Stumped. Tsunami installation into P2K GP9

[MartyG]

It looks good from where Im sitting.I went back and rered the instructions and I think you got it .I even went back to the SoundTraxx website and rechecked the manuels and the ones I looked at dont mention this at all .I know some LHS people dont really know .You ask for one thing and get another.I have run into that before as Im sure alot have .I learned if your unsure about an install put it on the programing track first as it is lower voltage and tends not to fry everything.I have seen me have to rewire a loco right out of the box before I could start to put a decoder in it .Goodluck.MartyG

[woodone]

tetters.
Your MS paint schematic looks good to me. I see your even put a small oval on the 1.5 volt pads.
You can run two more lights off the pads on the side of the board too if you need ditch lights - strobe- you name it.
Now you need to go find the CV's and set the out puts for LED's.
If you can't find it i will have to fire up Decoder Pro, or look through the manual. OH YEA, the dreaded manual.

[tetters]

Its...



ALIVE!!!



Got it! Finally.

A couple of notes. I ended up using 750 resistor, as the 1000's were too much. I wired it all up with the 1000's just about had a hairy fit when the lights did not come "on". It wasn't until I looked really hard at the light did a see just a smidge of light peaking out. So...I lower the value of the resistor and had at it.

Set up the directional lights and am quite fine with everything as is for now. As you will also note I picked up a roll of Kaplan tape.

Just glad I got this in.

So

[woodone]

You will not regret getting the Kapton tape.
Your install looks good! NICE JOB!
I am a little puzzled as to why the change from 1K to the 750 ohm made any difference. If your happy and it works not much else matters.
On you next install using the Tsunami, you will be aware of the several different styles they make. That GN series is for use with Athearn locomotives with 1.5 volt lights. That is a life saver if you are working on a Athearn.
I dislike having to add resistors and voltage control for lights.
What is next on your list of installs? MORE SOUND?

[woodone]

tetters.
I just noted your photos. Is that hand laid track work? Sure looks like wooden ties with a spike every once in a while.

[tetters]

Hey woodone. Thanks for the compliments. I picked up a roll of the Kapton tape for something like 12 bucks...that stuff is not cheap, but I did get me a fair sized roll of the stuff.

I am planning in the distant future to do a sound install for a couple more locos. One is a P2K SW9 same decoder...except... much smaller loco. I talked to a guy who did one. He told me it was a real pain in the ass. Ended up milling a lot out of the chassis and frame to make room for all the bits to go inside and using bull frog snot on two wheels per truck to get some traction. Sounds like fun.

My track work is hand laid. It's my second go around at medium sized switching layout. You can check out my build progress here... http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic...3&start=45

[woodone]

You might wnat to look at this first <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://litchfieldstation.com/DCC-University/install/HODS/Life-Like-Proto2000-S1-826001.htm">http://litchfieldstation.com/DCC-Univer ... 826001.htm</a><!-- m -->

Using a Micro Tsunami - tight fit even at that. I know it is a S-1. A SW9 about the same?

[woodone]

Thanks for the like to your layout- NIce work. Your link gave me the chance to see some of your work.

[tetters]

I guess I should close off this thread with a BIG THANK YOU!!! to absolutely everyone who contributed with their insight and suggestions.

Awesome!

Some final installation shots of the patient and perhaps some more clues for anyone else who might want to attempt this... Just remember, I am a hack, this was the first every sound decoder I've done, and I still don't have a clue about programming quirks or tricks.

The frame after milling the second time around. I sanded a bit more off the loong hood portion. I run my Geeps long hood forward just as an FYI.


Comparison shot with an unmodified chassis from another P2K Geep I have.


Trucks removed and red lead soldered to them.


I popped the plastic covers off the inside that covered the holes for the plastic fan grills to let the sound out.


One more money shot.


Its funny as I've been playing around with the CV's there was a moment there where I did something which disabled the lights...I was like, "OH THAT'S JUST GREAT!!!" So I kept going over the manuals and the CV's ( 29 I think) and pretty much fixed it through trial and error and a bit of brute force programming. There was one situation where the lights would only come on when my cab was only showing even numbers for the speed. Funny things those CV's.

Anyhow. All is good. Directional lights are working, Rule 17 works. Now I just need to play with the momentum so that she doesn't stop on a dime everytime I throttle back on the decoder.

Cheers!

[Steamtrains]

And she sounds like.....???

[tetters]

And she sounds like.....???

A locomotive silly! You'll just have to take my word for it.

I wish I had a good video camera, I'd post up some short clips for sure. :|

[Steamtrains]

Of course....
I kinda' meant, did the sound fulfill your expectations..?? And was it worth the effort..??

[tetters]

Of course....
I kinda' meant, did the sound fulfill your expectations..?? And was it worth the effort..??

To be honest, for some reason I thought it would be louder. I guess years of hearing the real thing up close and even from a considerable distance, you can get a somewhat skewed expectation though. I don't imagine you'd want 1:1 sound in your layout room. hock:

It's funny because as I was reading up on the other issues I was having I came across several threads & articles regarding scale sound and volume. I noted a couple of opinions regarding the "5 foot rule". Meaning if you can hear your prime mover engine from 5 feet away its too loud. Which got me to thinking about it and allowed me to see a valid argument from that point of view. Standing at one end of the layout and watching the train move away from me you get that Doppler Effect as the engine moves away from you and likewise as it move back towards you and past you again. Like a good operator though, you should be following your train around the layout anyways. Also the bell is something that I routinely hear coming from the various trains that pass over the tracks located to the S.E. of my house about about 1 klick away. I will always hear the bell before I hear the train.

Some food for thought. Might be worthwhile having some further discussion about here.

[MartyG]

Hey Tetters. Glad to see your up and running. I know what you mean about the sound .You wonder why there not as loud as you would think they should be and after the dissapointment goes away you wonder why you put it in in the first place.The problem isnt the decoder its the speaker .I took an LC Soundtraxx decoder that are bad on sound on a good day and tried it with a 2 inch paper cone 8 ohm speaker and WOW .Now were taking garden scale sound. It was way to loud .You wouldnt belive the sound was coming from the same decoder.So I guess until speaker technology catches up we will have to put up with what we have.I will be putting this 2 inch speaker in my service area and enjoy the sound from it .I will be turning it down though. Bye for now.MartyG

[Puddlejumper]

When you start running multiple locos at the same time you'll be glad they are not so loud. Especially if there is more than one unit in a consist.