ballast regulator

[Kris Everett]

i have a ballast regulator that's supposed to work with DCC but all it dose is sit there. i read the directions that came with it and even assigned it a number like it shows in the DVD that u get with the DCC controler

help please.

[Kris Everett]

ok thanks

[Kris Everett]

where would i put the decoder im sort of new to this

[Jim Banner]

I have not installed a decoder in a ballast regulator but looking at the diagram at the link below, it doesn't appear too hard.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/16947.pdf

There are only four wires to connect up, the red, black, orange and grey.  After you remove the two jumper clips (probably metal) from the connector board, you feed the bare ends of the decoder wires through the correct holes in the connector board and slide on the plastic clips that secure the wires in place.  The red and black wires go into the holes in the tabs that connect to the wheels.  The orange and grey wires go in the tabs that connect to the motor.  Make sure you have just one decoder wire in each tab and that the bare parts of the wire cannot touch one another.  The bare parts do, however, have to touch the metal traces the tabs.  Be very sure that you do not mix the two wheel wires (red and black) with the two motor wires (orange and grey.)

If there really isn't enough room for an H0 or and N decoder inside your ballast regulator, use a Z scale one like the Digitrax DZ123 or the DZ125.  These decoders are tiny and will fit on a dime.  Even so, they are powerful enough for many H0 locomotives and should be just fine in this unit.

If you need more help, just ask.  Not everyone on this board is rude.  Incidentally, did you buy your ballast regulator new or used?  The new ones come "DCC ready" which the National Model Railroad Association has defined as being ready to install a decoder in.  But if you bought it used, it could have a decoder in it that was installed by the previous owner.  In that case, I too would expect it to run on DCC.

Jim

[Doneldon]

trainboy -

Welcome to model railroading.  I hope you find as much fun as I do.

You'll meet many different people on these (and other) boards.  Some are a little more pleasant than others and some have much better information for you than others.  In both respects, I think you'll find that Jim Banner is one of the best resources, if not the best, on this board.  You can take his information to the bank.

                                                                                                -- D

[the Bach-man]

Dear Trainboy,
Jim is correct. The unit is DCC Ready, which means that there are provisions for adding the decoder of your choice.
Doneldon is also correct: Jim Banner is one of the most reliable sources of DCC information, and we're fortunate that he's a regular poster here.
Thanks, Jim!
the Bach-man

[Kris Everett]

ya yesterday i was researching z scale DCC decoders and found a nice one at
https://gadgettom.aosoft.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Session_ID=8de9fe0106d60a44c844a5f63824202a&

it seems easy enough to put in i add pics when its done so in the future if someone runs into the same problem

so far i bought all of my stuff from www.trainworld.com very cheap prices and their bachmann trains authorized dealers i got it new last year before the prices went up

im having alot of fun with this project it started out as a 4X6 sheet of plywood and now it's 6'8.5"X6' and hoping to get bigger

[Kris Everett]

i thought that because why would bachmann make it DCC ready if there was no room for a decoder


TB16

PHOTO

http://s956.photobucket.com/albums/ae45/trainboy16/

[Kris Everett]

PHOTOS

http://s956.photobucket.com/albums/ae45/trainboy16/

[Kris Everett]

ok heres an update

Z scale decoder  19.99 fits on a dime
heres where you can get it
http://www.gadgettom.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=DZ125&Category_Code=D-Z
in case the wire get you messed up hes what they all go to
http://www.building-your-model-railroad.com/dcc-decoder.html

this makes i alot easier to understand