Interesting Post on ESU Facebook Group for Kato F units (and F40PH) DropIn Board

[Mark5]

Mark,

  You would either need a LokSound programmer to load the sound files, or if you knew beforehand, most ESU dealers/hobby shops can do it.  I know Bryan at Streamlined Backshops will.  I'm not sure if Yankee Dabbler will.  Pretty sure Tony's Trains will.  If you have a local shop that is an ESU dealer you can check with them.

Thanks John (and Alvin!),

I think the programmer is in my future, as I am firmly in the ESU camp.

I have a bunch of Kato F's to do, so these would be desirable.

I am lining up ducks for my first N scale DCC project - Kato early SD40-2.

Mark

[RBrodzinsky]

Is there a typo on your board?  The photos on eBay look like there are two pads labeled Aux5, with no Aux6.   

Assume you have the circuits for bringing Aux3 and Aux4 from logic up to powered, and that one needs to run wires from the decoder's Aux5/6/7 to the board.  Where do Aux5/6 connect, to make use of the on board resistors?

[skent]

Is there a typo on your board?  The photos on eBay look like there are two pads labeled Aux5, with no Aux6.   

Good catch! Yes, there is a typo on the board, but the Aux5 and Aux6 pads are technically interchangeable because it is just a U+ pad with a resistor for each and the actual function is controlled by the pad on the decoder. This will be noted in the adapter board documentation.   Good eye, Rick!

-S

[drbnc]

Have a few of these coming. This is gonna be fun!

[Sharky_McSharknose]

I just purchased a pair of these boards! Now I need to get decoders to match.

I have a couple of Kato PAs I'd like to try and fit these to. If no one else beats me to the punch then I will give my findings here.

[RBrodzinsky]

There may not be enough head room to fit the decoder into the PA1 with this board. Will be interesting to see how you do

[EspeeGoldenState]

I only ordered one to put into one of my 25+ units to make sure I was completely capable, but if its not that hard, I'd like to get a ton more as $ allowed. Here's hoping for an E unit board or even a PA/B board. I have quite a few Es and a trio of Alco's.

Chris

[Wutter]

Answering some questions that were not covered:

Assume you have the circuits for bringing Aux3 and Aux4 from logic up to powered, and that one needs to run wires from the decoder's Aux5/6/7 to the board.  Where do Aux5/6 connect, to make use of the on board resistors?

Yes, there are onboard FETs for the logic level functions AUX3, AUX4 and AUX7. Wires directly to the decoder are needed to connect AUX5, AUX6 and AUX7 LOGIC to the adapter board. See wiring diagram below:
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

Full manual available here: https://tinyurl.com/y2vbzlf6

I have a couple of Kato PAs I'd like to try and fit these to. If no one else beats me to the punch then I will give my findings here.

I don't have any Kato PA or PBs, but I suspect Rick is right, I believe these will not fit for Kato PA and PB without some form of interior shell modifications, if that is even enough. The roof is too low just like the E5, E7, E8/9 so I've left these off the listing as "official" install locomotives.

[Sharky_McSharknose]

Thanks for the info. I have a couple of Kato F40PHs I can fit these into in case they don't fit in the PAs.

[milw156]

Just ordered a couple, Thanx for adding the capacitor attachments to the boards! Beats having wires everywhere!
Rick

[VonRyan]

Just got my boards today!

I’ve had a Monon F3 A-B set sitting in a drawer for I don’t know how long that I never got around to even putting basic DCC into, but now I’m going whole-hog and skipping right to sound thanks to these boards.

[glakedylan]

i claim and own my ignorance on the topic 


if ESU is one of the (if not "the one") best DCC boards available
why does this extra board do?


i have been trying to figure it out on my own
but the more i read the more confused i become.


will someone kindly, in non-DCC tech language explain what this
addition adds to the ESU board it is designed for.


thanks, in advance, i think 


sincerely
Gary

[reinhardtjh]

The easiest way to put it is that this board turns the ESU decoder into a drop in decoder for the Kato F3, F7, F40PH and GE P40 locomotives.  Saving you the trouble of hard wiring (most) of the possible connections.

[VonRyan]

Installed one of the boards last night. Honestly I found it to be easier that installing a plain DCC decoder.
I also salvaged the LED off the stock Kato light-board.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

I’ll probably be installing the other one later on today as a demonstration and photo-op for my boss before we drop in some Next18 sound decoders and put these things to the test.

[glakedylan]

The easiest way to put it is that this board turns the ESU decoder into a drop in decoder for the Kato F3, F7, F40PH and GE P40 locomotives.  Saving you the trouble of hard wiring (most) of the possible connections.

thanks, John. that is the piece of information i was missing
and i would think that this would making installation much more accessible
which, in turn, would make it possible for me to enter the self install world
of DCC


thanks, again
Gary