ColinB Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 Does anyone know a suitable DCC decoder to fit one of these. There does not look to be much room, so will a Hornby one fit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jane1707819582 Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 Hattons suggest a dcr direct 8 pin direct decoder, so a Hornby might indeed be tight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted October 23, 2019 Author Share Posted October 23, 2019 Great, thank you. I didn't know Hattons did those. I have ordered one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted October 26, 2019 Author Share Posted October 26, 2019 It appears Hattons are wrong it is 0.5 mm too wide on one side. I will try a gaugemaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 Is it not possible to remove the excess? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted October 26, 2019 Author Share Posted October 26, 2019 I did think of that, but there are components near the edge, but never good idea on a PCB could crack a track while you were doing it. The issue is it offset, if they had put the connector in the middle of the board it would be ok. Its alright, it fitted in my Brighton Belle, so I didn't waste my money. I am pretty sure a gaugemaster should fit, if not I will modify it to take a six pin, which are much smaller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 What decoder do Oxford recommend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westernwill Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 I have one of these and my local model shop fitted a gaugemaster decoder in ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted October 26, 2019 Author Share Posted October 26, 2019 Yes, I have ordered a gaugemaster. Usually height is an issue with this one, but it looks like height is not an issue in this case. Sounds like a gaugemaster will fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howbi Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 I fitted the Gaugemaster Omni 8 pin direct DCC29 decoder..........HB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted October 29, 2019 Author Share Posted October 29, 2019 I was taking my Heljan class 47 apart to lubricate it, I found I put a Laisdcc decoder in it. Anyway it is a direct connection one with 8 pins coming out the circuit board, anyway, it also fits. I used it in the class 47 as there is minimal headroom and the Laisdcc direct connected one is of minimum height. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted November 1, 2019 Author Share Posted November 1, 2019 I thought anyone that owns one these locos would like to know this. I tried the gaugemaster omni DCC decoder and surprisingly it was about 0.5 mm too tall, how other people have got this to work I don't know, unless they shortened the mounting studs. Anyway, I mailed Oxfords and they came back with some US one that no one seems to stock here. So I mailed YouChoos, they always seem to know more that most people. Anyway they came back to me and said fit one one their smaller decoders, that was when I realised. The coal in the coal bunker lifts out to reveal a small slot to fit the decoder, it is obviously meant for it as it has cooling holes drilled in. The coder has to be relatively small but that is how it fits. Surprisingly Oxford said nothing about it, and I found no instructions in the box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howbi Posted November 1, 2019 Share Posted November 1, 2019 Now I think about it I did in fact have to shorten the mounting studs to fit the Omni direct but that was not difficult.......but it is irritating to discover there is a way of installing a standard decoder without resorting to surgery yet the manufacturer fails to provide necessary instructions.........HB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo1707820979 Posted November 1, 2019 Share Posted November 1, 2019 Hornby offer a smaller decoder that fits this loco without any bother. I did that myself and the Oxford Adams runs fine. Sorry i can't recall the number. Bu I'm sure someone can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted November 14, 2019 Author Share Posted November 14, 2019 I thought you might be interested in the long running saga of this loco, I managed to damage 3 dcc decoders trying to get this to work on dcc, it works perfectly on dc. Anyway I noticed the DCC socket board had a fault on it and I think the motor connection was touching the loco wheel on bends, because of a large solder connection, hence how come it took a long time to find (and the dead dcc decoders, they would work for a bit then die). The nice people at Oxford mailed me a new dcc socket circuit board, so I fitted it, along with a standard Hornby dcc decoder. It works perfectly (fingers crossed). So basically once you know that the bunker coal is removable to reveal a location for the dcc decoder, and yours doesn't have electrical issues then the job is really easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted November 14, 2019 Share Posted November 14, 2019 Glad you got a result. Every time I purchase a tank loco I always remove the coal to replace it with real coal. Perhaps that is good practice, you never know what you will find. 😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now