Last year, I've equipped a Kato P42 Genesis N scale with a Digitrax sound decoder It was a true drop in installation by the way It comes with a 100uF 25V capacitor, and I noticed the sound was resetting sometimes I was thinking to install larger capacitors (such as 2 x 220uF 25V in parallel) that should fit in the shell Will I need to install as well a resistor and a zener diode? Or I should be fine with these 440uF? Thanks
If you have room use three. You can use surface mount capacitors to save room. Get the 25 volt caps. Watch polarity !
Well, it doesn't fit entirely: the shell is not going all the way down (missing something like ~2 mm max to sit perfectly where it should) I see 1 option if I really want to install the 2 x 220uF/25V capacitor: 1 - I've already de-soldered wires from the existing capacitor (100uF) and the led 2 - Remove the gray plastic cover (and not re-install it) 3 - Cut a portion of the contacts going along each side of the engines (shown in red on only 1 side, but will do both of course) 4 - Solder a piece of wire between contact and truck (shown in pink - contact on the truck is accessible once plastic cover is removed) WIth the plastic cover out and the contacts cut off, the shell fits as it should now Is this a good idea, or a bad one? Will i have issues with wires soldered bewteen trucks and contacts from the frame?
I don’t think removing that part will be a good idea. I would hold off on this until you can get some surface mount capacitors. They will take up 1/2 the room and do the same job. You should be able to find the capacitors on our friend the bay. You want 100 uf at 20 volt caps, wire in parallel . That would give you 200 uf .
I have hard time to find SMD capacitors being 20V...I can find 16V on some online store, but I'm concerned 16V is not enough..... Stock capacitor is 100uF, and I was planning to go with 440uF (2x220uF) However, going with 2x100uF SMD (which means doubling the stock capacitor) should already be an improvement, right?
Two of the 220 uF ‘s just will not fit has you have discovered. Keep looking for the 20 volt 100 uF surface mount caps. I know they are available . See if I can find a link to send to you via a PM.
DigKey has some but they are not cheap. https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/united-chemi-con/KTJ250B107M76BFT00/6189604
This what you are looking for? https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/panasonic-electronic-components/20TDC100MYF/10644072 Google 20TDC100MYF capacitor Sumner
Ok I think since I just got a XL sound decoder to try in an N scale U50 I need to also try a capacitor or two in it. I'm using a 12 volt supply now with DCC++EX and might at some point go to a 14 volt supply I have but no higher. I see where SBS4DCC has a 220 uf 16v capacitor with .292 x .176 x .118 dimensions that they recommend for sound decoder installs.... ( https://store.sbs4dcc.com/SBS4DCC220uF16V2917SMDCapacitor.aspx ) The one I found in the digikey link above (20TDC100MYF) is 100 uf 20v with .287 x .169 x .18 dimensions. About the same dimensions but you would need two of them to get close to the 220 uf of the 16v one above. I know next to nothing about capacitors except what they do. What are one's thoughts on using the 16v one with the 12 volt power supply or even a 14 volt one? It would be a lot easier to find a space for it compared to two of the other ones, Sumner
I think the 16V with 14V power supply is WAY TOO RISKY !!! I would myself not go under 20V rated capacitor (and I'm running at approximately 12.5V on the tracks) By the way: how do you like your XL decoder? Any pics of the install?
Not sure if I'll ever go to the 14v power supply so might try the 16 volt capacitors as I could probably get two of those in pretty easily in my install. I just got the decoder a couple days ago so haven't done the install yet. I did just start an install page on my site here... http://1fatgmc.com/RailRoad/Decoder-1/page-10.html and will try and get the install done in the next week and finish the pictures and if it works will try and post a video with sound. This will be my first install of a sound decoder so will be a learning experience. Here are a couple pictures and there are more at the link above. I'll be following your install also. Sumner
I just purchased those one...hope it will be fine! https://www.ebay.com/itm/203179085514?ul_noapp=true
digikey has these 220 microFarad 25V caps, but they are expensive ($4/piece): https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/avx-corporation/TCN4227M025R0100E/9919984