Speakers in parallel

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
1

In a DCC & sound loco, with 2 units (FA/B), is it possible to fit 2 speakers in parallel, one in the “A” and one in the “B”? adn how? thanks everybody.-

2

(Having just denoted myself as Goofy re: electronics in another post this morning, I do feel qualified to ans. here.)

What you want to do is very common. Here is a picture from the Soundtraxx Tsunami installation page for reference. More examples are avail. from their manuals online or elsewhere.

I have wired many many multiple speaker setups…including some in various locations/different cars.

You can wire your speakers in series as you say. This is best, because, as the illustration notes, you will produce 16 ohms for the pair and halve the load on the decoder. If you wire in parallel (still possible) you will run the chance of perhaps damaging the decoder as you will have doubled the load.

When I have 2 or 4 wired in series I will turn down the volume as needed since the load has been reduced.

When I wire speakers in differenct cars (or with the decoder in a loco and speakers in a dedicated “sound” car that is coupled do it, I have to connect the leads between cars with mini connectors avail. at most train shops or online somewhere like Litchfield station.com. This can be a bit of a nuisance as the wires are visible leading from car to car (exiting and entering through tiny holes I drill in the floor of the trainling car and of the loco. And they are tiny little devices to get ahold of and connect and disconnect. In an F unit you may get away with permanent wired setup if you plan to always have the units coupled or drawbarred together. But that would be a nuisance if you ever need to do repair or maintenance on the units…which you probably will. So go with some connectors.

Sometimes

3

Cisco, thanks you for the long explanation.- HD

4

Just to make sure it’s clear, the illustration in Cisco’s answer shows the speakers wired in series, not in parallel. In parallel, there would be two wires going from each speaker to the decoder. In series you have one wire going from the decoder to speaker 1, another wire going from the decoder to speaker 2, and a wire between speakers 1 and 2.

5

Thanks, wjstix.

I forgot the OP mentioned parallel in his title.