Botchmann 2-8-0 decoder question

[Jimbo]

Thanks MK! Sometimes things get confusing in online forums.

Sorry @peteski for the confusion!

This is what the inside of mine looks like.  This is the DC version with the jumper removed so you can see the connector more clearly.

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Jim

[peteski]

Jim, no decoder I know of (except for the proprietary Bachmann decoder for this model) has that type of connector.  Gotta love that Bachmann touts that 9-pin DCC connector as a feature that can be utilized (implying that any type of a decoder can be easily connected).

If you want to keep the tender circuit board intact then take the dummy DC plug and either unsolder the components on it (and/or cut the traces leading to the connector, then hardwired the decoder to the connector on the "neutered" dummy DC plug.  Looks like there is also allowance for a speaker in the circuit board and tender floor.

[eja]

I'm loving this thread.   

I've been considering buying one of these but haven't yet because of difficulties regard which series are DCC really comparable or equipped and how one might install a decoder.

A very well known and positively recommend vendor was asking $200.00 for labour to install a decoder in the Bachmann Consol.  I am beginning to understand why.

[Rasputen]

I was able to stuff a TCS WOW Steam into one.  You have to cut away a lot of the plastic sides from the tender chassis, and then compensate for the removal of the weight.  The results are well worth it - the chuff and hiss are outstanding!

[Maletrain]

Wondering is something like these breadboard jumper wires could be used on that 9 pin connector.  https://www.ebay.com/itm/406094531193

[peteski]

To be honest, I don't understand the desire to find a compatible 3rd party decoder (non existant) or a connector.  I  think the solution of using the existing dummy plug (or its connector) is probably the least invasive.  Heck, just removing the dummy plug and soldering wires directly to those 9 pins is also not very complicated. Really.

Even if the right female connector was located,  you would still have to solder the decoder's wires to the connector.  How's that different than soldering those wires to the make pins on the tender PC board?   

Then the other extreme is what Rasputen did, or taking it to even higher level, totally removing the tender PC board to make room for decoder, speaker, keep-alive, and also some additional weight.  I would call that a super-advanced install.

[Maletrain]

The interest I would have for some sort of mating pin to attach a decoder to the board is that it makes it easy to remove the decoder for trouble-shooting, especially if you have a DC plug of some sort to substitute for the decoder.

Of course, you still have to solder the decoder to the plug, so there is going to be soldering any time the decoder needs to be replaced.

[Jimbo]

To be honest, I don't understand the desire to find a compatible 3rd party decoder (non existant) or a connector.  I  think the solution of using the existing dummy plug (or its connector) is probably the least invasive.  Heck, just removing the dummy plug and soldering wires directly to those 9 pins is also not very complicated. Really.

Even if the right female connector was located,  you would still have to solder the decoder's wires to the connector.  How's that different than soldering those wires to the make pins on the tender PC board?   

Then the other extreme is what Rasputen did, or taking it to even higher level, totally removing the tender PC board to make room for decoder, speaker, keep-alive, and also some additional weight.  I would call that a super-advanced install.

For me, the value of using a connector is that, should I become dissatisfied with the decoder I’ve chosen in the future, or if technology advances in a way that I’d like to take advantage of it, there’s a path to replace (more) easily later on.

Soldering wires to a connector on the workbench is a whole lot less risky than trying to solder to points inside a tender (although I’ve done that a few times.)

A few of my locos still have Lenz LE0511 decoders; these were challenging installs at the time on locos that are NOT DCC-friendly, and if there were an easy way to upgrade them to a newer decoder with more modern features, I would do so.  I’d prefer not to be locked in going forward, if I can avoid it.

Jim

[peteski]

Well then you would need to measure the pin spacing to have an idea what to look for.  I believe the bins themselves are square cross-section?

An alternative would be to contact Bachmann tech support and ask if they would  sell you a DC adapter plug-in board.  While they are not listed under spare parts, they might have one of them hanging around the repair shop.  That would give you the connector you are looking for while keeping the original DC adapter. Bachman has a pretty good customer service often going above and beyond standard support.