Kato 10-814 Decoder Install Question

[Ochanomizu]

Please remember, it is Golden Week.  Most business closed until Thursday.  Maybe not open until next week.  So sorry.

[westfalen]

F3 decoder at the top of the photo. It's roughly the same size and might fit but a lot of messing around if you want head and tail lights because the original board has a surface mount LED on top for headlights and one underneath for the tail lights. I'll go with the NGDCC decoder that is designed specifically for this mechanism.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Ochanomizu, no need to apologize its all good. Lol

westfallen: thanks for the info.

 

 

 

 

I just received an email from the folks at NGDCC. It says (their wording)

 

 

 

The decoder is not completely match 10-814 (813-200 series). It requires some modify body and CV setting. But I think better choice.

1) DE29x6K

 

 

 

 

Do you guys agree with this? I'm assuming the body mod is lights? He also mentioned different firmware for this decoder.

 

Spiff

Edited May 7, 2013 by Spaceman Spiff

[Ochanomizu]

Hello Mr Spiff,

 

I do not know which decoder you made the request.  DE29x6K recommended by NGDCC is the same as suggested by Mr Westfalen.  I think you will not know until you test it for yourself.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Hello Mr. Ochanomizu,

 

I sent an email to NGDCC telling them that I need the decoder for the Kato 10-814 (813-200) I think they had a different decoder listed on their website for the 10-814. They sent the reply for me to get DE29x6K. I think the medication is soldering the LED off the old board to the decoder.

 

 

 

Thanks

Spiff

Edited May 8, 2013 by Spaceman Spiff

[westfalen]

I think the body modification he is refering to is shaving off parts of the body insert to clear some of the decoder's components. See picture 7 on the link on NGDCC's page http://jrk813.com/minami-fukuoka_exp/dcc_decoder/ec_813-200, all NGDCC decoders requre soldering of LEDs. The reference to CVs could have somethng to do with the correct operation of head and tail lights in the trailing car.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Thanks westfallen. Order placed and paid for so we should know in a couple of weeks how it all goes ;-)

I have a feeling soldering those LED are going to be a pain.

 

 

 

Spiff

Edited May 8, 2013 by Spaceman Spiff

[Guest Closed Account 1]

Can you measure your Lightboard for us? I'm positive the decoder can be found here in the USA.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Hi Webskipper,

 

Attached are pics in both flavors (inches and metric)

 

 

Spiff

[westfalen]

I was a bit apprehensive about soldering SMDs before I tried it too, just tin the pads on the decoder with a little solder, place the SMD on the solder (facing the right way, I put the first one of facing backwards) and quickly touch your soldering iron to the solder.

 

I'll be putting in an order myself as soon as I figure out if I need anything else.

 

A thing to consider when looking to see if any U.S. decoder can be substituted is larger componets on the decoder that won't allow it to fit not just the dimensions of the board itself, I've found Digitrax or other U.S. boards that would fit some Kato locos otherwise.

[Guest Closed Account 1]

It is longer than the K0D8 series of TCS decoders. I'd send an email to TCS with dimensions and they will tell you the matching decoder.

 

Buying within your own Country is faster for warranty. Sh*t happens.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Dealing locally is may be better especially with language barriers but not always. Digitrax of late hasn't done much to impress me of late.

 

Spiff

[westfalen]

Not much difference for me ordering from USA or Japan so it boils down to a choice between a decoder that will fit and one that might.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I received my "energy sample for model train" today (Customs declaration lol).  I installed it and went to program it and got a NO PG message. WTF I then took it off and looked at the board. I put it on the wrong way. First clue should have been the white clip did not clip on  lol.  It's all good now. Just need to transfer the LED's from OEM board to the decoder.

 

 

Thanks for the info on the decoder Westfalen and to the rest of the gang for their help.

 

Spiff

[westfalen]

Let us know how it goes. I was waiting to see what mechanism my Nagano colour series 115 had before I ordered but it looks like a hard wire job, although a dead easy one.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Hi Westfalen,

 

Im not sure if I'll do the soldering my self or get a friend to help. Those LED's look really small. Lol

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spiff

Edited May 24, 2013 by Spaceman Spiff

[Martijn Meerts]

The LEDs are generally really easy to solder because the solder goes on really fast. The real problem is removing them, which requires either a lot of patience and some good tin removal device (I have yet to come across a decent one for small stuff like SMD LEDs that's also affordable), or you need one of those tweezer soldering things (basically 2 small soldering tips with a spring, so it acts as a pair of tweezers) .. One of those tweezers things isn't cheap either though, but I can confirm they work ... I de-soldered an SMD LED from the Kato GG1 board yesterday to flip it around so the anode of the 2 LEDs were connected to each other :)