Peckett W4 decoder help

[nbaker]

Hornby R3640 PECKETT W4

 

Hi,

I am just in the process of planning & building my 1st layout and bought my first loco Hornby R3640 Peckett W4. 

 

The Peckett has a 4 pin decoder socket but I would like to fit a Zimo MX600R decoder which has 8 wires, I am right in saying it's just a case of soldering the 4 relevant wires and ignore the others?

 

Thanks

 

Nige.

 

[Izzy]

Yes, red & black to the track, orange & grey to the motor. Although unless you already have it a MX617 would be smaller and thus an easier fit for the same price than a MX600.

[nbaker]

Thank you, that is reassuring.

 

I have already have the MX600R so will give it a go if not I will get a MX617.

 

Many thanks

 

Nige, 

[Izzy]

Perhaps I should add that the spare wires need either isolating by covering the ends with tape of some kind - I use masking tape - or cutting off. Indeed if you are going to hard wire a decoder then removing the socket completely would be best as well.

[Kaput]

I'll be impressed if you can get an MX600R into a Peckett W4, In Peckett terms the 600 is huge.

 

Even a 616 (Zimo's smallest decoder) isn't that easy to fit into the space.

[SRman]

I agree with Izzy's posts: I think the Zimo MX600 will be way too big to fit. There is not a lot of room in the Pecketts, but Nige is correct in the principles of the wiring. I went a stage further and wired a decoder (a TCS M1) into the blanking plug, using its connectors to allow the decoder to be plugged or unplugged at will (for future ease if swapping decoders or adding sound, for example). I have done three Pecketts and a Hornby Sentinel diesel using the same technique.

Zimo decoders are very good, and probably even better than my choice of the TCS M1 or M4, which are nice compact decoders and are covered by TCS's "goof-proof" warranty - If I stuffed up the installation, they would have replaced the decoders, regardless of fault. TCS usued to be very resonably priced here in Australia, but in more recent years their prices have risen, while Zimo have come along and introduced better decoders, including some at bargain prices (including Nige's MX600 type).

Note that it is very improtant that the motor wires do not cross where the body comes down over the chassis block - I managed to cut one such wire because it shifted as I replaced the body. The TCS decoder is smaller than the Hornby 4-pin one, but I have it sitting in the intended slot, held in place with a spot of Blu-tack.

Hornby Peckett with TCS M1 Decoder Installed - 1 cropped by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

 

 

[Butler Henderson]

I used a TCS M1 as well albeit fully hard wired

[nbaker]

I have ordered a Zimo MX616N hopefully this will fit inside the Peckett.

 

I did notice in the March 2017 issue of the Hornby Mag they show the installation of a Zimo MX648R sound decoder & Zimo 8mm x 12mm x 8mm cube speaker.

[Butler Henderson]

1 hour ago, nbaker said:

I have ordered a Zimo MX616N hopefully this will fit inside the Peckett.

The MX616N is a 6 pin direct fit so not the best choice

[nbaker]

3 hours ago, Butler Henderson said:

The MX616N is a 6 pin direct fit so not the best choice

So what would be a good choice?

[Nigelcliffe]

1 hour ago, nbaker said:

4 hours ago, Butler Henderson said:

The MX616N is a 6 pin direct fit so not the best choice

So what would be a good choice?

 

MX616   (without the N)  that is the wires version. 

 

 

[nbaker]

Trust me to pick the wrong one (again), oh well I'm not too bad with a soldering gun.

[Butler Henderson]

2 minutes ago, nbaker said:

Trust me to pick the wrong one (again), oh well I'm not too bad with a soldering gun.

You will need a decent heatsink on the pins as soldering a wires onto them could unsolder the pin from the decoder. Might be best to keep it for a 6 pin socketed loco acquired in the future.

[Nigelcliffe]

1 hour ago, Butler Henderson said:

You will need a decent heatsink on the pins as soldering a wires onto them could unsolder the pin from the decoder. Might be best to keep it for a 6 pin socketed loco acquired in the future.

 

Removing the pins is the first bit of the job!    I've been stumped for decoders in the past and have removed the pins from a small 6-pin, replacing them with fine wires.   But such work is not for everyone. 

 

And, yes, in this case, I'd get the "right" decoder given that it seems to be available from retailers.   

 

- Nigel

[nbaker]

Well I have now ordered a Hornby 4 pin decoder for this loco which will be fine until I know a bit more about these things, the 2 Zimo's wont go to waste as will be fine for future loco's.

 

Thanks everyone.