DIY locomotive DCC decoder for large scale trains

Chris Tinkerer Mar 1, 2020

  1. Chris Tinkerer

    Chris Tinkerer New Member

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    Hi,

    My name is Chris and i'm new to DCC.

    Can you please recommend a DIY project for locomotive decoder capable or working with G or O scale DC engines? I didn't have any luck googling for it.

    Ideally if this would be Arduino based, capable to re-address and drive the loco DC motors at wide speed ranges, also trigger some functions like sounds and lights...etc. I'm looking for something similar like below decoder low Amp DCC DIY project for HO engines:

    https://model-railroad-hobbyis...m/node/24316?page=26

    Thank you
    Chris
     
  2. wvgca

    wvgca TrainBoard Member

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    most decoders are close to identical on the inside .. you will have to make sure that the bridge and final pass transistors can handle the current needed .. i made HO ones a few years ago, they were only -i think- twelve dollars each, ready to go, i sent the pcb files with eagle ..
    the lights are almost all the same, if you're worried about the current limit there, you can specify LEDs
     
  3. Chris Tinkerer

    Chris Tinkerer New Member

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  4. wvgca

    wvgca TrainBoard Member

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    the ibt2 is for up to 43 amp, lol .... more than HO would use ...
    the example code that i used did not have an arduino, nor an ibt2, a lot smaller components, good for maybe 3 amps ..
    i found the file at merg, but it's very dated now, and doesn't include sound, i wound up updating the main logic chip and the drivers to something that was now available when i did the pcb in eagle .. final pcb size was around a half inch by three quarters of an inch ..
    i have used the ibt2 as a booster following dave bodnars code as an example, and just doing the pcb for it in eagle .., but not as a driver for a mobile decoder .. and also as a motor driver for a tractor gps system [home made], called aopengps by another gps user
     
  5. Chris Tinkerer

    Chris Tinkerer New Member

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    As is read ibt2 w/o heatsink can handle c.a. 4A, which should be enough for O/G DC engine.
    Point is to have example project with arduino code handling DCC functions and capable working with ibt2.
     
  6. wvgca

    wvgca TrainBoard Member

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    the arduino / ibt2 combination -should- work for a mobile decoder, it's already been proven as a DCC booster, the lights
    should need seperate drivers, even just transistor ones ....
    the scale would be for O and up, the ibt2 doesn't fit into HO shells, limited usage ..
     
  7. The Rocket

    The Rocket Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Chris,
    Check out the LokSound 5 XL. It has everything you are looking for, however, they are pricey.
     

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