I have a GS4 4-8-4 model no. 50201, DCC on board. To add sound, I assume I can do so by (a) opening the tender and removing the 8 pin male plug and the attached factory decoder from the circuit board, (b) replacing it with an 8 pin to 9 pin converter which then attaches to a motor and sound decoder and (c) placing the speaker under the existing circuit board. Also, I assume the magnet side of the speaker is up and cone down. Am I missing something?
Quote from: justl on January 01, 2014, 01:57:22 PM
I have a GS4 4-8-4 model no. 50201, DCC on board. To add sound, I assume I can do so by (a) opening the tender and removing the 8 pin male plug and the attached factory decoder from the circuit board, (b) replacing it with an 8 pin to 9 pin converter which then attaches to a motor and sound decoder and (c) placing the speaker under the existing circuit board. Also, I assume the magnet side of the speaker is up and cone down. Am I missing something?
Look in the below link in the SoundTraxx Tsunami link. Should be everything you need.
I am assuming you are new to DCC and sound. Look through all his site and also go to the MRH link. He publishes regularly.
http://www.mrdccu.com/
Go to the below link and look at the decoder selector page for this loco.
http://www.soundtraxx.com/
Rich
Thanks. I have rewired several vintage locomotives for DCC but have never tried to convert factory DCC without sound to sound. I would appreciate confirmation of my proposed methodology.
Quote from: justl on January 01, 2014, 04:39:05 PM
Thanks. I have rewired several vintage locomotives for DCC but have never tried to convert factory DCC without sound to sound. I would appreciate confirmation of my proposed methodology.
There are many variations on the issue. Depends on whether worth the effort, type of loco, diesel, steam, how much current the motor requires. Space in the shell, etc. The first link shows you a lot about DCC and sound.
Many are not plug and play.
Even a DCC with no sound will usually require soldering at least two wires to the speaker. For a Bachmann loco, at least the steamers, unplug the decoder. Plug in the sound decoder. Not so with many diesels.
You need to do a lot of research if this is new to you.
Rich
I would recommend a Soundtraxx TSU-1000 Heavy Steam DCC Sound Decoder. I would also recommend the 9-Pin JST to NMRA 8-Pin wiring harness which adds an 8-Pin plug in place of the standard wiring harness attached to the decoder at the factory. I would also recommend going with the 1" round speaker as recommended by Soundtraxx. I fitted my Bachmann GS-4 with a high bass speaker and I had to make shims for the PC board to rest on so I didn't have any contact with the bottom of the PCB and the top of the speaker.