Virgil Posted January 13, 2021 Share Posted January 13, 2021 I am currently trying to fit a Soundtraxx Econami 21pin sound decoder to a friend's Samhongsa brass k1 4-8-4. I have purchased an 8 pin to 21 pin adaptor but there seems to be a mismatch between the decoder and adaptor as the "missing pin" on the adaptor plug and the Soundtraxx decoder socket are transposed and the plug will not fully enter the socket. Please see the attached photos for clarity. The only way that the plug will fully engage and match the pin holes is by inserting through what I would consider to be the back of the decoder socket as in photo 1. Is this correct, it just doesn't look or feel right and is fouling the larger yellow box when fully pushed home? Any thoughts please? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted January 13, 2021 Share Posted January 13, 2021 Surely the 21pin decoder fits back across the top of the adapter, in your top photo flip the decoder so that the pins are at the left end 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted January 13, 2021 Author Share Posted January 13, 2021 (edited) Thanks for the reply, as mentioned in the final part of my original post, to do so doesn't look or feel right, see new photos. Surely the correct side of the 21 pin decoder socket to plug into is the raised side of the socket? Certainly this would allow the adaptor board to clear the decoder components. Edited January 13, 2021 by Virgil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
daltonparva Posted January 13, 2021 Share Posted January 13, 2021 It doesn't look very pretty, but that is the right way, it can only fit one way. I make my own short leads to convert 21 to 8 pins, with individual pins, it doesn't matter which side of the female block the pins go in, as long as they go in the right holes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted January 13, 2021 Author Share Posted January 13, 2021 Thanks, I appreciate your reply, I didn’t want to risk the decoder by wrongly connecting it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIMorrison Posted January 13, 2021 Share Posted January 13, 2021 The dont have to sit one on top of each other, you can also fit them end to end which looks neater, just gives you a longer board Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted January 13, 2021 Author Share Posted January 13, 2021 Believe me I have tried all placement possibilities and there is only one way that all the pins fit the decoder, you may be able to see this if you study the first photos and that is as shown in my second post. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted January 13, 2021 Share Posted January 13, 2021 If you do not like the appearance try a cabled 21pin - 8 pin lead like that supplied with a Hornby Sapphire Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted January 13, 2021 Author Share Posted January 13, 2021 The only cabled adaptor that I have been able to find is listed by Strathpepper Junction and they are out of stock. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
daltonparva Posted January 13, 2021 Share Posted January 13, 2021 11 minutes ago, Virgil said: The only cabled adaptor that I have been able to find is listed by Strathpepper Junction and they are out of stock. Make your own. Take a 8 pin blanking plug, file a groove between the pins down the middle of the long length, 3 grooves between the pins across the short side so that all the soldered joins have been cut and you now have 8 separated pins. These are the straight and angled pins I use to push into the decoder socket. I use 1 set of 5 pins for the motor/track connections, and 1 set cut in half for the 2 speaker wires. That's all I need for my steam locos. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/193845222159 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted January 13, 2021 Author Share Posted January 13, 2021 Thanks for that, I will have a look tomorrow and post again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIMorrison Posted January 13, 2021 Share Posted January 13, 2021 LaisDcc 21 Pin to 21 Wire Adaptor Part No.860035 DCC | eBay LAISDCC 8 PIN DECODER HARNESS NEM 652 860001 PRE.WIRED BRAND NEW 662656829017 | eBay Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted January 14, 2021 Author Share Posted January 14, 2021 14 hours ago, WIMorrison said: LaisDcc 21 Pin to 21 Wire Adaptor Part No.860035 DCC | eBay LAISDCC 8 PIN DECODER HARNESS NEM 652 860001 PRE.WIRED BRAND NEW 662656829017 | eBay Thanks but I need a male 21 pin connector not a female. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIMorrison Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LaisDcc-21-Pin-MTC-Adaptor-Board-21-Pin-to-21-Wires-Part-No-860008-DCC/323125372196?hash=item4b3bc5e524:g:gcUAAOSwVWFaoDxu not hard to find :) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted January 14, 2021 Author Share Posted January 14, 2021 Thanks that’s interesting and ordered to try. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted January 14, 2021 Author Share Posted January 14, 2021 18 hours ago, daltonparva said: Make your own. Take a 8 pin blanking plug, file a groove between the pins down the middle of the long length, 3 grooves between the pins across the short side so that all the soldered joins have been cut and you now have 8 separated pins. These are the straight and angled pins I use to push into the decoder socket. I use 1 set of 5 pins for the motor/track connections, and 1 set cut in half for the 2 speaker wires. That's all I need for my steam locos. