ESU Lokpilot Micro Direct

[jdg]

Has anyone used the new ESU Lokpilot Micro Direct decoder? If so, what locos do they fit in and how do they perform?

[tehachapifan]

Talk about timing! I just installed my first 54650 board in an Atlas GP40 with a DCC-ready frame and finished it within the past hour or so. It wasn't a drop-in fit, however. I believe this board is more specifically intended for the newer (2016 and later?) Intermountain chassis, though I'm not positive and didn't have one on-hand to evaluate. The Atlas frame I used required modification where the board sits as the board has a wide section in the middle, whereas the channel in the Atlas GP40 frame remains narrow for most of its length. I was able to widen the narrow part of this channel with a Dremel tool, though a milling machine could've probably done a cleaner job. One the widening was completed, the boards frame contacts did slide into all 4 contact slots in the frame, though not quite all the way in as they didn't line up exactly (they still made good contact, however). I also had to solder motor jumpers on as the contact pads underneath the board did not quite line up with the motor contacts. I wrapped some Kapton tape around the frame where the (now-shortened) motor contacts used to make contact with the frame. There were some speaker pads under there too (presumably for the sound version of this board) that I also covered with Kapton tape, as they appeared to be really close to contacting part of the frame. There were some other components on the underside of the board that got pretty close to the frame as well, so I ground a little off the frame there too to make more room.

Before choosing the GP40, I had looked at my other DCC-ready Atlas, Kato and FVM locos and I was unable to find one where it appeared this board would be a drop-in fit. Unless and/or until they come out with a non-sound board that matches the footprint of their new (and quite awesome) 73100 sound board, their LokPilot V4 Micro (sans Direct) might be a better option for those locos, at least the ones I happen to own. Interesting note about the 73100 sound board....I've installed two now in IM tunnel motors (these have older, pre-2016, Atlas-like, narrow frame channels) and the motor contacts under the board lined up perfectly and I didn't have to add jumpers. Although it only slid into 2 contact slots in the frame, that board truly was a drop-in fit onto the tunnel motor drive (with the addition of some Kapton tape where the motor contacts used to contact the frame) and I believe/hope it might be the same with an Atlas DCC-ready loco, though I have not attempted an install in one yet. Seems like a non-sound board with the same footprint of the 73100 sound board would be a logical and nice addition.

As far as perfomance goes, I've only done a little test running so far and all appears to be working quite nicely. With the default settings, the loco is running smooth and quiet. I'll be playing around with programming it with my LokProgrammer tonight, getting the loco set up to run with my sound units. My understanding is that this board supports the Full Throttle/Drive Hold features of the sound units as well as the delayed start.

[Steveruger45]

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Has anyone used the new ESU Lokpilot Micro Direct decoder? If so, what locos do they fit in and how do they perform?

Everything Russ has said.
I have put a bunch of these in and Some frame mods may be needed, but pretty easy with just a good metal file and razor saw or junior hacksaw and some patience.
So far I have done
Non dcc ready kato sd45 and sd40
Dcc ready Atlas B40-8 and U25B and GP40-2
Photo shows an Atlas U25B

[tehachapifan]

Steve, you got the new 54650 "Direct" board installed in non DCC-ready Kato frames? Trying to picture that! Pics?

[Steveruger45]

Steve, you got the new 54650 "Direct" board installed in non DCC-ready Kato frames? Trying to picture that! Pics?

Yep. Pretty easy to do. Just file out the frame a little and it slides right in. The kato sd45 and 40 frames are basically the same.  You only get to use either the forward contact claws or the aft ones. I chose the forward on order to get the motor contacts nearer the motor and connected with short wires soldered on. Filing the long groove in the frame was perhaps the most difficult part and making sure no part of the frame touched/shorted the components.  Especially at the front contact claws. You need to remove a little bit of the frame immediately in front of these to clear the board electronics.  Like you said then apply kapton tape.
The sound board of this, the 73199 would fit exactly the same but no room for a speaker on top. Keep alive caps could still fit inside the light shield or aft of the board, but these spaces are too small for even an 8x12mm speaker. 

