A couple of other capacitors that may work: 718-1394-1-ND 220 micro farad 16v 7.3x4.3x4.0 $5.90 718-1633-1-ND 220 micro farad 20v 7.2x6.0x3.5 $6.72 718-1605-1-ND 330 micro farad 16v 7.2x6.0x3.5 $7.92 718-1057-1-ND 100 micro farad 16v 7.3x4.3x2.8 $1.39 717-1024-1-ND 100 micro farad 20v 7.3x4.3x4.0 $2.68 All the above part numbers are from DigiKey. The dimensions are in millimeters. When deciding which capacitor to use, measure your particular installation to see what will fit. Then decide on what voltage to use. For N-scale 16 volts should be sufficient as long as you keep the track voltage around 13 volts. If there is the possibility of the voltage getting any higher use a 20 volt cap. After you have determined the space and voltage then pick the capacitance. The more the capacitance the better the cap will deal with any dirty track or switch frogs that aren't quite right; but I wouldn't exceed 330 micro farads with this decoder. That's the maximum that Digitrax included with the decoder and going to high may cause excessive in-rush current when power is applied. RAM35 I noticed this statement in one of your posts: "(being VERY careful about polarity-don't ask why)". So I added a few cautionary words about installing capacitors: All capacitors have a voltage rating. If you exceed the voltage rating bad things can happen. The capacitors I listed here are Tantalum caps. The capacitors included by Digitrax are electrolytic capacitors. Both of these types polarized which for those of you who don't have an electronics background means they have a plus side and a minus side. If you hook them up backwards bad things can happen. Definition of "bad things can happen": 1)smoke comes out of the capacitor and it stops working 2)little bits of shrapnel go flying and the capacitor stops working
I don't find the SDN144K1E of the SDN144K0A listed on the Digitrax web site. Are they not selling them anymore?
this is not a trick but it is a well documented feature of digitrax decoders... fn6 activates switching speed. usually 1/4 of the normal speed.
http://www.digitrax.com/prd_mobdec_sdn144k1e.php http://www.digitrax.com/prd_mobdec_sdn144k0a.php http://www.digitrax.com/prd_mobdec_sdn144ps.php They are still on the home page new product banner. They haven't posted them in the main site listings yet. My only experience is with the SDN144PS. I am happy with it except for it's lack of sync between the sound and the throttle on a steam loco. I have been wanting to try one of he K1e's and program it for steam to see if it works better but time and money have gotten in the way.
#8 April 4th, 2006, 04:28 PM Bryan TrainBoard/RailImages Supporter Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Charlottesville, VA Age: 61 Posts: 44 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I posted a version of this message to the Yahoo Digitrax group. According to a member of that group (Manfred), there's a Digitrax hack that enables one to differentiate between coasting and braking: <blockquote>Take a series3 decoder and activate the switching speed feature by entering 1 into CV54, then set CV4 to 63 and play. The air brake is now simulated by F6 and the deceleration rate of 1/4 comapred to the value in CV4. So CV4 = 63 means coasting, well, sort of, and hitting F6 means braking. Start playing with hitting the F6 button after setting the throttle to 0 from top speed.. Please note: 63 is way beyond the range of documented values for CV4, but I have been using it for quite some time without any adverse effects on any other of the CV`s or the general behavior of the decoder.</blockquote> Here is a link to the message from which the above is quoted. I haven't had the chance to try this yet. I'll do so tonight and report. I do not know whether this hack works with other manufacturers' DCC systems. --Bryan Currently modeling the Utah Division of the Rio Grande (Helper to Soldier Summit), ca. 1949-1965, in N scale. Sandro: I guess they're calling this a "hack". It seems to be one step beyond activating switching speed, and the second step is not advertised. It makes the F6 key into a brake which will slow the engine all the way down to a stop and when you release F6, it will accelerate back to it's previously set speed. Richard.
I first installed one in a kato ac4400. The shell will not go down far enough in the rear area. I believe the exhaust stack indention is hitting one of the large black parts of the decoder. I then replaced the shell with a sd70mac and it fit. I replaced the speaker with a Soundtraxx 10mm and used the enclosure. I sanded down the sides of the enclosure since the shell is only as wide as the speaker and the enclosure is wider than the speaker. I also had to sand down the height of the enclosure. I was excited to finally have a digitrax brand sound decoder to match my other digitrax decoders. The sound is plenty loud as I currently have it set at a volume of 4. The sounds waves provided are just ok and i need to find a place that has proper spj files since digitrax dosn't provide very many. I also need to figure out how to add other waves using an apple computer with the pr3 jmri soundloader or maybe windows running on a mac??. It definitely needs a capacitor installed and I need to order some mentioned in the post. But, it only occasionally stops and a quick wiping of the track sends it on its way. The main problem for me isn't the sound but the motor control. I was hoping to have an easy consist since the decoders are all digitrax. I can't get the sound equipped one to start with the non-sound decoders. I have adjusted the kick start and the start voltage but it will still not start on any of the early speed steps. It will always start at the same throttle position and will take off like a bat from hell with the adjusted kick/start. I don't want to have to install another sound decoder to run a consist and I don't want to have to adjust all the others decoders to start so slow. Any suggestions on sound decoders start voltage adjustments
I should have read this thread before I tried to install the SDN144K1E in an SD40-2 . It simply is as close to impossible as it gets with the stock parts. I have cussed this install for Many many hours now. Never will I do another. Not worth the effort. IMHO MRC is also a bad decoder as it has low low volume. Mike
