Loksound in a KATO Mikado?

[Bill H]

Group:
Has anyone ever put a Loksound in a KATO Mikado? Did some searches and came up empty...

Kind regards,
Bill

[RBrodzinsky]

Lots of folks, including me.  Here's my install thread from a year ago: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=44020.0

And, if you need a link's to Bob's installation instructions: https://powersteamguy1790snewjjje.blogspot.com/search/label/Installing%20A%20ESU%20Lok-Sound%20Decoder%20In%20A%20Kato%20Mikado

I actually have 4 more sitting on my desk, ready for install for another modeler.  Just waiting for me to finish a different (non-train related <*gasp*>) project.

[Bill H]

Rick:
Thanks for the update - and the install. I was searching starting with the consolidated DCC installs thread of your and John's installs and did not see it. I keep that thread as a permanent bookmark for DCC installs.

Perhaps that thread needs an update or maybe ? Also, sorry to hear about Bob's passing away. Always enjoyed his website- which is still running...

Kind regards,
Bill

[jdcolombo]

I've done it too - although I used an 11x15 speaker mounted transversely across the front of the tender.  I never posted anything about it, though.

I need to update the master sound installation thread.  I've gotten lazy on that . . .

John C.

[Bill H]

I need to update the master sound installation thread.  I've gotten lazy on that . . .
John C.

Hi John:
Perhaps getting lazy might not be the appropriate adjective - my word - aren't you busy enough doing conversions, working on your layout and answering posts?

In the update would you be so kind as to also include the link to the thread where you created a small PC board for the keep alives? I believe there was also a thread on surface mount resistors for LED lights as well...

Thanks in advance to all who have been contributing to that thread...

Kind regards,
Bill

[woodone]

A word of caution on this loco. If you have a first run unit you need to fix the drivers for good power pick up.
The first run units had problems with the drives . They had small strips of metal on the back side of the driver that picked up the power from the tread to the axle. This strips would pull away from the treads and would not power the axle. With sound it seems to be more of a problem.
Follow Bob’s instructions and you will be fine, if you have a second run loco.

[jdcolombo]

Use a keep alive, even if it is a second-run loco.  I put in 5 220uf caps wired in parallel.  The tender is small, but there's room for the tantalum-polymer chip caps that we're all using these days.

John C.

[Lemosteam]

@jdcolombo , did you re-use the electrical drawbar connection or did you hard wire track power back to the loco chassis as well as the headlight?

[woodone]

John, you have any pictures of the tender install.
I would guess that you are using a LokSound Select Micro decoder in this.
I have done a bunch of these but I had used the Tsunami TSU- 750 decoder with a 14 x 25 speaker and two 220uf-25v caps and found it to be a very tight fit.
This was before the sugar cube speakers were out.
Have not done a install on one of these lately.

[RBrodzinsky]

I can't answer for John, but I do not rely on the drawbar.  I run pickup wires from the loco to the tender, and also solder wires to the pickup strips within the tender.  Can never have too many connections to track pickup! LOL

Also agree with John - very easy to put up to 5 poly-Ta caps in, and worthwhile in these.

As for Jerry's comments on phase-1 drivers: if you do have those, the best solution is to get some conductive silver paint, and close the gaps on each of the drivers to the brass strips with it.

[jdcolombo]

I don't have any photos, but I unlike Rick, I didn't run chassis pickup wires to the tender (e.g., I used the drawbar to transfer electrical pickup from the engine to the tender).  So I used a 4-wire harness (two for the headlight, two for the motor) back to the tender (the harness was the TCS 4-wire with micro plug).  In the tender, I used a wired LokSound micro, and an 11x15 speaker mounted transversely across the front of the tender, firing up toward the coal load.  Wired up the 4 pin connector to the decoder and done.  Rick's process of using 2 extra wires for chassis electrical pickup from the engine back to the tender provides a more secure electrical connection, but I found that with the keep-alive caps and Kato's very good electrical pickup on the tender trucks, I just didn't need that.

My recollection is that there was plenty of room for everything.  If I remember correctly, I positioned the caps on one of the long sides of the tender floor behind the speaker, and the LokSound next to the caps.  The LokSound Select Micro is considerably smaller than the TSU-750, and using the 11x15 speaker means you are only taking up about 12mm of tender length at the front of the tender. 

John C.

[woodone]

Looks like I need to up date one of my older installs.
But I will be using a SoundTracks Tsunami2 decoder. ( Micro)
The sugar cube might free up some room?
I end up using 5 wires between the loco & tender.
You don’t need a power wire for the front headlight, I just use a powered rail to power up the LED,which I replace with a warm white LED.
I also use ESU hook up wire (black) for my hookups, it’s one of the smallest that I have found.

[woodone]

Rick, the conductive paint will work in most cases. I have ran into several where the conductive strip on the back of the driver was not getting power to the axle.?
BTW I use silver conductive epoxy for the repair- don’t know how much the paint cost, but the epoxy is expensive!

[peteski]

You don’t need a power wire for the front headlight, I just use a powered rail to power up the LED,which I replace with a warm white LED.
I also use ESU hook up wire (black) for my hookups, it’s one of the smallest that I have found.

Even better if you add 2 diodes (or a dual diode component) in the loco to generate the "blue" positive voltage.
See https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=42938.msg544287#msg544287

[RBrodzinsky]

Even better if you add 2 diodes (or a dual diode component) in the loco to generate the "blue" positive voltage.
See https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=42938.msg544287#msg544287

That is what I've been doing, adding a small half-bridge rectifier component.  All in the loco, so no wire