I have an older P2K GP30. The websites I have visited indicate this is a plug and play decoder installation, but I don't see it that way. Here is one version that indicates it is the same as the GP7 installation. Isn't this a non-plug and play type? Is there another GP30 version more recent than mine? Has anyone else converted one of these? Thanks. Picture of my GP30 type:
I have not converted my GP-30 locos yet. Howerver, on the box it states DCC Ready but the enclosed instructions state that you have to replace the light board with the decoder and replace the lights as well. Certainly not plug n play but I guess could be argued that they are DCC friendly. I will probably take the easy way out and ship off my GP30 and GP20 locos to have sound and DCC professionally installed. Certainly not cheap but at least I know they will be done right and I will not have the issue of regret if I mess something up.
I would take a small decoder, perhaps Lenz and install it instead of the PC board. I guess the way will be similar to my engines. Wolfgang.
I see what Wolfgang means by this. I was under the impression that the TCS (Train Control Systems) P2K-SR would be the only option for a decoder to install in this GP30. I have found that this P2K-SR decoder works for the LL Proto 2000 GP7/9/30 and SD60. But I have a P2K GP9 I am now operating on DCC that is using an NCE (North Coast Engineering) D13-SRJ and it works just fine. Thus, more than one manufacturer's decoder will work in a particular engine. Since I now know that more than one type of decoder will fit and operate in a particular engine, I need to learn how to hard wire one of these types.
I'm going to have to look at mine again. I thought it had a plug.....I do recall the need to change the bulbs, or add resistors. Which is why it's still sitting in a state of half completedness.
My engine might be an older version. In the GP9 decoder install I have completed by someone else, they just threw this light board away and hard wired the decoder in. I don't know if this motor is isolated or not.
It's sitting on the dining room table next to my N scale projects. I'll look at it tonight. It was a later release, so maybe that's why I'm thinking what I'm thinking. When I was working on it, I stopped because I needed to find a decoder to power the added ditchlights, and the the moved headlights.
well the current board can be replaced with ease. All you have to do is mark the wires and i think that Digitrax makes a replacement board that will take the place of the current board. As for the lights the same applies. Buy some new lights from your LHS that meet the correct rating and simply connect the wires to the correct slot on the board. There is no need to send the locos off to have some one do that for you. I have done this in some Atlas locos with ease and found that it is very easy to do. When I did the conversions on the Atlas units, I place the board into postion with the old board right above it and just changed wires one at a time.
Replacement Board - Decoder? Raymond: Thank you very much! :thumbs_up: I am learning that the replacement board is not the decoder. Will the replacement board have a place to plug in the decoder or will the decoder be attached to it? In other words, does the Digitrax replacement board enable you to use any type of decoder or is it made specifically for Digitrax decoders? Thanks.
Why not use the digitrax decoder designed for this. Dh165LO. No need to replace lights. Basically pnp.
Digitrax website notes this problem with the DH165LO decoder and use of installed lights. They recommend the use of LEDs. I have to say that this would be a very simple solution and thanks for the suggestion. I currently have a problem with another one of my Digitrax decoders; it may very well be programming. I want to get that issue resolved before I get more Digitrax products.
Did you add resistors to the lights or just use the ones in the original engine? Thanks. The GP9 I have that was converted used TCS T1 decoder with resistors on the lights, but it was not a Digitrax made for this drop-in.
