Fitting stay alive to Next 18 chip

[Wingman Mothergoose]

Hi, I have a Bachmann J72 fitted with their Next 18 decoder, I’d like to fit a DCC Concepts stay alive cap to it, how do I go about doing this please? 
 

Chris G

[Nigelcliffe]

Assuming the DCC Concepts device has appropriate charge/discharge regulation (typically at least a diode and resistor)….

 

Then, the Next18 socket includes the decoder positive and negative.  Those appear as two pads on the Bachmann PCB, and you can attach the stay-alive to those pads.    Sorry, can't remember their exact location, and J72 is in another location and out of range due to Covid rules.   If you have a multimeter, its not hard to trace from pads on the J72 PCB to pins on the Next18 socket, compare those pins with published standard for Next, and you can confirm the correct ones. 

 

- Nigel  

[pauliebanger]

Here's a photo from my sound to J72 fitting feature in Hornby Magazine issue 153. Only difference is I fitted a sound decoder with my authentic J72 recordings onboard.

 

I've used a Kung Fu stay alive 870007 as it fits in the space available above the decoder, has all the charge and voltage regulation components included and has a high capacitance.

 

https://www.digitrains.co.uk/stay-alive-rectangular.html

 

The connection points will be the same for any stay alive cap.

 

Best regards,

 

Paul

 

Edited April 29, 2020 by pauliebanger

[Wingman Mothergoose]

37 minutes ago, pauliebanger said:

Here's a photo from my sound to J72 fitting feature in Hornby Magazine issue 153. Only difference is I fitted a sound decoder with my authentic J72 recordings onboard.

 

I've used a Kung Fu stay alive 870007 as it fits in the space available above the decoder, has all the charge and voltage regulation components included and has a high capacitance.

 

https://www.digitrains.co.uk/stay-alive-rectangular.html

 

The connection points will be the same for any stay alive cap.

 

Best regards,

 

Paul

 

Aah! That was your article? I was trying to remember which magazine this article was in, thank you! 
 

Chris G

[Wingman Mothergoose]

6 hours ago, pauliebanger said:

Here's a photo from my sound to J72 fitting feature in Hornby Magazine issue 153. Only difference is I fitted a sound decoder with my authentic J72 recordings onboard.

 

I've used a Kung Fu stay alive 870007 as it fits in the space available above the decoder, has all the charge and voltage regulation components included and has a high capacitance.

 

https://www.digitrains.co.uk/stay-alive-rectangular.html

 

The connection points will be the same for any stay alive cap.

 

Best regards,

 

Paul

 

 

So this is the stay alive cap that I’m planning to fit, DCC Concepts Zen slimline stay alive. 
 

Chris

[Wingman Mothergoose]

Fitted the DCC Concepts stay alive tonight, it’s not the same sort as the ‘Kung Fu’, so I’ve ordered one from Digitrains. 
 

Chris G

[Wingman Mothergoose]

On 29/04/2020 at 14:12, pauliebanger said:

Here's a photo from my sound to J72 fitting feature in Hornby Magazine issue 153. Only difference is I fitted a sound decoder with my authentic J72 recordings onboard.

 

I've used a Kung Fu stay alive 870007 as it fits in the space available above the decoder, has all the charge and voltage regulation components included and has a high capacitance.

 

https://www.digitrains.co.uk/stay-alive-rectangular.html

 

The connection points will be the same for any stay alive cap.

 

Best regards,

 

Paul

 

 

Hi Paul, 

I've ordered a 'kung fu' cap from Digitrains, as the DCC Concepts cap I fitted isn't a 'high power' type and doesn't help with the J72 stalling on insulfrog points(I only have 2 of them and they're both double slips). In your article you say you secured the cap to the decoder with spots of mastic, what exactly did you use? I ask as I don't want to fry my decoder by using something I shouldn't!

 

Chris G

 

[pauliebanger]

Hi Chris,

 

I use the generic term mastic because the partcular product I use is no longer available, so there's no point in directing anyone to it.

 

You need something which is moderately sticky any very thin. Double sided tape, for instance would probably be too thick as the space available is tight.

 

A couple of small blobs (2mm ball) of Blu Tack or similar will be sufficient.  In fact. if you are careful/adequately dextrous, there's no absolute need for any fixing at all as it's only to hold things in place as a aid to reassembly; the body will hold everything in place once fitted.

 

Bear in mind that the decoder is phsically supported at one end only (by the Next18 interface). Ensure that the decoder is seated correctly and cannot be tilted (horizontally) in the socket.

 

Good luck,

 

Paul

 

 

 

 

Edited May 5, 2020 by pauliebanger

[Wingman Mothergoose]

1 hour ago, pauliebanger said:

Hi Chris,

 

I use the generic term mastic because the partcular product I use is no longer available, so there's no point in directing anyone to it.

 

You need something which is moderately sticky any very thin. Double sided tape, for instance would probably be too thick as the space available is tight.

 

A couple of small blobs (2mm ball) of Blu Tack or similar will be sufficient.  In fact. if you are careful/adequately dextrous, there's no absolute need for any fixing at all as it's only to hold things in place as a aid to reassembly; the body will hold everything in place once fitted.

 

Bear in mind that the decoder is phsically supported at one end only (by the Next18 interface). Ensure that the decoder is seated correctly and cannot be tilted (horizontally) in the socket.

 

Good luck,

 

Paul

 

 

 

 

Aah, I understand you now.

I'll be having a go at fitting it tonight, and I'll probably vice it for my YouTube channel too

 

Chris

 

[rorz101uk]

I’ve tried to do this mod, I’ve got a gaugemaster Next18 chip currently, eventually I want to fit a ESU sound chip, I’ve fitted a KungFu, not sure what I’m doing wrong but it doesn’t seem to sit flat.