irishthump

This will depend on how much current your LEDs draw and how much current your decoder function outputs can handle.

LEDs draw roughly 20ma each (that's a very general estimation, it varies depending on size, colour etc.) while decoder outputs will handle anything from around 100ma on the cheaper ones up to 250ma on the more expensive sound decoders. Even 3 coaches with 6 LEDs each, not to mention any directional lights in the dummy power car would quickly add up and probably overload the decoder's outputs.

You also have to consider how many amps your DCC system supplies to the track. Some more basic systems only put out 1 or 2 amps and like I said I rake of lit coaches can eat into this!

You could probably control 2-3 coaches comfortably with one decoder, but then you've also got wiring between the coaches which can be a pain. The ideal solution is a decoder for each coach, but this gets expensive even with function only decoders.

Personally I wouldn't bother with decoders at all, I'd have LEDs powered directly from the track pickups fitted with a flicker free circuit. You could also install a small switch in the underside of the coach to turn of the lights when not in use.

Wow! What a transformation!

Looks great, can't wait to see more progress.....

I have checked out Mr Soundguy & his work is really impressive, any idea on where I can get the 201 sound chip & for how much?

He sells direct so just contact him on his website. Prices including shipping should be there.

Mr Soundguy (see: http://www.mrsoundguy.co.uk) does the best 201 soundproject on Zimo soundchips. The best speakers are the Bass Reflex from DCCsupplies.com (check if Zimo model needs 4 or 8 oHm resistance speaker). Hopefully the Lego model will have plenty of room to accommodate these. Mr Soundguy also does O gauge soundchips if you are building a very large model.

Zimo decoders can use both 4ohm or 8ohm speakers.

Folks,

 

Can I draw your attention to point 9 of the forum's rules and guidelines:

 

 

 

http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/79-Website-Guidelines-Rules

 

Please bear this in mind before posting images from books, videos, etc.

That's grand, Garfield. Like I said I wasn't sure!

Thanks irish thump if it was against the charter I could PM you my email that's ok

 

Cheers

 

Mark

No problem, Mark. But those pics from Scahalane are better images than the one I remember from the book!

Picture an industrial grade petrol filling station and you're there. The ammonia wagon central valve housing box cover was lowered and the ammonia feed hoses were were connected to the couplings inside the box.

I believe there's a picture of the unloading station in the book "From CIE to IR", I'll check when I get home.

Is it ok to reproduce photos from books on the forum?

Sewing machine oil is a good substitute for the name brand lubricants. Use light oil on the motor bearings (important but often overlooked, just needs the tiniest amount) and on the worm gear bearings.

Some light grease is best on the worm gear itself and the drive wheel gearing.

141 all the way. Lovely rich tonality and impressive clarity

This has me considering replacing all the other speakers with the sugarcube ones. They seem to sound the best of what I've tried so far and since they're suitable for N scale you'll never have an issue with installation space.

I'm also going to try wiring a couple of these speakers together in the larger locos, such as a 201 and see how it sounds.

Well done IT, I have to say I had to keep my eyes closed when listening to those two, as I feel movement may ! give a better albeit more ralistic sound to the motors, I don't know if this is making sense but I think the 141 has the lead, but only just on this test,

I know what you mean, I'd like to show the locos running round the layout but you'd never get a decent comparison if they were moving!

Well from the sound of that clip, B141 has a far more dynamic sound, deeper and more resonant and far less tinny. No comparison.

Cheers, Weshty. I was thinking that myself, but I've been listening to so many different speakers it's getting to the stage I can't tell the difference anymore! Nice to get some opinions.

As I mentioned I bought a couple of "sugarcube" speakers and I installed one into B141 to see what they're like.

Here's how the speaker arrived.

As you can see it comes in 2 parts, the speaker itself and the plastic baffle which fits to the back of it. The baffle MUST be attached, I tired it at first without it and the sound was dreadful!

The baffle was attached with a tiny amount of CA glue and care has to be taken to get a good seal.

The wires are then soldered tot the 2 connections on the back. When assembled the overall dimensions are 15x11x11mm and is an easy fit inside the body of B141. I simply fixed it to back of the cab detail with some mastic tape.

So here's a video.

B141 is fitted with the sugarcube speaker, while B165 has the Maplins speaker which I reinstalled by fixing it to the roof of the loco rather than using the speaker cradle as Anto suggested. I then sealed around the edges of the speaker with mastic tape to make it as airtight as possible. Ypu can compare with the first video to see if you notice any improvement. Once again the soundfile and volume settings are the same for both speakers (ignore the different horn sounds!).

But I have to say I'm impressed with the sound from the sugarcube speaker, it definitely has more low end than the other speakers.

