I have read about the M7 overheating

Hi Jeff.  Thank you for your reply. Spreadsheets? That is getting sophisticated, I did have a spreadsheet facility on my Tower, but not on my laptop. I suppose that if I had a use for it, it could be sorted. Best wishes Kevin 

Hi Kevin,

If you read further down in the RM thread the obvious solution is stated - just get rid of the capacitors. While not up to Jeff's tally (my records say 120 DC to DCC conversions over the years, plus the additional DCC ready but modified, another 30), not one of them has a capacitor or choke, and I have never had an overheating issue, even on all day exhibition duty. Barry's comment about cheap motors applies to all the other items as well. Including capacitors. GIGO.

Hornby's method of keeping the RF suppression is more to do with the law regarding radio transmission, rather than reality. Bet their lawyers decided that one. Decoders do not need it. Most have it built in. To paraphrase Boswell, rip it out! DC is another matter. Keep them, specially with old models.

I usually upgrade with Mashima motors. not sure they will be the same since Mr. Mashima retired.

Nigel

Hi Nigel. Thank you for your reply. More food for thought, I will be overweight with all this thought?  Best wishes Kevin 

Hi Kevin,

One of the dirty secrets of DCC, superficially easy peasy, two wires underneath, slap a decoder in, off to the races. It is actually technically complicated. I am not trained as an engineer or electronics expert, but it pays to read around what you are doing.

Reading the thread on t'together site along with other sites it struck me that a lot of people were/are still thinking DC and using DCC. And following silly suggestions like wrapping decoders with electrical tape. It is not helped by the manufacturers either. Locomotives have to be DC and DCC compatible. Along with chassis designs that in a lot of cases make it difficult to fit a decoder and speaker. Tenders excepted. I can appreciate why modelers stick with DC. A good controller does what a decoder does.

One of the reasons why it pays to start with a bare motor after getting rid of the often questionable wiring, boards and RF suppression that the factory sticks in. And get a good decoder from a reputable manufacturer. OEM, not an own brand.

Sorry for the grouse, but DCC is a different mindset.

Nigel

Kevin

So when you are ready to buy a decoder for one of your engines be it M7 terrier or whatever as we now know you are happy to buy from digitrains just say what locomotive you wish to fit a decoder to then people here can easily go to the digitrains site and recommend which decoder will be best for the locomotive.

Brian

Hi Brian.  Yes that is true. I purchased my Powercab from them plus various accessories including a second PCP for another plank, replacement leads, etc etc.    Best wishes Kevin