NCEP2KSRMobileDecoderinstalledinBachmannGP9CN4497 Page1of13

InstallationofNCEP2KSRMobileDecoderintoBachmannGP9CN4497:Installationdate:June92018ThissmallGP9diesellocomotivebyBachmanndoesnotcontainthehighestqualitymotornortopofthelinegearsets,butitdoeshaveampleroomforamobiledecoder.Giventhatthereisonlylimitedroomforanadditionalspeakerandcurrentmaintainingcapacitors,andgiventhelessthanoptimumqualityofthemotorandgearsetthesituationlentitselftoacheaperdecoderinstallation..thatbeingasimplemobiledecoderwhichcancostaslowas$30.ItjustsohappenedthatIhadonhandaleftoverNCEP2KSRmobiledecoderthatisspecificallyintendedbydesigntobeinstalledintoaLifelikeorWaltersProto2000EMDGP38-2diesellocomotive.IdidinstalloneoftheseintoaP2KGP38-2(seearticleonmywebsitetitled....),butinsteaddecidedtoputaSoundtraxxTSU1100SounddecoderintothesecondGP38-2Iowned.(Seearticle...onmywebsite).ThisiswhyIhadthisspecificdecoderavailableanddecidedtouseitinthestandardissueBachmannGP9.TheNCEP2KSRDecoderhasexcellentmotortuningabilitiesandwouldconsiderablyenhancethedrivecharacteristicsofmyoldGP9.However,therearesomeadaptationsthathavetobemade.TheNCEP2KSRDecoderisdesignedtodirectlyplugintothe8pinfemaleplugassuppliedintheP2KGP38-2.MyinstallationofaTSU-1100SoundDecoderintotheP2KGP38-2didnotrequirethe8pinplugwhichIsalvagedforthisproject.

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Removingtheshell:Removingtheshellisasimplematterofreleasingthetabsoneoneachsidelocatedbottommiddleofthegastank.ThewiresintheoriginalGP9locomotivearenotcolour-codedaccordingtoNMRAconventionsandyouwillnoticethatrightsidetrackpickupsatfrontandrearhaveblueandblackwiresarisingfromoppositesides.Thewirestothefrontheadlightareblackandred,bearingnorelationtoproperDCCconventionforwirecolourcoding.Thereforedisregardthecoloursofthewiresandensurethatrightsidetrackpickupwiresconnecttotheproperpinlocationonthe8pinconnecterandsoon.

Afterremovingshell

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AfterremovingthetopweightIreplacedthefrontincandescentheadlightwithaSunny-white3mmLEDandaddedarearheadlight,whichtheoriginaldidnothave,withanotherSunny-whiteLED.CreatefrontandrearLEDlightcircuitswithwhitewireand1.5KOhmresistorconnectedtothecathodeoftheLED,andsimilarlyayellowwireand1.5KOhmresistorconnectedtocathodeofrearLED.Heatshrinktubingcanbeusedtoinsulatethebarewiresfromthemetaloftheleadweightsafterassembly.

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FrontandrearHeadlightcircuitsinstalledinshell

Preparingthemotor:Besurethemotoriscompletelyisolatedfromthemetalchassis.IusedKaptontapeforthispurpose.(SeephotoofmotoranduseofKaptontapeonchassistoisolatethemotor...Page5)Thepolarityofthemotorterminalsisnotclearlymarkedsobesureyouobservewhicharethepositiveandnegativeterminalsbyexaminingwhichterminalconnectedtotherightandlefttracksontheoriginalconnections.(NMRAconventiondefinestherighttrackwheninforwardmotionisthepositivetrack).ThewaythemotorwasinsertedinthislocomotiveIfoundthepositiveterminaltobeatthebottomandthenegativeterminalatthetop.Solderanorangewiretothepositivemotorterminalandagreywiretothenegativemotorterminal.ThesewillconnecttopinsP1andP5onthe8pinplug.Seethe8PinPlugconnectiondiagramandtheschematicwiringdiagramsfromNCEthatfollow.

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TrackPickupsandmotorwireconnectionsNoticethatontherightside(positive)trackpickupsfrontblueandtherearblackwiresjoin,andwillconnecttoP8terminalonthe8pinplug.Usearedwireforthisconnection.Similarlyontheleftside,(negative)trackpickupwires,frontblackandrearbluewireswilljoinandconnecttoP4.Useablackwiretomakethisconnection.Seethewiringschematicdiagramsbelow.

