I recently purchased a 2-6-6-2- Articulated locomotive by MANTUA. It has a 9 pin socket for DCC, I am familiar with the 8 pin, what is the difference of the added pin? Do I need to purchase a special DCC decorder? I’m also planning on adding sound. Any help on this matter is greatly appreciated.
The 9 pin is a JST connector is used by some DCC decoder manufacturers. I know the Tsunami 1 amp decoder has the 9 pin connector, plus wires for the speaker, keep alive capacitor and sound cam. The nine wires are because some decoders have headlight, tender light and two more function light outputs. Make sure you have a multimeter before starting.
Here is a link to the Tsunami as an example. Litchfield Station has good prices and free shipping over $75.00. I just happen to use them. Tony’s Trains has DCC products also as well as some other online DCC vendors.
http://www.soundtraxx.com/documents/manuals/tsuinstallation.pdf
Rich
Many decoders have a 9 pin connector, the wires coming out that end in an 8 pin plug are even often attached to the decoder with a 9 pin plug and socket. If you aren’t looking for sound, the NCE D13SRJ has the 9 pin plug (save the ‘plain wire’ harness it comes with for another install), and it’s a very good decoder for noit very much money. Or the TCS T-series decoders also all have the 9 pin connector. The T-1 is all you’d need for steam loco, headlight and backup light if it has one.
–Randy
Thank you very munch for the info. Will look into it after turkey day. I have tryed to get on the internet for hours, I guess all the holiday traffic has caused an overload. THANKS
I’d check out TCS decoders, they’re easy to program (the instructions that come with it are very straightforward) and they have Back EMF (“cruise control”) now too.