Allowing detachment of tender and loco after decoder install.

Highball-HeavyMountain Sep 30, 2020

  1. Highball-HeavyMountain

    Highball-HeavyMountain TrainBoard Member

    22
    27
    9
    So I’ve decided to move forward with esu loksound 5 micro in my n scale vintage steamers.

    I’m looking for a way to install this so that I can separate the engine and tender. I’ve come across using the decoder with the NEM615 pin plug, and then wiring a NEM615 female socket in the other side.

    ESU has these pieces.
    https://store.sbs4dcc.com/ESU58816LokSound5MicroMulti-protocolDCC/MM/SX/M4SoundDecoder-NE.aspx

    https://store.sbs4dcc.com/ESU51951WireHarness-30cm6-pinNEM651toHardwire.aspx

    h
    as anyone done this before? I plan to run led headlights and motor wiring and track pickup. So I think all I need are 6 wires?

    thanks for your insights.
     
  2. RBrodzinsky

    RBrodzinsky November 18, 2022 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter In Memoriam

    5,685
    2,780
    98
    The trick will be fitting all of that (NEM connectors, decoder, the folded flat cable) plus speaker in the tender. But, without knowing the specific loco/tender combo, cannot say for certain.

    What is your primary driver behind wanting to have the tender detachable?
     
  3. Highball-HeavyMountain

    Highball-HeavyMountain TrainBoard Member

    22
    27
    9
    For storage purposes. I’ll be attempting this in a pecos brass 4-6-2. I’d like to be able to keep the loco in the original box when I’m done running.

    Bryan at streamlines brass backshop informed me about full/half wave rectification and the “blue wire” which is not part of the plug. So looks like it still may not be so straight forward for me to use the NEM 6pin.

    Ill have to keep digging.
     
  4. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

    2,798
    5,837
    63
    You need 7 wires if you have 2 functions and they are front and rear lights. If you aren't running the rear lights the blue wire could be connected to the pin the rear light was connected to (yellow wire) and use a 6 pin connector,

    Sumner
     
  5. jdcolombo

    jdcolombo TrainBoard Member

    1,183
    269
    31
    Yes, I've done it many times.

    You can use a TCS six-wire harness with a micro plug. https://tcsdcc.com/1477 (I use the color coded one to keep all the wires straight while wiring, then paint the visible portion of the wires between the tender and engine flat black after I'm sure everything is working.

    You don't need to have a 7-pin plug even if you want to wire up the backup light. You can simply twist the end of another blue wire onto the decoder wire, then solder that dual wire to the plug wire. Or you can use a tiny piece of circuit board to solder all the blue wires to.

    If you have room, I would strongly recommend a TCS KA-1 keep alive. I have fit the TCS KA-1, the ESU LokSound 5 micro, and an 11x15mm speaker in an enclosure made with .030 styrene in a Mikado tender, which isn't all that big. The keep alive solves a number of operational problems with electrical pickup. You'll be much happier at the end of the day.

    John C.
     
  6. Highball-HeavyMountain

    Highball-HeavyMountain TrainBoard Member

    22
    27
    9
    Thanks John.

    Can you give me some further thoughts on the TCS keep alives vs the ESU powerpack? I planned to add the power pack but I notice the TCS is about $10 cheaper. Not really a big deal when all things said and done. Just want to be as informed as possible.
     
  7. woodone

    woodone TrainBoard Member

    959
    51
    24
    You only need 5 wires, unless you have a strange steamer that has a rear light on the loco.
    1 wire for right rail, 1 for left rail, 2 for the motor and one for the headlight control.
    You power up the headlight by using right or left rail power and 1 wire for control. I know a lot of people will say this a bod practice has this only gives you 1/2 wave power to the LED but I have been doing this for many years without problems. I use a 6 pin plug & socket . One pin is used to index the plug to the socket. That way you can only plug in one way. You can get the plug and sockets from several manufactures .
     
    Sumner likes this.
  8. Highball-HeavyMountain

    Highball-HeavyMountain TrainBoard Member

    22
    27
    9
    I was thinking about wiring up a red 402 led rear tender marker light. I could wire it up simply as a reverse light when backingup - or as an actual marker light such that if the steamer was running "light" or at the end of a train as a helper, i could have both head light and marker light on at the same time. I'm assuming i'd need to run it as an auxiliary light in that case?

    in either case, since the light is in the tender, which is where the decode will be, i assume I wouldn't need to wire it through the connector. i think i'll try using a hardwired decoded (ESU 58823) and then wiring up the wires that need to go to the cab into a 6-pin plug (https://tcsdcc.com/1477)

    I'll also be adding the ESU power pack.

    Thanks everyone for your help. This will be my first attempt at converting a steam to dcc.

    Any other pointers you can offer, i'm willing to listen!
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2020
  9. jdcolombo

    jdcolombo TrainBoard Member

    1,183
    269
    31
    I've never used the ESU Power Pack, so I can't compare. The TCS KA-1 works great in my steam locos.

    John C.
     

Share This Page