DCC install Atlas S2

J911 Aug 12, 2020

  1. J911

    J911 TrainBoard Member

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    Hey all,
    Going to install sound into an older atlas S2. The roco motor type. Anyone else done this yet or have any tips?
    I know the motor is NOT isolated as theirs a screw running up the bottom of the frame to hold the motor in. Replacing that with a synthetic screw. Next taping crylon tape under the 4 points of the frame so no contact is made. Using a sugar cube and a TCS wow sound decoder. Yes their is room .


    Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk
     
  2. Uncle peanut butter

    Uncle peanut butter TrainBoard Member

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  3. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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  4. Uncle peanut butter

    Uncle peanut butter TrainBoard Member

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    I've noticed that in the article I linked that there is no mention of wiring the motor.
    I'm in HO scale.
     
  5. Uncle peanut butter

    Uncle peanut butter TrainBoard Member

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    some photos of work in progress:
    IMG_7996.JPG IMG_7997.JPG
    I did away with the weight and altered the circuit board. I should have kept the motor contact in place. Would have save me the troublele of soldering a lead to the brass brush housing.

    Motor mount screw holes were tapped 2-56. The nylon screws I have, Walthers #947-1177, just didn't feel right going in. All well after re-tapping. These are used top and bottom.
     
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  6. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    Note: I was researching and typing the following below and didn't notice you had posted while I was doing that so sounds like you are on your way :)

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I did some more reading on different people's installs and the motor wiring is very confusing when you install the board as I don't see how it connects to the motor. I can see where it might touch the top motor cap with a contact point under the board but don't see how it connects to the bottom of the motor?

    Do you have one of these decoders or can get one? Looks like they are discontinued... https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/201382085-ATLS4-Retired

    One installer said that he hard wires decoders in since there is room and it is fairly easy to isolate the motor,

    Sumner
     
    Last edited: Aug 16, 2020
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  7. Uncle peanut butter

    Uncle peanut butter TrainBoard Member

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    Soldered a grey lead to the bottom brush mount.
    IMG_8003.JPG

    Cut a relief in the bottom of chassis. Wrapped the motor with Kapton tape.
    IMG_8007.JPG

    Tied the decoder, DZ126, to the old circuit board.

    IMG_8004.JPG
     
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  8. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    You are getting there (y). I'm interested, does the light board have a contact on the bottom that contacts the top brush cap?

    Also I haven't done a lot of installs but most that I've done (N Scale) have the orange wire going to the bottom. I did wire one backwards and corrected by reprogramming the decoder to swap directions instead of swapping the wires around. I'll be interested in seeing photos of the rest of the install (fascinated by different decoder install techniques), including where the orange wire ends up connected.

    Sumner
     
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  9. Uncle peanut butter

    Uncle peanut butter TrainBoard Member

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    Soldered the top lead on. Regarding the correct color for the bottom connection I’ll make it work as it should.

    159F2A33-7374-457C-A360-7B68FADB0C8F.jpeg

    Work on the project came to a halt as I had to make dinner and take advantage of a beautiful evening for eating outdoors.

    FD761950-92F6-43BA-9C6F-4EF1092928FA.jpeg

    Went on a 24 mile bike ride today to try and offset all that food.
    Back to train work soon.
     
  10. Uncle peanut butter

    Uncle peanut butter TrainBoard Member

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    @Sumner
    This is from one of the links you posted.
    https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/29416
    “I soldered the motor leads from the decoder, orange to the top, grey to the bottom.”
    Maybe I’ll be ok.
    Edit:
    I programmed the decoder and gave it a quick run. Forward is cab forward, reverse is hood first.
    Does this sound correct? Also wired the lighting wrong. Blue common is +, I wired it as -.
    I'll correct this gaff tomorrow.
     
    Last edited: Aug 18, 2020
  11. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    Sounds like you got it (y).

    I found the 'blue' wire thing confusing at first as I didn't find a good explanation of it. As you found out it is the supply positive voltage and the function wires, such as white for forward light, yellow for rear light and/or any additional ones take whatever you are controlling to ground and completes the circuit for whatever the function is controlling. There is only one blue wire so one has to split its output to anything that you are turning on or off.

    I read one way to find out if the orange wire goes on the top, bottom or either side depending on motor configurations is to do the following. If the cab runs forward using a multimeter check continuity and find which side of the frame or what part of the frame is connected to track power on the right side of the cab (after removing the shell). You don't need the loco to be on the track. Check between the wheels on that side and the frame.

    Then find which motor brush connects to that side of the frame using the multimeter again between the frame on that side and to the brush caps if it is not obvious from looking at the contact strips on the brush caps. That brush is then the one the orange wire goes to. That side of the frame track pickup is where the red wire goes to also. If you switch either the orange or red to opposite sides the loco will run the other direction so it is important to get both right. Of course if the train doesn't run the right direction you can swap it by changing CV's when programming the decoder.

    When done there should be no continuity any more between the brush caps and any part of the frame.

    Some frames are split with track voltage going to the upper and lower frame halves not either side. Others don't connect the motor to any frame but get power to the motor directly from the trucks but the solution is similar with all of them.

    Sumner
     
  12. Quax

    Quax TrainBoard Member

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    Hi Uncle peanut butter!
    Sorry for being off-topic but your second picture makes me curious. Looks interesting! I see spaghetti with tomato sauce (and basil leaves)? What‘s under the cheese? Breaded schnitzel?

    Best regards, Christian
     
  13. Uncle peanut butter

    Uncle peanut butter TrainBoard Member

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    Chicken parmigiana
     
  14. Quax

    Quax TrainBoard Member

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    Oh, cool. Thanks for the inspiration!
     
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  15. Uncle peanut butter

    Uncle peanut butter TrainBoard Member

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    After a few tests I've developed a short. I'll track it down and report my findings. The bottom of the motor where it sits in the frame is the most likely culprit.
     
  16. Uncle peanut butter

    Uncle peanut butter TrainBoard Member

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    Short has been sorted.
    Here’s my finding and solution.

    B7A6EC76-25CB-489C-891D-F10510A7603E.jpeg
    The top of the motor has a red plastic insulating pad under the brush screw. The lower one is meant to contact the frame. As much as I tried to use Kapton tape for insulation it was spotty.

    01678DF1-4221-4C21-A9F8-D95B8DD42DBA.jpeg
    I made an insulating pad from styrene and installed it copying the setup on the top of the motor.

    F8C783F7-325A-4936-B2DE-F5A6CE0E1798.jpeg FE2F4A4F-FF69-477E-9A9C-B299587BCD56.jpeg
    Soldered the leads and wrapped the brush housing with Kapton tape.
    C8EE0EF2-3834-49C5-A03E-42DBF634004E.jpeg
    Installed and soldered the red and black pickups and all is well.
    I'll sort the lights later.
     

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