Is there any harm in putting tungsten putty next to the decoder? The decoder is covered in plastic, so the putty isn't literally against the board. Just wanted to check before doing anything. There's no risk having the tungsten in close proximity to the decoder or wire, right?
I would think you would probably want to put some of that Kapton tape between the putty and the decoder just to be safe. Newbie to DCC so just basing my thoughts off what I have been reading about basic decoder installs.
It will probably depend on how hot the decoder gets and how the putty reacts when heated. For instance, it the decoder gets hot enough to melt the putty and the tungsten particles in the putty flow onto the electronics (maybe getting around or under any insulating tape), what happens to the decoder? Does the putty covering the electronics make them overheat? Do tungsten particles get anywhere they can cause a short circuit? I don't know the answers to these questions, but I do know that I would want to find out before putting that putty against one of my decoders.
I would be more concerned with heat dissipation from the decoder (not about the tungsten melting point of 3,422 deg C; 6,192 deg F)
The putty compound that the tungsten is suspended in readily softens with just hand warmth so I would be careful about using it near high heat sources.
It's a LokPilot Nano on the tender of an Atlas 4-4-0. I dont' have a pic on hand at the moment. The only way to get decent pickup on these engines is by adding weight everywhere, and the tender is a large space that can be covered up, in this case with a wood load I'm making out of all the tiny scraps leftover from laser kits. The other space is in the cab, which holds a good amount of weight and is right over the drivers, so an ideal position. There's really not many other places for weight on these.
The Nano doesn't put out much heat. Just don't pack the putty up close and "seal" the decoder; make sure there is room for it to radiate its heat away, and you will be fine. Suggest making a pocket at the top of the putty for the Nano to "sit in", underneath the top of the tender.
Just an idea, maybe put the putty in a small thin baggie? Then it can conform but won’t be able to leak?