Correct Decoder Chip

[Riccarton Junction]

I bought a Bachmann 32-275 LNER Black 2-6-0 Class K3 Loco 2934 a few weeks ago and it came "DCC Ready". As I want to go Digital I will need to stick a decoder in it to replace the blank chip (or whatever a DCC Ready loco actually contains). Probably a daft question, but I assume I won't know which decoder chip I'll need until I see what the loco has inside i.e. 8 pin, 21 etc? I'm guessing it's 8 pin, but presumably I need to get the screwdriver out to confirm?

Edited October 19, 2020 by Riccarton Junction
typo

[Free At Last]

A google comes up with this...

Bachmann Branchline  32-275
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)
Class K3 2-6-0 in LNER black
DCC Ready. 8-pin socket

[Mick Bonwick]

Most of the Bachmann boxes that my locomotives came in have the number of decoder pins printed on the box end flap. I think that this one may be an early model, so will almost certainly need an 8-pin decoder.

Edited October 19, 2020 by Mick Bonwick

[Riccarton Junction]

6 minutes ago, Mick Bonwick said:

Most of the Bachmann boxes that my locomotives came in have the number of decoder pins printed on the box end flap.

It has a DCC Ready sticker on the front, but no mention of pins that I can see.

[Mick Bonwick]

Sorry. Pressed 'enter' too soon.

 

What you may well find plugged into the decoder socket is a blanking plug/plate.

[RFS]

According to Hatton's it has an  8-pin socket.

[melmerby]

It's quite old possibly 2004, at this time the box does not have any description of the DCC status on the end.

[Kaput]

The older ones  that just say "DCC Ready" on the box will 99% likely be 8pin.

[Pete the Elaner]

It may not be as simple as just buying an 8 pin decoder.

I have 2 older Bachmann "DCC Ready" locos which are a bit of a pain to chip:

Ivatt 4MT. There is barely enough space for the blanking plate & nowhere else for the chip to go. Even the smallest 'direct plug' decoder (ie one where the decoder itself sits on the plug) is too tall to fit.

Another is a Crab. I did one by removing one of the weights. I did not really like this solution so I tried one of the diret plug decoders in it. This did not fit either but the blanking plate was suspended from the chassis by a small column which I managed to shorten.

Hornby's 87 is a tight fit too. A Loksound Micro fits in this, but only just. Most decoders are too big.

More modern Bachmann models are a vast improvement. 21 pin decoders seem to be more of a standard size & being direct plug, space is provided.

[dpgibbons]

So ... best get the screwdriver out first.

[Riccarton Junction]

As it turns out, it was very easy to split the loco to get at the innards. Having removed the dummy plug it revealed an 8 pin socket. Now just waiting for a new chip to arrive and install. Made easier thanks to this article from an excellent website for installing decoders:

 

https://clarahost.clara.net/www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/bachmannk3dccinstr.htm

Edited October 20, 2020 by Riccarton Junction
Typo

[melmerby]

20 hours ago, Pete the Elaner said:

Another is a Crab. I did one by removing one of the weights. I did not really like this solution so I tried one of the diret plug decoders in it.

I cannot remember having much of a problem with a Crab.

I'll have another look to see what I've fitted. Can't remember removing anything. (That's not saying i didn't!)

 

EDIT

My records show it is a Lenz Standard + (first version)

Edited October 20, 2020 by melmerby

[BernieL]

Very tricky is DCC ready.  I am new to this and found DCC ready does not mean DCC easy.  Hornby seems not to mention the type of connection in the instructions or the box.  Have to take it apart to see.  Also the two Hornby 4-6-0 tender locomotives I have, Grange and a Std 4 are completely different mechanically so doing one, does not help doing the other.  Bachmann says 'DCC Ready 8' on the box, but the only mention of DCC in the instruction is that if I install a chip it will void the warrantee.  The DCC concepts direct 8 pin is tiny, so it did plug in without issue, although all my models have loads of room .  My hassle was undoing the  tiny screws even with a #0 philips head screw driver, separating the tightly fitted components and then getting them back together.  Do they deliberately put the screws in the most inaccessible places? 

The easiest so far is DJ models/Kerno 1361 tank, which is a very tiny locomotive, but so easy to DCC chip: remove the magnetically held smoke box door, pull out the socket, replace the blank with a 6 pin chip, and then push it back in.  Why can't they all be like this?

[daltonparva]

Steam locos will only have 21-pin decoder sockets ready fitted in a tender, they're too big for the boiler,  and you'll see the wiring and 4-pin plug between loco and tender. Tender locos without wiring, and tank locos, will always be 8-pin, unless they are of the new tichy type when they might have 6-pin or next-18.

[Riccarton Junction]

Fitted a Bachmann 8 pin decoder and it seems to work i.e. the  loco responds to the controller. Only problem is it appears to go flat out with any turn up of the power i.e. as if there is 2 speed settings - max and 0. Is there a way to tell the chip in the loco to accelerate gradually in line with the controller?