DCC converting a Kato DD16?

[gavino200]

I bought the Kato 10-1127 DD16/Snowplow car a while ago on a bit of an impulse. I just got around to looking under the shell today. It really doesn't look like there's any room for a decoder. Has anyone succeeded in converting this? How? What decoder? It would of course be possible to put a decoder in the snowplow unit and pass wires, but I'd rather not do that. 

 

 

[chadbag]

4 hours ago, gavino200 said:

I bought the Kato 10-1127 DD16/Snowplow car a while ago on a bit of an impulse. I just got around to looking under the shell today. It really doesn't look like there's any room for a decoder. Has anyone succeeded in converting this? How? What decoder? It would of course be possible to put a decoder in the snowplow unit and pass wires, but I'd rather not do that. 

 

 

 

Can you post some pictures of what it looks like?   My KATO DD16 (no snowplows -- item 7013) is in a box stuck somewhere in a post office.

 

I suspect something like a D&H PD05A with the decoder itself inside the cab (just don't look too closely through the cab window) should work unless the light board is the same as a DE10 or DD13 or something?  (Not having one in front of me I don't know if that is stupid talk or not).  I know my Tomix DE10's will need to be done that way if I can make it work.  There is no extra space but there should be space (have not measured it) in the cab...  If you have pics inside it would be interesting to look at.

 

[Kiha66]

These are of my DD16, you could probably fit a decoder in the cab, although you would have to hard wire it in.  Otherwise I usually dont run this train on DCC and put the plows with another JNR diesel like a DD13 or DD51.

[chadbag]

Do you have a closer up view of the actual main body / motor and all that?

 

Would assume you have to hardwire things.  Interesting it doesn't have a light board like the other KATO diesels (DE 10, DD 13, etc)

[Kiha66]

48 minutes ago, chadbag said:

Do you have a closer up view of the actual main body / motor and all that?

 

Would assume you have to hardwire things.  Interesting it doesn't have a light board like the other KATO diesels (DE 10, DD 13, etc)

 

The metal frame in the picture fills up the body, the model uses two separate light boards on the end if it has lights.  I suspect the reason kato went with the older design is so that they can omit the ligtboards on the snowplow model, as the real locomotive does not show lights while on snowplow duties.  I ordered the assy lightboards from the non plow version, so that I could run the locomotive separately. 

 

[kvp]

Classic split frame design. I think if you don't want to mill anything, you can put the decoder on the roof of the cab with some double sided tape. Or you could mill off the top of the weight before the motor and put the decoder on top of the flywheel. Stuffing it into the cab is imho easier.

[gavino200]

Thanks for the ideas, guys. I think I'll order a D&H micro decoder and think more about it when after the decoder arrives. 

[westfalen]

A CT Elektronik DCX77 should fit inside the cab with room to spare. I might even try it myself after I finish up a couple of other projects.

 

[gavino200]

On 3/25/2018 at 8:39 PM, westfalen said:

A CT Elektronik DCX77 should fit inside the cab with room to spare. I might even try it myself after I finish up a couple of other projects.

 

 

 

I don't suppose you got around to doing this? 

 

I took a look at it today again. There's only one conceivable way I think, without milling out the weight (which is generally a very bad idea). Drill 6 tiny 30 gauge holes in the shell just inside the front wall of the cab. Then I'll wire the motor/pickups/LEDs, pass them through the shell, put the shell back in place, and then cut the wires short. Test at this point obviously. Then solder in tiny D&H decoder. Maybe paint the decoders and wires grey to make them less obvious.

 

An alternative (Definitely trickier) would be as follows:

Make the six holes in the shell as above. Then fix the decoder to the underside of the cab roof. Then fix the decoder wires to the cab pillers or the hidden part of the cab (behind the funnel thing). Then pass the wires through the shell holes and attach the cab to the main shell. We now have the decoder fixed to the loco shell with the wires dangling loose below the shell. 

 

Next with the shell as close to the body of the loco, cut the wires short but with some slack. Carefully solder the wires to the motor/pickup/LEDs. Finally try to coax the shell back on to the body and hope it fits. Sounds horrible, but if it works it would probably be worth it. I can see it taking the best part of a day.....or more.

[gavino200]

Alternatively, if I sacrifice the rear LED and remove the light tube, there should be enough room for a tiny decoder. I think I'll go with that. I can also alter the rear light board to make a reliable pickup connection. 

 

I still have to split the body to see there will be any problems getting it back together with a wired and isolated motor.

[gavino200]

I did it as planed above and it worked. It took about two and a half hours. 

 

I sacrificed the rear lights, but used the light board to make electrical connection for pick up wires. I also used the stock light board for the front lights with it's on board resistor. The motor is isolated with capton tape. This decoder, a D&H PD05A-3 has a tiny footprint, but it's relatively thick. It just fits, height wise. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kiha66]

Wow, awesome work Gavin!  I can't believe you managed to fit it under the hood.  Well done!

[gavino200]

I'll need to use this thread again, as my little DD16 has become a brick for no reason I can see.