What decoders have been (successfully) plugged into the K?

[Greg Elmassian]

On one thread here someone said that plugging in a decoder was easy.

I'd like to hear what decoders people have gotten to work in the socket.

I run DCC, and have some favorite ones, but have not seen anything showing it actually working.

Thanks,

Greg

[locoron]

Check with Digitrax.
  www.digitrax.com

[Kclassbuilder]

Decoders

I used the Digitraxx 583AR the one designed for the Aristocraft fitted with two motors on each truck on their diesels

Kclassbuilder

[Greg Elmassian]

Kclass, not meaning offense, do you actually have one plugged in and functioning in a K?

I heard there needs to be a modification.

Thanks, Greg

[Joker]

I was working on installing a Digitrax DG583AR today in one and it does not work. The decoder gets power and I can program it but nothing else works; no motor function, no lights, nothing. I know that the decoder is working because when programing in ops mode, the locomotive jerks and the headlight flashes. It seems to me that there may be something on the motherboard in the locomotive that may be interfering with the decoder.

[Greg Elmassian]

Thanks Joker, seems that there is no data that anything has ever been plugged in without modification. I'd contact Bob Grosh, I think he has some insight on why the Digitrax did not "plug and play". If you get it working, would you please report here what had to be done?

Thanks,

Greg

[bobgrosh]

Joker

It sounds like you could be having problems programing, even though the loco jerks and flashes during programing.

The following procedure will help narrow down the problem.

1 Remove the decoder and do a reset to it.

2 Connect the decoder directly to your track, and connect a 12 , 18 or 24 volt bulb to the motor output, pins J1-3 and J1-10.

3 Verify that selecting address 3 and changing the speed varies the light on the bulb.

4 Plug the decoder into the socket.

5 Turn the motor switch in the tender OFF.

6 Turn all three switches behind the smoke box to their center position.

7 Again, connect the bulb to the motor outputs (J1-3 and J1-10)

8 Vary the speed again and confirm that the bulb brightens and dims.

9 Turn the motor switch on.

Now, both the motor speed and the light should vary with the speed setting.

If the motor does NOT run, we can start troubleshooting in earnest. Could be just a bad solder joint.

If the motor does run, we can start troubleshooting in earnest. Could be something in the loco or tender interfering with programing. Have some wire cutters handy.

!! DO NOT SKIP THE FIRST THREE STEPS !!

[Joker]

I have already bypassed the tender board. I hooked up a DG583S, the decoder that has the screw terminals, to just the motor and pickup solder pads on the board. The solder pads go straight to the wire harness and into the locomotive. After hooking up this decoder I still had the exact same problem. I will try your suggestion with the light bulb and see if that works but I am running out of ideas and I would prefer not to dissassemble the locomotive.

Thanks,
Ryan

[bobgrosh]

OK, so we switch to another decoder.

I replicated exactly this same setup.
I VERIFY that the decoder runs a  bulb on address 3
I connect the red and black to the track
I connect the orange and gray to the solder pads on the engineer side of the bottom board in the tender near the front. They are labled MOTOR + and -

I REMOVE THE DUMMY BOARD FROM THE BOTTOM BOARD.

I select loco 3 and the loco motor runs, both directions, all speeds.

I go to ops mode and change the address to 4

I select loco 4 and the motor runs, both directions, all speeds.

NOTES:
In this configuration, the positions of the motor switch, or for that matter any switch in the loco are a moot point.

If you fail to remove dummy plug the loco will not run.

[Joker]

So you were able to get a decoder to work in your K-27?

[bobgrosh]

Work, no!!
But I was able to run the motor by connecting the track and motor. NOTHING ELSE!

[grumpy]

Just a guess . All the Bachman DCC equipment is Lenz . I am wondering if the K27 is set up to use a specific Lenz decoder.
Don

[Greg Elmassian]

Joker, are you following Bob's suggestions? His step by step approach will yield results, not just "it doesn't work".

If you are following his suggestions, what are the results of the first suggestion of testing the decoder with the  light bulb, just connected to the track, no loco?

If that worked, then how about trying Bob's latest suggestion?

Grumpy: Maybe someone will post something about Lenz, but I do not think a "custom" plug in decoder has been made (yet!).

Regards, Greg

[grumpy]

I just purchased a Bachman 2-6-0  Mogul. The instructiion manual said that the loco was set up to use LE230 decoder.The information sheet for the Lenz LE230 says that it is suitable for locomotives with a continuos current draw of 2.5 amps or less. This information may apply to the K27
Don

[calenelson]

So much for all the Hoop-la about a "simple" PNP board huh? 

cale