Need advice on wiring Soundtraxx decoder.


Mike Van Hove
 

Now before you all jump on me and say “Go to the DCC Group” hear me out, please.

I have 2 early Hallmark 2-8-2 engines. They both have mechanical problems that will be more trouble than they are worth.

Here’s the deal: I’m out of HO Std Gage and starting an HOn3 switching layout.

21 ft long with Antonito at one end and Santa Fe at the other.

Both of these towns had dual gauge track, so I thought, why not paint these two dead engines up really nice, and have them sitting on a “ready Track” just for display and sound.

Then, I want to put a Soundtraxx decoder in each one.

Neither one will have a motor, all I want is for them to sit near the depot on a stub track, have the headlight on, Dim, and the occasional sound of the Airpump
and the fireman shoveling a little and the now and then blow off of steam.

Just so it looks alive and ready for the engineer to get his orders, and take off.

So far, that sounds possible but here is my question:

Does a Soundtraxx decoder require motor connections in order for the rest of the sounds to work?

I hope someone in this group has done this and it will be a big help to have clear answer.

Thanks in advance,

Former Standard Gage Guy, who has now seen the light. 🤭

Mike Van Hove


JimKueneman@...
 

They won’t be able to ACK back To the programmer when trying to programming them so it will think it failed to program. Other than that it should not matter.

On Aug 4, 2022, at 1:27 PM, Mike Van Hove <vanhovem22@...> wrote:

Now before you all jump on me and say “Go to the DCC Group” hear me out, please.

I have 2 early Hallmark 2-8-2 engines. They both have mechanical problems that will be more trouble than they are worth.

Here’s the deal: I’m out of HO Std Gage and starting an HOn3 switching layout.

21 ft long with Antonito at one end and Santa Fe at the other.

Both of these towns had dual gauge track, so I thought, why not paint these two dead engines up really nice, and have them sitting on a “ready Track” just for display and sound.

Then, I want to put a Soundtraxx decoder in each one.

Neither one will have a motor, all I want is for them to sit near the depot on a stub track, have the headlight on, Dim, and the occasional sound of the Airpump
and the fireman shoveling a little and the now and then blow off of steam.

Just so it looks alive and ready for the engineer to get his orders, and take off.

So far, that sounds possible but here is my question:

Does a Soundtraxx decoder require motor connections in order for the rest of the sounds to work?

I hope someone in this group has done this and it will be a big help to have clear answer.

Thanks in advance,

Former Standard Gage Guy, who has now seen the light. 🤭

Mike Van Hove




Mark Kasprowicz
 

Just wire A 100 ohm resistor across the grey and orange wires. Additionally you could set the three speed settings to zero. They’ll ack and you’ll be able to programme them. 

mark


Mike Van Hove
 

Thanks for the info.

I knew in the back of my feeble mind there was a reason to ask.

The 100 ohm resister is the solution, I needed. I just totally forgot about the ACK Thing.

Thanks, so much, you’ve saved me a lot of wasted time.

Someday, when this layout is actually running, I’ll take a picture of these Dummy Engines and send it to the group.

Thanks,

Again.

Mike Van Hove


lloyd lehrer
 

Just put a resistor across the motor leads so it thinks there is a motor. Set the speed to zero.

lloyd lehrer 310 951-9097

On Thu, Aug 4, 2022, 1:53 PM JimKueneman via groups.io <JimKueneman=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:
They won’t be able to ACK back To the programmer when trying to programming them so it will think it failed to program. Other than that it should not matter.
> On Aug 4, 2022, at 1:27 PM, Mike Van Hove <vanhovem22@...> wrote:
>
> Now before you all jump on me and say “Go to the DCC Group” hear me out, please.
>
> I have 2  early Hallmark 2-8-2 engines.  They both have mechanical problems that will be more trouble than they are worth.
>
> Here’s the deal:  I’m out of HO Std Gage and starting an HOn3 switching layout.
>
> 21 ft long with Antonito at one end and Santa Fe at the other.
>
> Both of these towns had dual gauge track, so I thought, why not paint these two dead engines up really nice, and have them sitting on a “ready Track” just for display and sound.
>
> Then, I want to put a Soundtraxx decoder in each one.
>
> Neither one will have a motor, all I want is for them to sit near the depot on a stub track, have the headlight on, Dim, and the occasional sound of the Airpump
> and the fireman shoveling a little and the now and then blow off of steam.
>
> Just so it looks alive and ready for the engineer to get his orders, and take off.
>
> So far, that sounds possible but here is my question:
>
>    Does a Soundtraxx decoder require motor connections in order for the rest of the sounds to work?
>
> I hope someone in this group has done this and it will be a big help to have clear answer.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Former Standard Gage Guy, who has now seen the light. 🤭
>
> Mike Van Hove
>
>
>
>







--
lloyd lehrer


Tom Ludlam
 

Leave the decoder address on default 3, use program on main to set desired sounds and lights. No acknowledgement required (from motor) and you'll hear/see changes immediately.

Tom

On 04-Aug-22 15:27, Mike Van Hove via groups.io wrote:
Now before you all jump on me and say “Go to the DCC Group” hear me out, please.

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