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TTS Decoders for non-DCC ready locos


JasonKerner

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Has anyone managed to solder a TTS sound decoder to a non-DCC ready loco? Usually, you can solder the orange, grey, red and black wires directly to the motors & pickups - but if you did that to a TTS decoder, would the sound still be controllable via the functions on the controller?

Cheers

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The installation is exactly as you described, the only difference with the TTS is the speaker........just think of it as a standard decoder with a sound chip attached.........full configuration instructions come with the TTS but, basically, it is plug & play........to improve motor control it is best to change CV150 to 1.......HB

 

ps.......I prefer to wire up a permanent 8 pin socket so that any decoder could be replaced anytime without resorting to the soldering iron again.......

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  • 3 months later...

my apologies if I'm butting in on the original enquiry, but further to Jasons original enquiry, I understand the wiring requirements but wonder if there would be any problems if wired to ringfield tender mounted loco's ? e.g I have a hard wired DCC tender mounted A4 that I would like to add sound to.

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Paul........if your A4 tender drive is running successfully with a hard-wired decoder then it should be no problem to replace it with the TTS as long as there is enough space for the speaker........the supplied round speaker is often too big so you may have to get a 'Suger Cube' size speaker...........HB

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Hi, i hoped that would be the case,the A4 is old but running beautifully on DCC at the moment  & sound would enhance it.  my concern was wether the electrical load  would lead to overheating & possibly burning out the decoder. Needless to say ohms, volts & watts are a mystery to me. So  many thanks for the help.

cheers

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What type of decoder do you have in it currently and how many amps can it supply?  If the answer is that you currently have fitted a decoder that can handle more than 500mA, the TTS motor load limit, then you will need to do a stall current test to make sure it doesn’t exceed 500mA.  

 

If the answer is that you currently have an R8249 fitted, then we know it will be fine. 

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Unless you have a multimeter that can accurately handle the DCC PWM waveform, you will need to do it DC.

 

And the point is you are trying to find the stall current before fitting a decoder to see if the decoder can handle this amount of current. 

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Couple more things about a DC stall test, you have to whip out the decoder and fit a blanking plug (if it has a socket, else temp revert the hard wiring) and your multi-meter needs to be capable of handling higher amps on DC. Many meters will blow an internal fuse above 200mA. See if your meter has a 10A DC range.

 

You can do a very crude stall test using the R8249 as a psuedo multi-meter by holding the loco against movement but allowing the wheels to slip then giving it max chat, whilst slowly increasing pressure to stop the wheels until the decoder trips into overload. You know then your motor is pulling more that the decoder current rating. Doesnt do the decoder or traction tyres much good though, so only use as a last resort if you cant do a proper DC stall test.

 

Rob

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