Good morning everyone,
I think I’m going to be getting a DCC system soon, and wanted to know what kind of decoder you use. I don’t need sound, but something with the NMRA plug. I won’t need more than 2 functions, and prefer to pay under $25 a piece. And please, no MRC junk [;)]
It depends on what loco it’s for. For common generic ones I use the NCE D13SRJ. Those don’t have an 8-pin plug though, they DO have the 9-pin JST connector going to wires so you can remove the decoder without unsoldering anything. In 10-packs from Empire Northern they cost $12 each. There are others with the plug that cost about $15. There are lots of choices for under $25, at least if you are talking about HO.
–Randy
I’ve had good luck with Lenz, NCE, Digitrax, and TCS decoders, and will never touch an MRC after 5 out of 6 were dead on arrival when they were first introduced several years ago.
Since you want decoders with an NMRA plug already installed, you’re really narrowing down your choices. If you can settle for a decoder with a JST 9-pin socket and a separate wiring harness, you will have many more to choose from.
Your best bet is to check Tony’s Train Exchange, Loy’s Toys, Litchfield Station, or some other DCC specialty shop for a listing and pricing of what is available.
I’m using both the low-end Digitrax and the low-end TCS. Since most of my locos are not DCC-ready, I’ve bought the wire-ended ones and wired them in myself. Both Digitrax and TCS make the same decoders in plug-in versions, I believe. Both have front and rear headlights, but that’s about it. These work just fine for me.
I use TCS, they have a no fault policy, even if you ruin a decoder they will replace it.
They have decoders with the 8 pin but you have to check each engine to make sure that is what you need. Some DCC ready are not really.
I’ve used NCE, Digitrax and TCS. They all work great. I especially like TCS’s no-fault replacement policy.
Thank you all so far. What is the difference between 8 pin and 9 pin? Also, how do I know whether it is really dcc ready or not?
Hard Wired lenz and digitraxx decoders
If it has sound, I use Soundtraxx. If not, Digitrax. I think I’m going to try a TCS with my next project though. I’ve heard a lot of good things about them, and the decoder really needs to be small.
All of my loco’s have Digitrax decoders in them and any new ones will as well.
The 8 pin plug is 2 rows of 4 pins, and often is at the end of a short wiring harness fromt he decoder. Some decoders have an integrated 8-pin plug for certain applications. . A lot of locos say they are “DCC Ready”, to me I see this generally as “well, it has a plug…” becase just as many so-called “DCC Ready” locos need modifications as don’t. I tend to hard-wire most everything. There are a few exceptions where a specialized decoder is truly a drop-in replacement and it just works, but the majority of locos need some rewiring, changing the light bulbs, or some other modification to work with a decoder plugged into the socket. The benefit of a so-called DCC Ready loco for hard wiring the decoder is that the 4 wires from the truck pickups and the two motor wires are brought to the same general area, and are easily distinguished - making it easy to know which decoder wires get soldered to which wires in the loco.
The 9 pin JST connector is on the decoder end always, and is 9 pins in one row. Lots of decoders have this, and no matter how the other end of the wire harness is attached, via an 8 pin plug, or soldered to the loco wiring, you can easily swap between decoders that have the 9 pin connector. There are even ‘dummy plugs’ for the 9 pin connector that you can attach insteadof a decoder that puts everything back for DC operation. The new Athearn RTR locos have a 9 pin conenctor built in, just unplug the dummy board and plug in a decoder.
&n
I use Digitrax and NEC decoders. They work great. If you want a good buy I would suggest buying a multi decoder pack. You can also pick up decoders on ebay.
JIM
I use Digitrax on all locomotives that don’t come with a decoder installed. I love the built in resistors for the lights.
Digitrax DH123p or DZ123p. Both are plug and play. The DH unplugs for the harness DZ does not.
The DX123p works perfect in 99% of the Bachman Spectrums with the 8 pin plug. IF they are LARGE Current over 1 amp then the DH123p is the answer. For hardwire I use the same WITHOUT the plug DZ123 and DH123. These average around $20.00 each.
I also use the NCE for board type engines, Atlas, Stewart etc. these are over $25.00 each
Hope this helps you.