which Digitrax decoder should I get, and how do I get it in


F

foxofinfinety

Member
for these two:
Bachmann 11702 - Santa Fe "warbonnet" FT-A
Bachmann 61204 - Southern GP 50

I want to get those digital, currently they are both analog, but I'm not sure which decoder to get.
normally I use ESU decoders, but those come in at about 25 euro each.
a Digitrax DH123D HO Scale Mobile Decoder comes in at just under 17 euro.

and the Digitrax DH123D is actually stronger then the ESU decoders I normally get.



second thing, how do I get a decoder in those two locomotives?
so far I haven't even found how to get the GP50 open.....
I can get the FT-A open but have no idea where to place the decoder.
 
17 euro? That's less than what we're paying over in the US!

I'm not sure how to open the locos, but I would recommend that you buy the DH123D, remove the original circuit board, and solder the wires to the locomotive. This is because there are filters on the circuit board that filter out electromagnetic interference caused by the motor (I think it may be an EU regulation) but it also affects the performance of the locomotive.

If you just want to plug the decoder in and go, make sure that your locos have an 8-pin socket inside, and get the DH123P or the DH123PS (the S is a short harness) and you can just plug it in and it will work.
 
less? according to Digitrax's website they should cost about $19.99.
17euro is roughly $22, then again, $19.99 is the recommended retail price, not the actual one, but it is the price @ walthers.com, which, from what I know, is the place the store I can get these imports them from.

love the trick they use in the text though " Exciting Features for less than $20!", yeah, $0.1 less....

anyway, they both don't have a socket, at least the FT-A doens't, I can get that one open so I've seen it with that one.
i also don't think they have that board, FT-A suddenly doens't, as these are not European models.
in fact, they haven't even been bought within Europe.
these where both imported directly from the US, I got them off ebay once.
 
Bachmann has a standard board. They put the filters in the US models as well regardless of which model it is or where it is sold.

The local hobby store sells the decoders at $24.99 each (although I get a discount which brings it to about $18.50)
 
RexHea said:
DH123D = $16.95 ;)
Click to expand...
but with shipping to the Netherlands as well as extra costs to import hem into Europe, the store I'm planning on getting them for 17 euro each is still cheaper.

and, @diburning, about that standard board, I think they forgot it:
img0145uh.jpg
 
I have one like this, you will have to redo the wiring, since the negative is the frame, and motor sit on it and has the + on top. the light also use the same method. you have to run wires from the truck pickup to a decoder, isolate the motor from the frame, and get a wire under it.
 
so basically, it's harder because I don't have to rip a board out :rolleyes:

but I can always ask at the club if someone else can do it if I can't.
still no idea about the GP50 though.
 
Actually, it's not harder. You're going to be soldering wires either way, except with this model, you'd need to insulate the motor and lights with tape.

If the GP50 is a newer model (comes in a blue bachmann box) then it should have a board for you to rip out.
 
no idea what's in it, but it doesn't run too bad, though the FT-A runs better.

I also have a model from ModelPower, that one doesn't run well, so I'm not even spending the cost of the decoder on it, maybe if I can find a motor to replace the one it has....
 
Sorry, I assumed you would be ordering from the States because of pricing. Anyhow, if you look at the Tony's website, they have some help info on installing decoders, sound, other DCC components.
 
something I just wondered, I can get either a DH123D of a DH163D, the DH163D costs 9euro more, but what's the difference? the only difference I've noticed if that the DH163D provides more power, but I don't think I need more for these locomotives.


also, for christmas I got a Bachmann-Spectrum GE Dash 8-40 CW CSX #7685, what decoder would be best for that one? and, does anyone know if this has a 8-pin decoder socket? if so I can get a DH123P(S) for it, the price is not much more and I am not good with wiring, but a plug shouldn't be a problem, not even for me :D
 
With Digitrax decoders, the middle number generally refers to the number of functions the decoder has. Ex-DH123 has 2 functions, while the DH163 has 6 functions. The only exception to this rule, as seen in JMRI's DecoderPro, is a DH123 available with 4 functions, but I've never seen one.

The Spectrum should have the 8 pin plug, so any P&P decoder will work. I would use the DH123P
 
This is how Digitrax's nomenclature works:

DH123PS=

Digitrax
HO Scale
1 (series number)
2 (number of lighting functions
3 (features/software version)
Plug
Short harness

All DH123s come with a 9-pin JST socket which plugs into your choice of standard 9-pin harnesses. With Athearn locomotives the decoder plugs right into the locomotive. With a harness, you can either get a D (harness terminating in wires for hard wiring), P (terminates with an 8-pin plug), PS (short harness that terminates with an 8-pin plug), or AT (harness for older Athearn locomotives)

There are no 4-function decoders currently in production for HO scale although the DN143IP (IP for Integrated Plug) works. For the HO scale version, the DH165IP works as well although you probably shouldn't spend the extra money to buy a decoder with functions that you won't use.

The 8-pin plug harnesses come standard with the 8-pin plug (with 7 pins used) and the green and purple wires (3rd and 4th functions) not on the plug although the wires ARE hooked up to the function outputs on the decoder. For 6-functions with the same decoder design, you'd have to solder to the function pads on the bottom of the decoder to get the 5th and 6th functions.
 
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