Help me from going further off into the Abyss! Decoder Installer Help

DCESharkman Mar 14, 2023

  1. DCESharkman

    DCESharkman TrainBoard Member

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    I just have too many decoders to install, particularly Atlas locomotives. I just can't stand the stupid way the motor leads work. I have tried and tried with mediocre success.

    I will ship the locomotives and decoders to anyone in the Continental US. Or if you prefer, you can get the decoders, I am very workable.

    I still have more than enough Kato and FVM decoders to install. Both new and old, meaning new locomotives and those with failed decoders in them.

    Send my a PM if you are interested......
     
  2. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    If you are looking for installers SBS who advertises on here has an installer and some of the guys here install,

    Sumner
     
  3. DCESharkman

    DCESharkman TrainBoard Member

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    Really looking for someone local or reasonably local to me in Central California
     
  4. wvgca

    wvgca TrainBoard Member

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    i could do it, but i'm not local for shipping, not to mention customs ..
     
  5. DCESharkman

    DCESharkman TrainBoard Member

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    Well I can not do business with SBS, the owner does not want my business.
     
  6. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    How many decoders do you need to have installed?
     
  7. DCESharkman

    DCESharkman TrainBoard Member

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    That depends on how I organize them. I would say roughly 30 or so for the first round. Would be all Atlas locomotives. I am fine with all the Kato decoder installs.
     
    BigJake likes this.
  8. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    Perhaps SBS didn't want to tie up their shop with that many installs...? I'm sure installs on locomotives being purchased from them take precedence (and rightly so.)
     
  9. DCESharkman

    DCESharkman TrainBoard Member

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    I was not sending locomotives to SBS, I was buying decoders to install in my FVM locomotives. Then the %%$#$@ owner stopped the sale and refunded my money with no word as to why. The decoders I was looking for are still available on the site. So it wasn't that they were out of stock. It would not have been so insulting if I was given a reason why. But there it is, I was being professional about it and I did not get that from him.

    So I refuse to deal with SBS ever again. I even canceled work that was going to put a lot of cash into his pockets with all the sound decoders I was going to get installed. I guess it is a sign to no go to sound. Add insult to injury, I bought some several locomotives with ESU sound decoders installed, and not a single one of them would even run. or make any sound. Those were done for Kato by SBS installers. The shop I bought them from will replace them, just need to find a box and the time to send them back.

    So no more sound and all decoders will come from other sellers. I counted up the units that need decoders and they are missing out on the sale of 388 decoders. Just go to TCS and forget about ESU and sound.
     
  10. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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  11. DCESharkman

    DCESharkman TrainBoard Member

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    Unfortunately, Top Hobby does not carry Zimo decoders.
     
  12. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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    Post #9 seemed to indicate that you wanted TCS decoders.
     
  13. DCESharkman

    DCESharkman TrainBoard Member

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    I use Zimo in all my FVM locomotives, everything else can go TCS. They are in the GEVO locomotives. I have learned how to use Acceleration and Deceleration trim to make very long trains with distributed power. They are the only decoders that can do that that I have found. That is 4 units up front and then 150 cars, then 3 mid train helpers and another 150 cars and then 3 pushers at the very end. The trim on Acel and Decel amounts to how much time it takes to start or stop the locomotives. So with a little testing you can get the unit train to run like it is supposed to.
     
    BigJake likes this.
  14. jhn_plsn

    jhn_plsn TrainBoard Supporter

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    Maybe some full time helpers are in order as the amount of work you have just seems daunting. Makes me consider carefully the number of locos and size of layout I build.
    Happy DCC'ing. Its only two wires.
     
    BigJake likes this.
  15. DCESharkman

    DCESharkman TrainBoard Member

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    My layout is fully built, tested and running. I had to make a few changes here and there for the LCC implementation. But that is all done with.
    It is all about decoder installs. I have all the passenger trains I will need, and all the locomotives I will need. 40% of the locomotives need decoders, that are still just DC. And about 8% are failed decoders that need replacing.

    Oops, I forgot all the freight cars I will need.
     
  16. MK

    MK TrainBoard Member

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    Do you have pictures of your layout? I would love to see them.
     
    BoxcabE50 likes this.
  17. DCESharkman

    DCESharkman TrainBoard Member

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    You know, I am not one to take pictures very often. I live in Northern CA, and the layout is in the White Mountains of Eastern Arizona. I do not get out there as much as I like, but that will be my retirement location. Business travel is still very important and very often at times and Show Low is not an easy place to work from. But soon I will be there full time and we will see about photos then.

    Right now it is more about replacing bad decoders and installing decoders in the DC locomotives.
     
  18. wvgca

    wvgca TrainBoard Member

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    when i used to do installs, i found that the Lais brand was quite reasonable, i never had one go bad on me anyways ...
     
  19. Kitbash

    Kitbash TrainBoard Supporter

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    I'm having good luck w/ TCS. I have ordered from SBS without issues. However, I understand sometimes "things happen" with some suppliers. Since I am installing myself, (Atlas, Lifelike Proto2000, Stewarts, etc.) I have found the installation guides/pictures on the TCS website helpful. I am doing my engines at about 60/40 "WOW"sound to mobile-only. The few issues that I have found in planning an installation, I have had VERY good luck w/ TCS technicians answering my questions and keeping me moving along. I have a couple of ESU decoders in some Atlas Gold engines I own, plus a couple of Tsunami's. I just like the simplicity of the TCS decoders and setting the basic sounds, etc. I too was one that did not want to touch putting them in myself. I used to consider it too "fussy". With the TCS, I have found taking my time with them and understanding their pictures and instructions, the decoders become easier to install the more one puts in.

    [​IMG]
     
  20. DCESharkman

    DCESharkman TrainBoard Member

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    I am not aware that TCS did N Scale sound decoders.......

    I checked their site and they don't.
     
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2023

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