Intermountain HO F3 - Selecting a Digitrax Non-Sound Decoder

[richhotrain]

Is this decoder connected via an 8 pin plug? If so, just wawap one of your others. Don’t care if it doesn’t physcially fit, just run it with the shell off. That will clear up any doubts about the decoder. I still say it is simply that hey have geared them down more than the others, though ti could be a different RPM motor as well, or both. No amount of decoder tinking will change that.

Thanks, Randy, I will do that, swap out the Z decoder for an 8-pin HO decoder that I have on hand. Good idea.

And, while I have the shell off, I will count the teeth on the gears to establish the gear ratio.

Rich

[cjcrescent]

Thanks for your answer Randy. These were club locos, and all had been tested as continous draw and stall current as well. I never understood why you’d put in a z scale decoder into an engine where a cheaper HO decoder would work. I personally prefer Digitrax, DH 123’s as 99% of my locos are steam and I don’t need anything else other than 2 functions and I can get them cheaper than TCS, as I’m on a limited income.

As I said, I was just learning DCC at the time, and we were aware of the higher amp draw motors on the E’s and PA. We had replaced those motors with some from NWSL, and never lost a decoder in them. The GP’s lost every z-scale decoder eventually installed. I replaced them as they failed with DH123’s.

I just never understood the logic they were using at the time, and still don’t.

[richhotrain]

I never understood why you’d put in a z scale decoder into an engine where a cheaper HO decoder would work.

My only defense is that I was following Intermountain’s decoder recommendation at the time. [:$]

Rich

[rrinker]

And there’s really nothing wrong with that. I doubt those Intermountain units draw more than a 1/2 amp with the motor stalled, well within the limits of the DZ123 or DZ125. Intermountain isn’t the only one who suggests Z or N scale decoders for their HO locos - it’s really just a size differentiation, not much different electrically.

Not sure on why the lack of durability on the Proto Geeps. I have 4 of them, don’t think they draw over 1 amp stalled, which is the continuous current rating for the DZ series decoders. But mine are all of approximately the same vintage, with the upgraded drives over the initial P2K releases, and are from the cracked gear era, which is why I just repalced all of them with Athearn gears BEFORE the stock ones cracked. I am not aware of the ridiculous high current motor problem extending past the E’s and PA’s, though the motor is the same physical size and appearance and could easily be swapped to a Geep chassis.

–Randy