Author Topic: BLI decoder replacement for F7's  (Read 233 times)

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SD452XR

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BLI decoder replacement for F7's
« on: May 01, 2026, 08:17:24 PM »
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I'm done fighting my BLI decoders. Anyone know what ESU decoder I could swap in instead? I have an ABA set of F7's. Eventually I want to swap out the ones in my SW's/NW's too. The ones in my F7's are Paragon 4's. I would be fine with no sound if that would make it easier.

Steve
« Last Edit: May 01, 2026, 08:29:35 PM by SD452XR »

peteski

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Re: BLI decoder replacement for F7's
« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2026, 09:56:09 PM »
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Steve, with the older (non-Stealth)_ BLI locos you will have to get creative and use one of the wired-in decoders.  You will have either to cut the connectors from the wire harness and splice the decoder wires, or get some JST connector with pigtail wires and splice the decoder's wires to the pigtails.  Be warned that I recall some older Paragon decoders used common negative (not typical DCC common positive "blue") for lights.  If that is the case then you will have to deal with that too.  BLI just wanted to be different from the DCC standard.

I'm also wondering if BLI would sell you just the "stealth" circuit board which  you could likely then use with the existing wire harnesses.  Those boards have standard Nex18 DCC interface to plug in any Next18 decoder.  Maybe tell them that  you will swap them your Paragon  4 decoder boards for the stealth adapter?  :D
« Last Edit: May 01, 2026, 09:59:12 PM by peteski »
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SD452XR

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Re: BLI decoder replacement for F7's
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2026, 10:00:47 AM »
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I might try contacting BLI and see if they will sell me a few stealth boards. I'll keep an eye out for some stealth models on ebay etc and just swap the shells over. I would assume there was no difference in the chassis.