Sentinel decoder installation

[Thomas -776561]

I have received my new Hornby 0-6-0 Sentinel DCC and the 6 pin decoder ordered from Hornby on-line. With the space available and the length of the wires, I have not yet succeeded. Any top tips out there?

I would be great if Hornby offered the option with decoder installed. That way we could buy something that was actually ready to work.

[dBerriff]

I installed a DCC decoder in a Peckett yesterday and like you had problems with the wire length. It turned out that the wiring had not been installed as Hornby intended. There is a channel under the motor for the pickup wires to emerge at the side, but they had been taken to the front of the motor instead.

Fixing this involved removing the motor securing bracket and carefully re-routing the pickup cables under the motor. The wires are quite fine and I was concerned about breaking one of the soldered joints, but it all worked in the end with the R7274 board correctly sitting in the mounting brackets.

I am not saying that the problem with the Sentinel is the same, but DCC Ready should mean just that. You should not have to rearrange the wiring.

I do agree that DCC installed would be a good option as I do not enjoy the risk of damaging these small but fine models. Early days, but the Peckett does run well with the R7274 so it has been worth the effort.

[96RAF]

Service sheet 399 shows the installation. The decoder sits in a slot under that cover as indicated by my red lines.

[Thomas -776561]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have a 0-6-0 R30083. The service sheet 399 relates to the 0-4-0 Sentinel R3178/79/89. It seems that there is simply not enough space in the area you indicate. The decoder is too long (or the space is too short!!).

[dBerriff]

One thing: the OP mentions 6-pin but the service sheet shows a 4-pin decoder (as I fitted to my 0-4-0 Peckett). Are we comparing 0-6-0 to 0-4-0?

[81F]

I haven't watched this right through but this Jenny Kirk Video shows how to fit a decoder into the MSC 0-6-0 Sentinel.

Sorry I do not know how to make the web address a hyperlink but it will work if you copy and paste into your browser. (Hyperlink added by Mod RDS)

Hope this helps

[ColinB]

Jenny Kirk would have used a Train O Matic decoder which I think is smaller than the Hornby one. Her channel is sponsored by Train O Matic so that is always her decoder by choice for obvious reasons.

[RDS]

@Thomas

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[rpjallan]

I have a multitude of Hornby locos that are very difficult to fit decoders into. It should come as no surprise...