Oh, and just for Noel there's a shot at the end of the video showing the brake squeal function on the Loksound decoders!

They definitely need some additional weight. The weight is very easy to add, inside the barrel, during the build. I think I just used some rolled up newspaper in mine.

Yeah dead right. I glued some old nuts and bolts into mine.

Mine are stabled in a siding as they derail constantly when running but I still enjoy having them parked up.

Had the same trouble with mine and it appears to be the crappy wheels that Dapol supply with the kits. I switched mine for Hornby wheels and the problems disappeared.

Looking good Tony

Wednesday maybe?

Patience!

When my old man worked as a tailor and a customer ordered a new suit and wanted it in a hurry he woul say to them - "Quality - Quick - Cheap. Pick two!"

Glad you found the source of the trouble!

The leds are mounted on a flat circuit board that fits underneath the cab, it may be stuck to the bottom of the cab detail in those photos.

If you can't see where to solder the wire you may have to remove the other cab and check the wiring on the opposite end's light board.

Anyway, it's a simple enough fix.

Wonderful work, sir!

I'm no expert, but is this not a tad expensive?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331422674305?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

The 141's use leds and these usually don't flicker before blowing they usually die suddenly! I have a feeling it might be a dodgy PCB which I believe was an issue with a few of these locos. I've never stripped one of these locos down completely but I assume there are 2 leds at each end of the loco. According to the service sheet there's an led board that sits into each end so I imagine the leds are wired onto this.

It may simply be a loose wire so check that out first.

To check the led would require it being removed from the loco or you may be able to apply power to the ends of the wire feeding the led but be careful to use the correct voltage.

If it's the PBD that's at fault then the printed circuit powering the cab 1 lights may have burned out. It's possible to insert a jumper wire once you can identify the circuit but it would require some delicate soldering work.

The Maplins speaker running free air make's a big difference that's the way I run my sound locos. Try attaching the Maplins speaker to the inside of the roof below the the grill (don't forget to remove the grey plastic covering the underside of the grill) and sealing all the way around it with blue tack or copydex to stop any noise cancellation that makes a big difference. The sound from the top of the speaker fires out through the top grill and the underside of the speaker fires into the loco body but the speaker must have an air tight seal around it.

Although it's not in the picture I sealed around the bottom of the speaker with black mastic. But I will try mounting the speaker directly to the inside of the shell.

I also have some "sugar cube" speakers which sound incredible for their size, I installed one in a US loco and it sounds great. I plan to try one in a 141 soon and I'll post a video when I can.

Thanks for taking the time to make that clip and post it. Very interesting.

 

I noticed the horn at the beginning of the 142 segment sounded different to the horn at the end of the 165 segment.

 

If you got a chance sometime to post a clip with the braking sound on stopping and the flange squeal. If you are programming the LokSound yourself, are you able to extract the other channels from the MM recordings on ESUs web site (e.g. whistle, station announcement, brakes, etc).

I stand corrected on the horn sound! I programmed different horns for each engine so that explains the difference in tone. You're right in that any individual sound can be removed and switched with another from the ESU sound library. The sound file is the 071 file and I just switched the engine sound.

I'll do that when I get the chance, Noel. I presume you mean the braking sound as the engine comes to a stop? I deliberately filmed the locos standing still and used the manual notching function so as to give an accurate comparison between the two speakers.

I recently installed sound decoders in a couple of my MM 141's and I thought I'd post this little video comparing the sound from different speakers.

Both locos contain the same Loksound decoders and are both loaded with the same soundfile. The volume settings are identical on both.

MM142 is fitted with a bass enhanced speaker that can be bought from several suppliers. I removed the back from the housing to allow it to fit into the body without any surgery to the loco.

MM165 used a 4ohm speaker from Maplins and was a perfect fit into the cradle on the loco frame. These speakers are available from several other suppliers but I just happened to see them for sale in Maplins and picked up a couple at €4.50 each. The part no. is ABS-224-RC which is a 4ohm speaker but they also sell an 8ohm speaker (part no. ABS-216-RC) which is also suitable for the LOksound V4. (Both speakers will also work with Zimo decoders.)

One thing with this speaker is that you have to secure it into the cradle either through the screw holes provided or with some sticky mastic or Blu Tac. Otherwise the speaker will rattle like crazy!

Anyway here's the video, decide for yourself which sounds better. But I think the Maplins speaker as a but more low end to it.

From what I know their uncoupler is simply a small ramp that is raised by a solenoid or servo. There are neater was to uncouple stock to be honest.....

A small drone ( under 20kg) operated within 500m of the operator and not over 'congested' populated areas or near airports doesn't need any licenses.

Yeah, but it should....