[peteski]

Yes, 54650 is the same board as the 73199 with the sound related electronic circuitry left unpopulated.


73199


54650

[tehachapifan]

Wow, pretty darn clever there, Steve! You don't appear to share the same disdain as I do for filing/cutting/grinding frames, as I would much rather hardwire-in, say, a V4 Micro. That said, that is one clean looking install on the Kato unit! I would have lost a bet on this one for sure!

Yes, 54650 is the same board as the 73199 with the sound related electronic circuitry left unpopulated.


73199


54650

Thought so but, again, a non-sound to match the footprint of the 73100 board would sure be nice!

[Steveruger45]

Thanks Russ.
I find filing somewhat relaxing and therapeutic.  A good file and a file card are essential. In case you are not familiar, the  latter is like a wire brush but with very short and very stiff wires and mounted on a board about 3” wide and is used to clean out metal build up in the file teeth.  You can’t do a good and accurate filing job with a clogged up file.
Something I was taught about 45 years ago, which was when I acquired said file and file card BTW.
I would rather file than use a dremel.  Much more controllable.
The beauty of these boards is you don’t have to mess with those tiny resistors and leds like you would on a hard wire job.

[tehachapifan]

Good points, Steve!

Regarding this board, I'm playing around with settings in the LokProgrammer and I can't find "Drive Hold" as one of the available functions in the function mapping pull-downs. I've found "Virtual Sound" for the delayed start to match sound units, but not "Drive Hold". I was under the impression that these boards, which are apparently V4's, support Drive Hold.

[Steveruger45]

Russ
Check out the dcc section and lokpilot 54650https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=43563.0
I have the virtual  sound working but I have not tried drove hold etc etc yet. 
Rick B or JC may be able to help with this.

[jdcolombo]

Good points, Steve!

Regarding this board, I'm playing around with settings in the LokProgrammer and I can't find "Drive Hold" as one of the available functions in the function mapping pull-downs. I've found "Virtual Sound" for the delayed start to match sound units, but not "Drive Hold". I was under the impression that these boards, which are apparently V4's, support Drive Hold.

Hi Russ.

To get the Drive Hold functionality, you may have to do a firmware upgrade (Tools menu of the LokProgrammer).  I haven't used any of these boards, but I just got through installing two LokPilot V.4 hard-wire decoders for a friend, and the Drive Hold option was there in the Function Key assignment boxes AFTER I had done a firmware upgrade.  As long as the boards are LokPilot V.4 designs (which I'm pretty sure they are), you should find the Drive Hold option, but maybe not until you do a firmware upgrade for them.

John C.

[RBrodzinsky]

I agree with John -- update the firmware. It will then be in the drop down selections of the Logical Functions column

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[GhengisKong]

Thanks Russ.
I find filing somewhat relaxing and therapeutic.  A good file and a file card are essential. In case you are not familiar, the  latter is like a wire brush but with very short and very stiff wires and mounted on a board about 3” wide and is used to clean out metal build up in the file teeth.  You can’t do a good and accurate filing job with a clogged up file.
Something I was taught about 45 years ago, which was when I acquired said file and file card BTW.
I would rather file than use a dremel.  Much more controllable.
The beauty of these boards is you don’t have to mess with those tiny resistors and leds like you would on a hard wire job.

Do you have any pics of your file and card setup?

[tehachapifan]

I've tried a firmware update to no avail. Still no sign of drive hold in the pull-downs with this board, unlike the hardwired V4 Micro I also have installed.

[RBrodzinsky]

I've tried a firmware update to no avail. Still no sign of drive hold in the pull-downs with this board, unlike the hardwired V4 Micro I also have installed.

Russ, what version of LokProgrammer Software do you have?  Try updating to the latest (4.6.2), which has all the recent firmware upgrades included.  For whatever reason, I noticed that the "automatic software update" notification feature stopped working.