DCC newbie advice please

[TrainsTim]

Hi all

I now have three 45XX locos (not DCC ready) to kick off my future GWR branch line project!

I have a Bachman EZ plus controller so I am obviously wanting to convert to DCC.

I do want sound (in at least one or two) so I believe I am right in saying it will have to be 21 pin. In terms of lights, a firebox? maybe...

I do have good soldering skills and have made plenty of circuits in the past as a Design Technology Teacher so that side of it is all good.

So I am looking for the best way to do this and recommendations for a decoder?

Am I right to be looking at using a breakout board to plug the decoder into. And which speaker would be a good choice?

Many thanks

Tim

 

Edited May 13 by TrainsTim
DCC

[Ron Ron Ron]

Hi Tim

You'd be better off requesting in the "DCC Fitting Guides" section.

In fact, you question might have been already answered there.

 

Ron

[Harlequin]

There will be very little room in a steam loco that was not designed for DCC from the outset so I wouldn't bother with the bulk of a 21 pin socket. And you don't need anything like 21 pins to control the functions of a steamer.

 

Do a non-sound installation first. Just get a small motor decoder wired to an 8-pin plug, chop the plug off then solder the wires to the loco. (You may be able to get a "wires only" decoder if you look around.) The loco pickup wires go to red and black. The grey and orange wires go to the motor. (Hopefully your locos are not split-chassis!) Make sure the solder joints are insulated with some heat shrink sleeve or similar.

 

Test with the body off and if it works package everything tightly so that the body goes back on without disturbing the wiring. Some Black Tack is helpful to hold things in place.

 

Sound decoders are bigger and you also need to find room for a speaker so that's a whole step further. That may mean carving a space in the body. Remember that broadly-speaking, the bigger the speaker (actually the speaker enclosure) the better for sound reproduction and it really helps if the sound has a clear path out.

 

Edited May 13 by Harlequin

[woodenhead]

Might be worth having a look at this if these are pre-DCC 45xx

 

[TrainsTim]

Thanks guys,

I was under the impression that sound needed 21

But....

After having a look around today I saw some info on the Hornby HM7000 8 pin sound decoder. It looks interesting. All control is touchscreen via app. I would choose a physical control if I could,  but looks intriguing, bluetooth sound uploads with a developing library to download. They are around £60 each so even buying three comes out significantly less than buying other decoders plus a controller.

(The Bachman EZ controller is still unopened so could go back)

Also there are videos showing it all fitting in a 45xx including speaker which comes with different sized enclosures so you use the largest that will fit. Perhaps this is without a socket though but I have no problem with a hardwire installation.

Does anyone have experience of this?

Edited May 13 by TrainsTim
Socket

[Harlequin]

41 minutes ago, TrainsTim said:

Thanks guys,

I was under the impression that sound needed 21

But....

After having a look around today I saw some info on the Hornby HM7000 8 pin sound decoder. It looks interesting. All control is touchscreen via app. I would choose a physical control if I could,  but looks intriguing, bluetooth sound uploads with a developing library to download. They are around £60 each so even buying three comes out significantly less than buying other decoders plus a controller.

(The Bachman EZ controller is still unopened so could go back)

Also there are videos showing it all fitting in a 45xx including speaker which comes with different sized enclosures so you use the largest that will fit. Perhaps this is without a socket though but I have no problem with a hardwire installation.

Does anyone have experience of this?

 

The HM7000 I tried wasn't as good as third party sound projects programmed into Zimo, ESU or D&H decoders. It was also impossible to sync the chuffs to the wheel rotation so it looked/sounded a bit silly, but they might have fixed that by now. The bluetooth connection is a good idea but all the other stuff is done to a cheap/basic level - typical Hornby.

 

If you stick to Hornby's system you'll be trapped in their ecosystem but there are so many other, arguably better options available, so maybe keep the EZ for a while.

 

[TrainsTim]

15 hours ago, Harlequin said:

 

The HM7000 I tried wasn't as good as third party sound projects programmed into Zimo, ESU or D&H decoders. It was also impossible to sync the chuffs to the wheel rotation so it looked/sounded a bit silly, but they might have fixed that by now. The bluetooth connection is a good idea but all the other stuff is done to a cheap/basic level - typical Hornby.

 

If you stick to Hornby's system you'll be trapped in their ecosystem but there are so many other, arguably better options available, so maybe keep the EZ for a while.

 

Yes, still some more research required I think, there are lots of people saying that it is the answer they were all looking for but some reporting problems with loss of connection etc but it seems some of these problems were easily sorted.  Still unsure TBH.  Im not in a mad hurry though.

So when you say the chuff/wheel coordination was not very good, did the chuffs increase appropriately with track speed?

Cheers

Tim

Edited May 14 by TrainsTim
typo

[TrainsTim]

On 13/05/2024 at 21:36, Harlequin said:

 

The HM7000 I tried wasn't as good as third party sound projects programmed into Zimo, ESU or D&H decoders. It was also impossible to sync the chuffs to the wheel rotation so it looked/sounded a bit silly, but they might have fixed that by now. The bluetooth connection is a good idea but all the other stuff is done to a cheap/basic level - typical Hornby.

 

If you stick to Hornby's system you'll be trapped in their ecosystem but there are so many other, arguably better options available, so maybe keep the EZ for a while.

 

I have decided to keep the EZ and not go down the HM7000 route.  I know that I would prefer a physical control rather than a touch screen  (I know it could be used with the Hornby)

An interesting reply from @moawkwrd regarding sounds will probably only be available for made by Hornby locos made me think if this was the route to go. For example I've just got hold of a GWR railcar for which I would need a specific sound recording. Also there are questions about the size of the Hornby circuit boards... will they fit in what I may want in the future or even the 45xx that I have now. I terms of cost, ok the HM7000 does come out better but when you add the cost of the Hornby transformer plus connection bits that adds over £60. obviously this is included with the EZ.  At the end of the day, I'm never comfortable buying into one manufacturer and their product. 

Cheers 

Tim

Edited May 19 by TrainsTim
typo

[rogerzilla]

On 13/05/2024 at 11:53, TrainsTim said:

Hi all

I now have three 45XX locos (not DCC ready) to kick off my future GWR branch line project!

I have a Bachman EZ plus controller so I am obviously wanting to convert to DCC.

I do want sound (in at least one or two) so I believe I am right in saying it will have to be 21 pin. In terms of lights, a firebox? maybe...

I do have good soldering skills and have made plenty of circuits in the past as a Design Technology Teacher so that side of it is all good.

So I am looking for the best way to do this and recommendations for a decoder?

Am I right to be looking at using a breakout board to plug the decoder into. And which speaker would be a good choice?

Many thanks

Tim

 

Are the locos split chassis (old Bachmann before they labelled them "Blue Riband", usually but not always with a 31- model number?)

[TrainsTim]

45 minutes ago, rogerzilla said:

Are the locos split chassis (old Bachmann before they labelled them "Blue Riband", usually but not always with a 31- model number?)

Hi

No they are 32's

Each one has "instructions" for conversion

 

Edited May 19 by TrainsTim
photo