BLI Mikado n scale Loksound install recommendations

[PanAmShay]

I expect to receive an n scale BLI Stealth Mikado SP&S in the next few weeks and I plan to install ESU Loksound

Looking for recommendations on approach, since I've seen some comments that the BLI electronics boards aren't great.  I believe I read that even about the stealth ones, but am not certain on this.
1. Use Next18 plug in the BLI Stealth board and ESU Next18 Nano 58928 decoder. This is the easy button
2. Rip out BLI Stealth board and hardwire in an ESU Nano Single Wire 58923.  I've used these in hardwire installs on a pair of Intermountain FP9's, and it was pretty easy.  Only downside was needing to solder in a few things like lighting resistors, etc
3. Rip out BLI Stealth and see if a decoder buddy mini or something else would fit which might save a bit of soldering for lighting resistors, but not sure what else it would give you.

I prefer 1, but only if it doesn't cause regrets down the line.  If there are known problems with BLI Stealth boards, that would be helpful to know.

I would also like to put in a 3 wire Power Pack.  I've never put one of these in before, but am hoping there is room in the tender.  Maybe ESU 54671 PowerPack Mini or NixTrainz Power Bridge I or II? 

Any speaker recommendations?

Thanks in advance.

-Andrew

[peteski]

While I have not bought any Stealth versions of BLI models, from what I read it is simply shipped with a blank adapter motherboard which has a Next18 connector and with factory installed Next18 dummy DC plug, so it is basically a DC model ready to accept Nex18 type decoders.  Not sure why the entire motherboard would need to be ripped out.  Just remove the dummy DC plug and plug in your favorite brand of Next18 decoder. They some function remapping on the decoder might be needed for things other than headlights.

I am not aware of any Decoder Buddy or similar 3rd party motherboards for N scale models. They are seem to be all for H0 models.  If I was in your situation I would plan on option 1 and if that doesn't work, look for alternatives.

[PanAmShay]

Thanks Peteski.  Sounds like a plan.  I just wanted to make sure there weren't issues with the BLI motherboard that had people removing them.

I missed the Nix N18 and N18+ decoder buddies on their website.  They are also Next18, so I can easily take the Next18 Loksound decoder and move it over to a Nix decoder buddy if I run into hassles with the BLI motherboard.

[peteski]

Thanks Peteski.  Sounds like a plan.  I just wanted to make sure there weren't issues with the BLI motherboard that had people removing them.

I missed the Nix N18 and N18+ decoder buddies on their website.  They are also Next18, so I can easily take the Next18 Loksound decoder and move it over to a Nix decoder buddy if I run into hassles with the BLI motherboard.

I wonder why others are pulling the stock BLI stealth motherboard. What kind of compatibility issue exists on it? Next18 is a well defined standard so I'm not sure what on BLI board is breaking the rules. Can you point to some specific examples of what the problems are?  Again, I dont' have any personal  experience here - just basing my statements on my general DCC knowledge.

[jdcolombo]

Plugging in a Next 18 decoder is fine . . .

IF

You are satisfied with the speaker situation.

My BLI Mikes had their Paragon 3 decoder, which I hated, so I pulled it out and hardwired an ESU Loksound Micro 5 dcc, along with a TCS KA-1 keep alive (2 wires, not 3).  That left plenty of space for an 11x15 speaker in a properly-sized custom enclosure, which beat the crap out of BLI's speaker.  Here is a thread which has a photo of my installation:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=48510.0 (Note that this particular install used a TCS KA-3 and an older LokSound Select Micro, but I have since done exactly the same install with a ESU LokSound 5 micro and a TCS KA-1, which works just as well for my purposes as the larger KA-3).

And here is a video of how it turned out:

I honestly would start any installation with the speaker.  The sound you get from whatever decoder you use will only be as good as the speaker installation.  If you like BLI's solution (the Stealth locos already come with a speaker installed), then by all means just go the plug & play route.  But I suspect you'll find you can get significantly better sound by using your own speaker solution.  That may not interfere with using the plug-in board; you'll just have to see when you get the locomotive.

John C.

[PanAmShay]

Plugging in a Next 18 decoder is fine . . .

IF

You are satisfied with the speaker situation.

Thanks John.  I had sort of assumed I would replace the speaker with the largest sugar cube style with enclosure I could fit. 

I did see your install thread when I searched before posting.  Good call to rip out the Paragon decoder.  I was not happy with the couple I had tried with those, and never kept them.

Have you compared the TCS Keep alive (2 wire) to the ESU Power Pack (3 wire)?  I've used neither so far...

[nstars]

The stealth version works fine as long as you rip out the original speaker and replace it with a sugar cube speaker. It’s the original speaker which limits the size of the decoder. We installed a Soundtraxx Next18 decoder without any problem.

Marc

[jdcolombo]

Thanks John.  I had sort of assumed I would replace the speaker with the largest sugar cube style with enclosure I could fit. 

I did see your install thread when I searched before posting.  Good call to rip out the Paragon decoder.  I was not happy with the couple I had tried with those, and never kept them.

Have you compared the TCS Keep alive (2 wire) to the ESU Power Pack (3 wire)?  I've used neither so far...

I've never used an ESU Power Pack, mostly because it wouldn't fit in the installs I was doing.  The major benefit of the Power Pack over the TCS is that you don't have to disconnect the keep alive to program the decoder using a LokProgrammer (with the TCS, you have to disconnect it to use the LokProgrammer for programming).  This disadvantage generally hasn't bothered me - I program everything on the LokProgrammer before I connect the keep alive, and then if I need to do any adjustments to chuff rate, speed or momentum, I do that with ops mode programming on the track. 

John C.