Non-DCC ready model No 32-229

This has been on my "to do" list for longer than I'd care to remember so now, having managed to find a couple of suitable Zimo decoders in stock in Germany, it has moved to the top of the DCC list …………………..

Today, for starters, I took the body off.  This is what's under the bonnet  (hood if you're the other side of the pond …. )  :




There's not a lot of room inside for a decoder, particularly as the "business end" of the electrics are at the front end of the loco so mounting a decoder in the cab could prove difficult.  The wires seem to be attached to some kind of circuit board but the  board doesn't appear to be removable - it's "home" might have been an  ideal place for a slimline decoder   :




I think I need to electrically insert the decoder somewhere into the red and black wires shown here.  Each connects the motor to the pickups and I'm assuming the motor itself is already isolated by the plastic motor mounts.  Should I leave the yellow capacitors in place or remove them ? :

Looking at it more closely, I wonder if the screw shown here just to the right of the electrics holds all the electrical installation in place or is it holding the wheelset in place ………….. :hmm  Has anyone stripped one of these down and could advise please ?

Hi Peter
I think my Jintry is the same as yours. I will take the body off and have a look……I need some time havent had breakfast yet!

I unscrewed the circuit board and hard wired a Zimo chip M617 + lifelink + 3 tantalum and from memory they fit into the boiler

Meantime…….. yes remove the capacitor.

Back in a while

Ah yes - you certainly need a good breakfast John.   If I remember rightly, on Sundays, you're allowed a bacon sandwich with your slimline rye bread……………………I'm guessing you are starting Sunday in Vancouver………….

Having looked at the exploded view on the service sheet, I see that screw does indeed release the circuit board but where on earth did you put the decoder in the boiler ?  Did you take the nose-cone weight out I wonder …………….?

Only allowed a Bacon butty (note the singular) once a week……Saturday was BB day


Hope these help:







Ignore everything to the left of the decoder……its the lifelink and tantalum SA

As you suggested the decoder fits neatly into the space vacated by the PCB.

The two SA components go into the boiler without removing the weight.

Bachmann dont colour code the wires! But in the second photo you can clearly see the the two pick up wires emerging from the chassis.

I desoldered the black and red motor wires from the motor and resoldered orange and grey direct from the decoder, so I only had to join the red and black from the decoder to the pick up wires

If it is running the wrong way its easy to either reverse the orange and grey wires or just alter CV 29

Now I just have to fit it all in again! :hmm

Now that is a demonstration of perfect communication from one chap having the precise information to the other chap needing it. The only connection I have with this delightful situation is having experienced a bacon and HP Sauce buttie today, more or less as John was having his own divine breakfast experience.
   
  I'm sure that Peter’s Jinty will soon be giving him much joy on his lovely railway. One question though Peter, have you discovered the marvels of Herta bacon yet! They have more than one kind and hopefully the bride knows which one to get from SuperU next week.
   
  Happy days,
   
  Best,
   
  Bill
  

Thanks a million John - that's EXACTLY what I need.  Mine is absolutely identical although I admit I didn't look too hard for any space in the boiler.  At first glance, it appeared to be filled by the weight.
It's too late now to do any soldering - it's all outside in the unit whilst I'm inside enjoying the wood burner, so I'll see what tomorrow brings.

Forgot to thank you for pulling yours apart - hopefully, it will all go back into place without too much trouble ……. :roll:

Following John's excellent tutorial, I found things fairly easy - once I'd got the hang of handling hair-like wires (it's a long time since I had anything to do with hair ! :roll:)

Having removed the plastic retaining panel, I was left with just 2 wires from the pickups to the circuit board and 2 from there to the motor.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of the decoder installed but, as John said, it was simply a matter of cutting the wires from the pickups and desoldering those to the motor whilst removing the 3 yellow capacitors at the same time.  The circuit board was discarded.  The black and red wires from the Zimo MX617 decoder were soldered to the black and red pickup wires, the joint being protected by some heat-shrink sleeving.  The grey and orange wires from the decoder were then soldered to the left and right motor terminals.

Unlike in John's installation, I didn't add a stay-alive, perhaps to do later, so tucked the decoder into the void in the boiler above the weight.  It all fits easily.  Only the second time I've hard wired a decoder and a job I wouldn't have tackled without some hand-holding so many thanks John.

Yes, but what about the bacon?

B

Glad it worked out ok.
Hopefully you will be able to get by without fitting any SA………I put it in mine because of RR&Co and the routine it is setup for.

To put in SA you will need to have a ground - ve wire soldered to one of the pads on the M617. I tried but found it beyond my skill level…..I pay Youchoos an extra £1 per decoder to solder the wire and remove a couple I don't need.

What is the next loco on the list?

Keep well

Only a pound to remove wires and add a ground John - that sounds like a bargain !!  I have to put at least £10 in the swear box every time I try anything with a soldering iron ………………….

Bacon Bill ?  This is France and as you know, they don't do proper "bacon" here.  We're going to try some from a guy who does "Bacon in the box" soon although, as we have to buy 5kg at a time, we're a bit worried in case we don't like it ……………..

Alternatively, I'll get John to send some of his surplus over by Fedex …………………….

Have you tried Canadian Bacon?  My weekly treat comes from the English Butcher…”double smoked Wiltshire cure”!

As mentioned in post 6 above Peter. We are regular users now and are brilliant in buttered toasted English muffins with mushrooms and HP sauce! Unfortunately, they were sold out today, so the word may be spreading!

Best,

Bill

PS edit John: not seen Canadian bacon, but must have tried it when in Toronto a few years back. Good you can still get ''the fix''  :)

Liz is going to SuperU on Friday Bill - I'll ask her to buy a pack of Herta bacon - if they stock it here.

We did once buy something called "Canadian bacon" here several years ago John.  It was just the prepacked eye muscle with neither fat nor rind - more like processed ham really.  We didn't buy a second time ……………it was several years ago so may have improved.  I wish we could get Wiltshire cure locally - at a price one could actually afford to eat the stuff !!! 

Every time I or any of our friends go to UK by car, bacon is on the "list".  Alas "Blighty runs" have been impossible this year………….