Redoing the LOKsound Select Micro on an Atlas B30-7

[peteski]

Peteski: I agree with that too as I've seen a few installs on here using the smd resistors. I would do the same, I just haven't taken the time to figure out what all I need to get to make the resistor boards. I honestly don't even know what the stats for these resistors are as they come with the LEDs.

While I'm a big proponent of using a PC Board to hold SMD resistors, in my previous post I just mentioned dong the same thing you did with a regular (through-hole) resistor but using SMD resistor. This is what I meant:


ResistorInLine.jpg

In this example I used a 1206 size resistor.
The top part of this photo view shows the parts.  Decoder wire is stripped (on the left), tinned, bent at 90 degrees and trimmed (on the right).
Middle part of the photo shows the wires soldered directly to the SMD resistor. The metalized ends are quite robust and the resistor is also made of solid ceramic material.
Bottom part of the photo shows it with a piece of clear heat-shrink tubing insulating the assembly. But you could just coat it with your liquid tape with the same result. This is a more compact assembly than using a through-hole resistor.

[AKNscale]

Steve: Thank you for the info and ideas for sure. I would like an untethered shell, but adding in the extras like I do will make it quite difficult to set mine up as you described.

Peteski: Thank you again for the info and thorough explanation. I'll be looking into getting the parts and trying the techniques y'all have described on the next install which should be soon!

This kind of feedback and teaching is exactly why I like being on this forum!

Ok, so I'm sorry it's taken me so long to respond, I completed the loco on Friday night. Sadly, I've been trying to figure out how to add a good video much like JD does. After fighting with my tablet, computer, and phone I broke down and bought a camcorder. Now hopefully tomorrow I'll have time to get the video done and actually on here, but until then, here's a pic of it completed:

[AKNscale]

Ok y'all, I finally figured out how to get a good video working and on here! Thank you JD for your help on that! I decided that instead of just doing a video on the updated install, I would do a comparison video to show why I did this.

This may come up so yes, I know that the cab lights up with the lights. This loco isn't finished, once the detailing and paint work is done, I'll install the light block and seal everything off much better. So, here's how everything turned out:

[AKNscale]

So I took the pics and forgot to post, lol. I said I would weigh the locos to see how big of a difference my milling had done. Here's the old install:


And the new one:


Coming out to a difference of .2 ounces I don't consider that a huge hit. I recognize that it will affect pulling power, but not enough to prevent me from doing installs this way.

[peteski]

Thanks for the follow up. Very enlightening.   

[MK]

Would it be easy to put that back somewhere else?  0.2 oz doesn't sound like something with big volume.  Just hypothesizing here...

[Jbub]

But then again that's a little more than 8% of the total weight of the loco. To put in perspective, if you weigh 200 lbs and lose 8% of your weight you are now at 184.

[AKNscale]

Thank you Peteski. Good pun, lol.

MK & Jbub: Yes, I think there's plenty of room to add more weight. However, that about 8% difference to me wouldn't really matter for most when it comes to pull power. Even when I build the big layout I'll be running 2-3 locos at a time so it won't affect much for me either.

[Lemosteam]

Bet that foam and handrails in the first photo weighs in at 0.2 oz... 

[AKNscale]

That must be the difference! Lol

[daniel_leavitt2000]

The sound is a lot clearer on the new installation. I couldn't even hear the high pitched drone between the chugs that the FDL is famous for.

I think a little led putty along the battery boxes would go a long way to filling that .2 oz gap.

[AKNscale]

Yeah, that's why I'm so determined to put these 9X16MM speakers in everything. I like them way better than the 8X12MM speakers that the previous installer put in. So far, the only loco that I haven't been able to fit one in yet is the Atlas S2, but once more parts are available I'll get more ballsy about it, lol.

Maybe, I've never actually dealt with lead putty before.

[jdcolombo]

Yeah, that's why I'm so determined to put these 9X16MM speakers in everything. I like them way better than the 8X12MM speakers that the previous installer put in. So far, the only loco that I haven't been able to fit one in yet is the Atlas S2, but once more parts are available I'll get more ballsy about it, lol.

Maybe, I've never actually dealt with lead putty before.

A 9x16 with a decent enclosure will fit in anything from a GP9/RS11 on.  Won't fit in an RS3, and if you find a way to get one in an S-2, well, that would be . . . magic.

When you think about it, an 8x12 has a membrane of roughly 96 sq. mm (Roughly, because the membrane area is actually a bit smaller than the speaker dimension); a 9x16 has an area of 144 sq. mm, or about 1/3 larger than the 8x12.  So a 9x16 SHOULD sound better, and as long as the enclosures are appropriately sized, it does.  Notice that an 11x15mm would have a membrane area of roughly 165 sq.mm, not that much more than a 9x16.  But a 13x18 has an area of 234 sq. mm, and as a result, it kills everything else in sound quality (again, assuming an appropriately-sized enclosure, which needs to get bigger as the speaker itself gets bigger).  I use 13x18's in steam tenders if at all possible . . .

John C.

[AKNscale]

The magic will happen sir! I'm waiting on replacement parts just in case I make a mistake. I know how it'll fit, I almost had it in there with the enclosure, but I need to sand on the decoder and frame just a tiny bit, and most likely relocate the rear LED for the rear light. I was also looking at relocating the number board light for a beacon as I don't use them.