bachmann Spectrum locos and I operate with DC. I was going by the looks of the drawing published on their web site that it was likely similar to their other locos. I guess space restrictions make this one different, no room for the plug/socket. So I stand corrected on that.
Fact remains if one is using DC, it will run better without the decoder. Especially if the DC throttle uses any kind of advanced pulse width speed control.
And, I see from you photo that motor capacitor is on the motor - that should go for DC or DCC operation.
And still people ask questions about DC and just get told they should use DCC?
Sheldon
It would be really nice if the OP would respond. Maybe the person who started the thread does not know what OP means.
I will go with what the OP wants. DC operation without a decoder.
The capacitor and inductors are removed on mine because I am installing a decoder. For DC, they can stay in place.
Anyway, I think the factory decoder install has the decoder wires stuck in the PC board holes with a plastic clip to hold the wire in place. Not sure. Some manufacturers do this. I have not seen the factory decoder install.
Remove the plastic clips and wires. Slip the jumpers in place or solder pins 8, 1, 2 together and solder pins 4, 5, 6 together. That is what the two jumpers do.
The loco has quite a lot of gear reduction which makes it a nice runner.
Rich
Because it is the name of the game here ( at this house ) and it will remain DCC here!
I know the OP ask for DC and I did not tell him he should get DCC nor would I.
I know the capacitor is still on my engine and it will stay on, that is not for you to say, at least not about mine.
I thought about removing the capacitors but it seems that I’m not going to change the decoder to one that does not confirm to NMRA standards
If it ain’t broke, why fix it?
Quote:
I know the OP ask for DC and I did not tell him he should get DCC nor would I.
I know the capacitor is still on my engine and it will stay on, that is not for you to say, at least not about mine.
I thought about removing the capacitors but it seems that I’m not going to change the decoder to one that does not confirm to NMRA standards
The better replacement decoders conform to NMRA standards. The capacitors and inductors are required on the other side of the pond and interfere with the BEMF in the better decoders. It is a well known issue world wide.
Bachmann sells a lot of DCC on board over there which use the Lenz low end decoder. They work but are low cost to let those with limited finances run DCC. Same in the USA. It is discussed a lot at the Bachmann forums where there is a Bachmann representative there.
Just do a Google search for bachamnn dcc capacitors and learn something about the issue.
Rich
It has nothing to do with the fact that the decoder does or does not conform to NMRA standards. There isn’t even a ‘standard’ to how the PWM drive to the motor is handled outside of possibly the maximum permitted voltage.
A capacitor across the motor will round off square waves. It will damp high frequencies - the cheap DCC On-Board decoders don’t use high frequency drives, but better decoders do. The stock decoders are only slightly affected by the capacitor, but the better ones are much more affected.
–Randy
rockislandnut,
That’s fine, but your statement was easily misinterpreted.
ALL of my comments and recommendations were directed to the OP, except for the general comment about the capacitor - as Rich explained, a VERY well known issue with both DC and DCC if you use other decoders.
Bachmann, and many other dual mode decoders run poorly or barely at all on the DC throttles I use. I use Aristo Craft Train Engineer wireless radio throttles which use pluse width modulation for motor control - just like a DCC decoder. And my own personal testing has confirmed that even with the most “conventional” of DC throttles performance is improved if the capacitors and decoder are removed.
You use DCC, good for you. If he is still listening your mechanical insights into your loco may be of value to the OP. And thank you for the pictures of a DCC version which cleared up some things.
Still the fact remains, if the OP, or anyone else plans to stay with DC, they will see much better performance from their Bachmann locos by removing the decoders, and the noise suppression capacitors - which are also present on some other brands.
Here is the problem with the capacitor. It “softens” or distorts the pulse width signals to the motor. With DC throttles like mine that means the effective starting voltage, and thereby the starting speed, is greatly increased. With DCC, using a high frequency, BEMF decoder both the effective starting voltage/speed is increased and the BEMF signal back to the decoder is distorted, causing very poor response/performance.
If you are happy with the performance of the stock Bachmann decoder, good for you, I wouldn’t suggest you change it. BUT many people do and are much happier with their Bachmann locos as a result.
Since I don’t use DCC at THIS HOUSE, my experiance on that issue is limited to the five large DCC layouts I regularly operate on, several of which I have helped build and wire. Many of those layout owners