I bought a P2k SD45 yesterday. I’m going to use DCC. The instructions say to change the bulb if using DCC. Why? What decoder should I install? I’m using a Digitrax Zepher.
Thanks
First off… You need to change the bulb because the PK2 loco reduces the voltage to the bulb to under 4 volts and the minute you fire it up with a decoder, the voltage will be 14 or so volts. FLASH!!! No more light bulb…
As far as what decoder to use, it all depends on what and how many things you want to control. I would check with Tony’s or Loy’s Toys or your LHS for which decoder would best suit your needs given what ever you want to do with the loco.
Enjoy it!
wrumbel,
Here’s the direct links for you convenience (and a couple others):
Tony’s Train Exchange - http://www.tonystrains.com
Loy’s Toys - http://www.loystoys.com
Litchfield Station - http://www.litchfieldstation.com
Empire Northern Models - http://www.empirenorthernmodels.com
Any of them will be good sources for decoders. Both Bruce (Litchfiled) and Tim Smith (Empire) have some good savings on DCC items.
Tom
First of all, DON’T PANIC !!!
You may NOT have to change lights !!!
First, look at the Digitrax selection guide:
http://www.digitrax.com/decsel.php#HO
Assuming you are HO (you didn’t say what scale), you might be able to use the DH163LO decoder, which does NOT reguire you to change out the light bulbs (if the loco has separate numberboard lights, you might have to disable or work around them).
I have used the Digitrax DH163LO series in all my P2K models (GP9s to GP38-2s) without having to change the lights (but did have to disable the numberboard lights in the GP38-2s - must fix this someday - when I get a round tuit !!!).
DH163L0 works just fine in the SD45. Got one running here. No bulb changes or wiring difficulties, takes longer to get the shell off (the one screw is REALLY hard to get, near the rear truck, you have to turn the truck to see it. Suffice to sya, that one did NOT go back in, the two on the couplers are more then enough to hold the shell on.).
–Randy
you can’t use the lighted number boards on the GP38-2? I thought it didn’t matter as long as you had the LO for the decoder. THanks. How did you end up disabling yours?
JSimpson
The two best choices for the Proto SD45 are the DH163LO from Digitrax and the P2KSR from NCE. As already noted, the DH163LO has the advantage since it does not require the replacement of the 1.5 volt bulbs.
The LO decoder was not designed for the way P2K wired the numberboard lights, and this caused several folk some problems (nice that such info can be quickly passed via the net and the forums!).
So I simply cut the wires to the numberboard lights !!
With that done, the loco works great with this decoder - and my Zephyr !!!
Later I will have to rewire the numberboard lights to other output pads on the decoder - I think that those WILL need resistors …
But the advantage will be that the numberboard lights will then be controllable - so a bit of pain will be a gain !!!
Life-Like does some VERY strange things witht heir wiring. THE GP-7’s I have, and the SD45, the DH163L0 board works just fine, but on other models like the SD7, when I traced out the schematic of the board, it was so crazy that it wasn’t worth trying to plug a decoder into the 8-pin socket, so I just removed the board. I also have a bunch of E-units to do - those are even more crazy, I never saw such a complicated circuit for simply making directional constant lights (these E’s are PRR nad have no Mars light). Since There’s only 1 headlight, it’s far easier to just remove the board and solder the wires, and use a golden white LED.
For the SW switchers withthe odd-shaped board, the NCE SW-SR is the best replacement. Just solder a golden white LED tot he decoder at the marked spots for the headlight, and the decoder already has a resistor for the rear light, which is nearly impossible to remove - you have to strip all detail out of the cab to get at it.
–Randy
I’ve installed 9 DH163LO decoders in 8 GP9’s and 1 GP38-2. I had to put resistors on the number board lights on the GP38 but as for the GP9’s its just plug and play. It takes more time putting the body on then it does to install the decoder and program it.
Well thanks everyone. I was going to install a dh123d since that’s what I had on hand. I went to the Digatrax page to see what was different on the dh163lo. I’m going to have to go to LHS tomorrow I guess. What size resistor will I need for the number board lights?
Thanks again
Wayne