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/193845222159 Thanks again, I have ordered from the EBay seller to try, also another adaptor to also try to see what fits best. I have to fit everything in the loco boiler as the tender floor resolutely refuses to be detached to gain access! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John ks Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 I used the same (similar) decoder in a Triang DMU(R157?) & is sits at an odd angle mostly due to the large yellow box(capacitor) The 21 pin board it's plugged into is a ESU board similar to the LIAS board WIMorrison links to a couple of posts back John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoingUnderground Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 On 13/01/2021 at 16:52, Virgil said: I am currently trying to fit a Soundtraxx Econami 21pin sound decoder to a friend's Samhongsa brass k1 4-8-4. I have purchased an 8 pin to 21 pin adaptor but there seems to be a mismatch between the decoder and adaptor as the "missing pin" on the adaptor plug and the Soundtraxx decoder socket are transposed and the plug will not fully enter the socket. Please see the attached photos for clarity. The only way that the plug will fully engage and match the pin holes is by inserting through what I would consider to be the back of the decoder socket as in photo 1. Is this correct, it just doesn't look or feel right and is fouling the larger yellow box when fully pushed home? Any thoughts please? The pins cannot be in the wrong place as they are deliberately designed to fit in one position only. You may well have had the same problem fitting the decoder into some locos with a 21MTC interface as I know that some mainland European makes have interfaces that only accept decoders "back-to-front". Arguably your problem is that the pins on the adapter board are not long enough because of the height of the components on the decoder. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted January 15, 2021 Author Share Posted January 15, 2021 11 hours ago, John ks said: I used the same (similar) decoder in a Triang DMU(R157?) & is sits at an odd angle mostly due to the large yellow box(capacitor) The 21 pin board it's plugged into is a ESU board similar to the LIAS board WIMorrison links to a couple of posts back John And it works fine, that's good. As mentioned earlier and due to the tender base not allowing access to the inside I'm having to fit the sound decoder into the loco boiler barrel which is proving problematic when the thickness of the 8 pin socket is also taken into account. It's looking as if a hardwiring job may be necessary from decoder to motor, track and speaker, similar to the example shown in the attached photo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted January 15, 2021 Author Share Posted January 15, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, GoingUnderground said: The pins cannot be in the wrong place as they are deliberately designed to fit in one position only. You may well have had the same problem fitting the decoder into some locos with a 21MTC interface as I know that some mainland European makes have interfaces that only accept decoders "back-to-front". Arguably your problem is that the pins on the adapter board are not long enough because of the height of the components on the decoder. That's right, I also have the added complication of lack of space in the loco if an adaptor board is used as well. Edited January 15, 2021 by Virgil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
daltonparva Posted January 22, 2021 Share Posted January 22, 2021 On 15/01/2021 at 12:02, Virgil said: That's right, I also have the added complication of lack of space in the loco if an adaptor board is used as well. Any updates? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted January 22, 2021 Author Share Posted January 22, 2021 Yes! I just came back to the forum to provide an update and saw your request, thank you. It's done and working fine and is in the post to my friend, fingers crossed that he's also happy with it as I am. I went with the Lais DCC breakout board as per WIMorrison's last post and hardwired the leads to the board. It just fitted in the boiler shell above the drive tube and gearbox though only after modification by cutting off the overlapping part of the breakout board with the 3 mounting screw holes. This allowed clearance for the can motor, all very tight. The sugar cube speaker fitted in between the boiler reinforcement bulkhead and the smokebox weight. I was surprised at the sound quality of the Soundtraxx board and especially the speaker, though minimised the rod clank sound on drifting/coasting, as it made it sound like an ill maintained WD 2-8-0! I ordered and received your suggested pins and will keep for possible future use, thanks for the suggestion. I'm now about to ask more questions as I'm doing a sound conversion on a Bachmann 2-6-4 tank which is not doing what it should do! {:O( Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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