ESU doesn’t sell a free-wire decoder, you cut off the plug.
Consider finding an 8 pin socket to wire in though, allowing you to remove or replace the decoder easily if you wish to. They may not be easy to find though. I found these in the UK:
All your soldering is done on a basically bulletproof printed circuit board, no heat gets to the decoder. There may be other sources for these. I recommend you consider a 21 pin motherboard, decoder buddy or adapter board though unless you have a reason to use 8 pin. All new stuff is 21 pin.
Another option is to also install a decoder buddy or motherboard with the correct socket installed. Then you use the pin or plug on the decoder to attach the decoder. ESU makes adapter boards you solder in as a sort of motherboard and then you plug in a 21 pin Loksound Decoder to that board.
Be aware the Loksound Micro has a peak load amperage capacity of only 0.75 amps for powering the motor compared to its big brother capable of handling twice that at 1.5Amps. Make sure your locomotive draws less than 0.75 amps when stalled.
Consider using the Loksound Direct rated at 1.5 Amps which includes its own motherboard and on board keepalive (powerpack is ESU’s term). There is a micro version rated at 0.9amps but without an integral powerpack.
Thanks for the response. I have a question regarding the 8 pin circuit board that you provided the link to. How does one anchor or mount a board like that in a metal tender such that it does not short out? I actually found some of those on ebay and in looking at them, the metal pins attached to the socket protrude from the other side of the board.
I see the advantage of using a board like this, but I have never used one before and the first question that jumps out is how one mounts it in a metal tender so it’s elecrically isolated?
The esu 58820 doesnt have steam sounds. plus that is a ribbon wire on that which isnt easy to solder to or hard wire into a loco. Tonys trains also has a steam loco wiring harness.
ESU marketing plans don’t encode any sound files on Loksound decoders. The dealer encodes them for you when you buy the decoder. Or you buy a Lokprogrammer and download and install the desired sound files from ESU website.
The 8 pin socket is normally secured by plugging it into the decoder but if you are wiring locomotive to the 8 pin socket you tape it or screw it down, assuming you can find a spot to safely drill a screw hole into the socket board and tap a hole in the tender weight.
You don’t want to be cutting the plug off that ribbon wire. I’m familiar with this format which you can cut the plug off and use the remaining wiring:
I do not think the Micro you’re looking at can deliver the amps you may need.
Kapton tape or similar is the stuff to use to cover any potential electrical contact points. I cover the entire back of the socket and the back of the plug as the solder connections are usually exposed and bare metal. Same with the decoder if any metal on the model could contact any metal on the decoder. ESU does not encapsulate their decoders any longer. Not sure why. They used to.
I would use something more substantional than tape to insulate the pins on the rear of the socket. A piece of styrene or business card perhaps. I blew a decoder when the pins penetrated Kapton tape.
Two possible factors at play. Rubbing through the tape because the decoder or whatever isn’t firmly fixed in place. Pressure causing the metal to penetrate the tape. Kapton type ESD tape is pretty strong and heat resistant. However, I suspect with enough rubbing back and forth it could be penetrated. One would hope no significant pressure was exerted on the boards.