Lgb mallet 20851

Zerogee · 18 Mar 2018

Alex, for an XLS in your Mallet you need Massoth part no. 8210085, DR Mallet C'C.
If you go to the Massoth.de website and follow "products" to the XLS sound decoder page, you can listen to a sound sample from that sound file.

Just one thing, I'm afraid you may find that your 2085D does not even have a 3-pin gearbox - it could well be an even earlier "clamshell" type..... the way to tell is to look for a joint line down the centre of the bottom of each gearbox - if that is there, so the box splits horizontally into two halves, then it's the old clamshell box. Don't worry, even if that is the case - it just means a little bit more soldering and cutting to disconnect the motors from the track power feeds and provide the necessary new wiring to go to and from the decoder. It's still a very do-able job and not too difficult.

Jon.

John Russo · 18 Mar 2018

It was my understanding that if you have the D on the number it implies that it is ready for digital.

muns · 18 Mar 2018

I believe that a D suffix on n 4 digit LGB product codes would normally indicate a smoke unit.

Zerogee · 18 Mar 2018

John Russo said:
It was my understanding that if you have the D on the number it implies that it is ready for digital.

Sadly, no - in this case the "D" suffix on the loco model number refers to "Dampf", indicating that the model has a smoke generator!

The "D" you are thinking of is not part of the model number, but is a small capital D embossed in to the plastic on the bottom plate of the gearbox - if that is present, then yes, it's a 4-pin DCC-ready gearbox. Any LGB loco with a 4-digit model number (as opposed to a 5-digit one) is much older that the DCC era.

Jon.

Edit: not fast enough on the keyboard - Muns posted while I was still typing the above.....

stockers · 18 Mar 2018

but your both right.

Alexander0654 · 18 Mar 2018

My thanks to Jon ( Zerogee ) for the Massoth part number. These are available on evil-bay Germany (164.50 euro ).

Another quick look under the loco, I have flat plates with 3 screws. So not a clamshell

Whilst being overly intimate with her, I looked behind the smokebox door and there is a sliding On-Off switch. So yes D = Dampf.

Thinking ahead, for this project I will also need a second set of Massoth rollers. This DCC lark is not good for the bank account

Alex

Zerogee · 18 Mar 2018

Alexander0654 said:
My thanks to Jon ( Zerogee ) for the Massoth part number. These are available on evil-bay Germany (164.50 euro ).

Another quick look under the loco, I have flat plates with 3 screws. So not a clamshell

Whilst being overly intimate with her, I looked behind the smokebox door and there is a sliding On-Off switch. So yes D = Dampf.

Thinking ahead, for this project I will also need a second set of Massoth rollers. This DCC lark is not good for the bank account

Alex

That's lucky, looks like you have sandwich type gearboxes then, but still most probably 3-pin. There is plenty of info around on modifying 3-pin gearboxes for DCC, not a very difficult job to do.

If you already have a standard set of four Massoth rollers, you can probably get away with that - you don't HAVE to have a roller set under every axle, the loco will be quite happy with just the first and last axles of each motor unit supported, at least for testing and programming. As it's an older loco I'm assuming it is already well run-in, so it's not like you're going to want to leave it running on the rollers for a long while like you might wish to with a brand new loco.

Jon.

stockers · 19 Mar 2018

Never bothered with rollers - I just use track.

Adam1989 · 21 Mar 2018

Slightly off topic but got my other 2 locos chipped and back together all running and working just need to do the mallet now

Zerogee · 21 Mar 2018

stockers said:
Never bothered with rollers - I just use track.

Fine for running in, and even for CV programming..... but sometimes it's just really handy to be able to let it run without it actually going anywhere.....

Jon.

Zerogee · 21 Mar 2018

Adam1989 said:
Slightly off topic but got my other 2 locos chipped and back together all running and working just need to do the mallet now

Well, they look to be running just fine - the Mallet shouldn't cause you any great problems, just take it step by step and follow the decoder instructions - any time you get stuck, just ask on here!

Jon.

Adam1989 · 29 Mar 2018

is this the one I need thanks guys

Zerogee · 29 Mar 2018

Yes, that's the one to get as a simple driving decoder, without sound.

Jon.

Adam1989 · 7 Apr 2018

So I am in got the decoder do I get rid of the original board inside the loco

Neil Robinson · 7 Apr 2018

Adam1989 said:
So I am in got the decoder do I get rid of the original board inside the loco

I would.

You have a version with four wires from the motor blocks, ideal for DCC, but that board may have one side of the motor wires joined to the track wires.
You'd be wise to check that the lights are set to 5V on the decoder or replace the bulbs with higher voltage ones. You may wish to wire the cab light independently, I personally think it unprototypical for a loco to run with the cab interior lit up.

stockers · 7 Apr 2018

Neil Robinson said:
I would.

You have a version with four wires from the motor blocks, ideal for DCC, but that board may have one side of the motor wires joined to the track wires.
You'd be wise to check that the lights are set to 5V on the decoder or replace the bulbs with higher voltage ones. You may wish to wire the cab light independently, I personally think it unprototypical for a loco to run with the cab interior lit up.

Agreed. Or you could change the light voltage - set CV50 to 5 or 6. (dull or a bit brighter)

Greg Elmassian · 7 Apr 2018

Aren't those wires in the bag to connect to the existing circuit board?

dunnyrail · 8 Apr 2018

Greg Elmassian said:
Aren't those wires in the bag to connect to the existing circuit board?

The answer to that is yes and no depending in the board and Motor Type. But the crimps will stick ok to the pins on a 4 pin motor block. This does save some effort if the wires are long enough to reach the chip. Saving the board is not worth the effort and I am not convinced that a simple plug into the existing older board like this one would be possible.

PhilP · 8 Apr 2018

Greg Elmassian said:
Aren't those wires in the bag to connect to the existing circuit board?

In this case, no..

You would need a later board with DIP switches to isolate motor and track. The motor-blocks would then uaually plug to the board with 4-way multi-connectors. - There would also be a 6-way connector for the auxiliary circuits from the decoder as well.

Might as well remove the existing board, in this case, and use the supplied wires from the motor-blocks.
The lighting wires will need the connectors cutting off, and the wires splicing together anyway.

Zerogee · 8 Apr 2018

Greg Elmassian said:
Aren't those wires in the bag to connect to the existing circuit board?

As others have said above, only if the loco was a "DCC ready" one, in which case the circuit board would have pins for the four (or eight on 2-motor locos like this one) wires from the decoder, plus a six-way connector for the other decoder functions (lights plus (serial only) sound functions if fitted), plus a bank of DIP switches that are set "on" in analogue mode but need switching to "off" when installing a decoder.
This is a loco that pre-dates LGB's early preparations for the introduction of DCC, hence the board is not set up for simple plug-in decoder installation and, as others have already mentioned, the most straightforward method is to junk the board and start from scratch.

Jon.

Lgb mallet 20851

Clencher's Bogleman

Registered

Well-Known Member

Clencher's Bogleman

Trains, aircraft, models, walking, beer, travel

Registered

Clencher's Bogleman

Trains, aircraft, models, walking, beer, travel

Registered

Clencher's Bogleman

Clencher's Bogleman

Registered

Clencher's Bogleman

Registered

Registered

Trains, aircraft, models, walking, beer, travel

Guest

DOGS, Garden Railways, Steam Trains, Jive Dancing,

G Scale, 7/8th's, Electronics

Clencher's Bogleman