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NMRA8PINPLUGCONNECTOR

AnorangewirewillconnecttoP1thepositivemotorleadandjointothepositivemotorterminalatthebottomofthemotor.AgreywirerepresentingthenegativemotorleadwillconnecttoP5andjointothenegativemotorterminalatthetopofthemotor.(UsuallyDCCconformingsetupshavethepositivemotorterminalontop).Ditchlightassembly:Createditchlightsusing3mmsunnywhiteoryellowLEDbulbsand1500ohm½wattresistorsusingbrownwireforoutput3andgreenwireforoutput4andthesewillconnecttofunction1andfunction2solderpoints/terminalsonthedecoderboard.Useacommonwire(blue)toconnectto

Used with permission from Bruce Petrarca, Mr. DCC; MMR #574

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commonsolderpointforlightslabelled"common"connectionforlightsonthe"addingextralights"diagramatthetopleftofthedecoderboard.SeeNCEwiringschematic.

NCEwiringdiagramfortheNCEP2KSRmobiledecoderDrillholesfortheditchlightsjustbelowtheroofofthefrontlowhoodatthemouldedimpressionsofthefrontditchlights.PhotoofDitchlightassemblyinsertedintoshell

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Thedecoderboardand8pinconnecterassemblywillresidetowardsthefrontoftheShellorinthecabinordertoclearthetopleadweight.Allowenoughlengthofthewireconnectingleadstofacilitatethispositioning.

PhotoofDecoderboardandadditionalLEDconnectionsforDitchLights

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Decoderboardand8pinConnectorfinalassembly

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Aftersolderingalltheconnectionstothe8PinPlug,thePlugisinsertedontothemalecomponentofthe8pinconnectoronthedecoderboard.Placethedecoderboardsuchthatthe8pinconnectoroccupiesthespaceinthecab.Ifeverythingfitswearealldone!

ProgrammingCVs:Nowit’stimetoprogramsomeCVs.ThisNCEmobiledecoderhasgreatcapabilitieswhenitcomestofinetuningamotor.Therearecompleteinstructionsforadjustingmotortorqueandstartvoltagesetc.IntheNCEdocumentation.IfyouarepurchasingthisdecoderfromNCEbesuretogetthelatestversion(3.5),asthenewonehas5functionoutputs.Thedecoderdescribedinthisarticleonlyhas4functionoutputs.Ihaveusedfrontandrearheadlights(functionoutputs1and2)andhaveusedfunctionoutputs3and4fortheDitchLights(activatedwithFunctionbuttons1and2).MycurrentCVsettingsareasfollows.TheseareprogrammedusinganNCEPHPro5AmpcommandstationwithawirelessProCab.CN4497NCEP2KSRDecoder.Installdate:June102018CV30SetthisCVto2ontheprogrammingtrackandthedecoderwillresettofactorysettings.Date:June102018SettingCVsShortaddress=3

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LongAddress=4497CV65=Kickstart(0?)CV2=changedto15onJune102018(was?)128speedstepsManufacturer=11DirModeDecoderversion=35ActiveAddressLongShortAddress=3Dirbit=normSPDSTEP=28DCModeNoStandardSpeedTableActiveAddressLongCV2=30(startvoltage)...now30(June102018)needs20forpullingcarsonY2track11!Notaverypowerfulmotor!Typicalrange0-35CV6midvoltage128CV5MaxVoltage255.(1923/4maxvoltage)Momentum3/9viaNCEMomentumbuttonputsvaluesof24and12intoCVs3and4.5/9putsvaluesof40and20intoCVs3and4.7/9gives56and28.9/9gives72and36inCVs3and4.CV3Accelerate=40now56now40CV4Decelerationrate=20now28..now20(June102018)HavenotsetupKickstartyet.CV116...4.(Kickrate)....Now2(June102018)Rangeis0-6.valueof1applieskickscontinuously.Thesmallerthenumberthemoreoftenthemotorgetsabriefvoltage‘kick’.Factorydefaultis0(off)KickDepth=25?IsthisKickStrengthCV117?CV117...(25)..now30(June102018)(Kickstrength)yesasreadonprogramtrackmanually.Tried25butjerkystartsobackto35whichworksfine.NecessaryforlowervoltagetrackssuchasY2track13and11.Usefulrange0-50StoppedhereJune102018.SummaryoflocotuningCVs:asofJune102018:CV2=30CV116=2CV117=35CV3=40CV4=20CV95...130..(Reversetrim)locoseemedtorunfasterinreversethaninforward?Themotorinthislocomotiveisunfortunatelynotverypowerfulandhassometroublenavigatingtheturntableinyard2,andhasmoredifficultywithitsinitialstartsonlowervoltagetrackssuchasyard2tracks11and13.

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ThenextdayJune112018thelocoperformedwell.ItmanagedtoexitYard2roundhouseTrack#5ontoturntableok.Sofarhavenotchangedanyofthesettingsaslistedabove.DougDyerVictoriaBC