N Scale Bachmann 44 tonner with Loksound Nano

[Jim Starbuck]

I just want to say again how hot this is.

Thanks Ed!

I couldn’t be happier with the way this little giant runs and sounds. It was fun programming the sound functions so now on startup you hear one prime mover start then a few seconds later the other one starts. They’re set at slightly different volumes and speeds so it really sounds like dual engines.
The write up on the install was a bit of an afterthought so I’m going to get some more under the hood photos and additional information along with some better stills and video when we set up the layout in a couple more weeks.

[Jim Starbuck]

I agree. This is one of those inspirational posts that make me want to do decoder and sound installs.

Inspiration for this install came from a YouTube video by Ron Calhoun. If you do a YouTube search you’ll find several Loksound installs including a Bachmann 70 tonner.
I hope my attempts can encourage others to give it a go.

[Jim Starbuck]

I milled a second chassis as an experiment to gain information I missed the first time around.  It netted some interesting results.
My digital scale isn’t extremely sophisticated so I weighed using ounces because it reads finer there than in grams I then did the conversation math. Feel free to check my work.

The stock chassis weighed .7oz / 19.84g
The milled chassis came in at .68oz / 19.28g
I get .56g of material removed from the chassis.
When I add the decoder, power keeper, speaker, enclosure and a couple of brass screws to the scale with the milled chassis I get .8 oz / 22.7g.
Looks like the electronics more than make up for the material milled from the chassis.

I also went back and edited the first post in this thread to reflect my findings.

Jim

[peteski]

I milled a second chassis as an experiment to gain information I missed the first time around.  It netted some interesting results.
My digital scale isn’t extremely sophisticated so I weighed using ounces because it reads finer there than in grams I then did the conversation math. Feel free to check my work.
. . .

I also went back and edited the first post in this thread to reflect my findings.

Jim

Thanks for doing this Jim.

If you think you will do any precision weighing, there are some really affordable scales with resolution down to 0.01g.
Here is one for $8.00 (free shipping).  https://www.ebay.com/itm/283381549026  Few years ago I paid $60 for a digital scale with only 0.1g resolution.  That tiny scale above can also be used as counting scale.

[Jim Starbuck]

Thanks for the link to the scale @peteski.
It will be worth having around since there are more small engines on my to do list believe it or not.

Jim

[peteski]

Thanks for the link to the scale @peteski.
It will be worth having around since there are more small engines on my to do list believe it or not.

Jim

Oh, I believe it!   

[reinhardtjh]

Thanks for doing this Jim.

If you think you will do any precision weighing, there are some really affordable scales with resolution down to 0.01g.
Here is one for $8.00 (free shipping).  https://www.ebay.com/itm/283381549026  Few years ago I paid $60 for a digital scale with only 0.1g resolution.  That tiny scale above can also be used as counting scale.

And if you're not an Ebay person then Amazon has what appears to be the identical scale.  They also come in different max capacities - 100g, 200g, 300g, 500g at the same precision. 0.01g
https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Weights-Accuracy-Backlight-Electric/dp/B094734XTB

[Jim Starbuck]

Thanks John,

I use eBay probably more than I should. It’s rare that I don’t have some purchase on it’s way in the mail.
I actually cancelled my Prime account because I wasn’t using it enough. I bought the 500g version which should work nicely. .1 gram is getting pretty precise for my usual brand of shade tree mechanic modeling though. You guys have been great help in stepping up the quality of modeling. Thank you.

Jim

[peteski]

Thanks John,

I use eBay probably more than I should. It’s rare that I don’t have some purchase on it’s way in the mail.
I actually cancelled my Prime account because I wasn’t using it enough. I bought the 500g version which should work nicely. .1 gram is getting pretty precise for my usual brand of shade tree mechanic modeling though. You guys have been great help in stepping up the quality of modeling. Thank you.

Jim

Yes, better modeling through TRW peer pressure,    With the extremely low prices for measuring equipment (like digital scales, multimeters, and digital calipers), there really aren't many excuses not to add them to one's hobby tool arsenal.

[Jim Starbuck]

As I revisited this post I realized there were no complete under the hood photos. Basically all that was added were LEDs which are just taped down pointing at the lenses in the hood and the powerkeeper. There’s slack in the blue and ground wire that allow the powerkeeper to bend upward and stand vertical in the cab. Resistors on the white and yellow wires are 1k 1/8w SMD and covered by a piece of shrink tube. Keep in mind I moved green wire to the GND pad from it’s original function pad.
I didn’t see it mentioned but the speaker enclosure does not have a floor. It’s simply 4 sides of .015 styrene 3mm tall. I covered the frame with kapton tape, placed the open enclosure over it and sealed it down around the inside with Gallery Glass. When that was firmed up I sealed the speaker to the top. Leaving the floor out saves a little height if it were on the outside or a little volume if it were on the inside.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Bumping this for recon for my own build.
What speaker did you use?

Also, this is the correct decoder, right?
https://yankeedabbler.com/58923-loksound-5-nano-dcc-generic-with-open-cable-ends-for-free-wiring-sound-decoder-part-397-58923/

[Jim Starbuck]

Yes, the Nano hardwire 58923 is correct.
The speaker is a 12x8 Soberton from Digikey pn 433-1130-ND SP1208
The speaker rests on top of the enclosure walls facing down in so the solder tabs are accessible. The outside dimensions of the enclosure are the same as the outside of the speaker.