As part of loco fleet overhual / DCC readiness project I have been installed decoders like crazy as of late. Well yesterday evening it was time for two of my six Proto 2000 SD60 locos to get a standard DCC decoder (not every loco I have will have sound....I think that would dirve me crazy) using Digitrax DH165L0 board replacement decoders The instructions seem simple enough although Digitrax decoders only have you use one screw to secure the decoder and the light board had two. TCS decoders for these locos use both screws. The Digitrax instructions state that a piece of plastic should be placed under one side of the decoder and then taped into place. I did this and the first loco was easy as pie...sweet. The second loco easy as pie as well and worked great when tested on layout less shell. So I put the shell back on, couplers, etc. Placed it on the layout to join it's brother for a dual SD60 lash up and POOF the factory smoke came out *@!#$*! I am like how in the blank blank did that happen. So I took the shell off to examine.....as I put the shell on the plastic insulator got moved as the tape adjusted slightly during shell installation (tight fiting shell). So I decided to reengineer the first just to avoid future issues. I used good ole electrical tape doubled onto itself with the sticky sides facing the frame and decoder and used that to insulate the one half of the decoder from the frame. I did send Digitrax an email suggesting that modify their instructions or include a foam insulator like the back of a Athearn RTR Analog plug. So I will be purchasing more decoders soon.
Never giving up pays off Purchased another DH1654L0 today and based on lessons learned from the last round, this install went smooth as glass. The other four SD60 locos will get their decoders someday in the future as these are earmarked for the Attic layout which is a few years away yet. I wont wait years but it will not be anytime soon.
Tape I have found by experience that Kapton tape is much better than electrical tape. Thin and quite tough. I have used Kapton between both halves of a motor that attached directly to frame halves and used nylon screws instead of the metal screws. The motor design is, that both motor halves are part of the brush holder. The thicker electrical tape was an issue. Rich
Doesn't Digitrax have a "no-worries" warranty? This is from their website: [TABLE="align: center"] [TR] [TD="width: 1, bgcolor: #999999"][/TD] [TD="width: 9"][/TD] [TD="width: 360"]Digitrax gives a one year “No Worries" Warranty against manufacturing defects and accidental customer damage on all Digitrax products. [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Can you return the damaged decoder for replacement? Paul/
yes they do as I just learned this myself (after all of these years) Of course I did not keep the sales receipt so I may have to pay something but I would guess it will be less than Retail. I also sent in a UR91 that was not workiing with the decoder.
