Installing A Massoth Emotion Xls In A 3-truck Shay

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Patrik

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I'm currently installing a Massoth eMotion XLS in a Bachmann 3-truck Shay. But I have one question just to be sure. It is about the blue cable that i cut off from the 6-pin connector on the locomotives PCB-board. In the Bachmann documentation it has the name "B+ Common". Where am I supposed to connect that cable on the decoder, I guess "Dec +"?
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Patrik said:
Thanks! That is what I suspected, although on my decoder that spot is not marked as +24V, it is marked as Dec + instead and GND is marked as Dec -, that's why I got confused.
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Hi
Just caught up with this thread. I am about to do the same - emotion xls into a Bachmann 3 truck shay. It is supposed to be dcc ready and the wiring diagram looks clear enough - but, is it as straightforward as just hooking up as per the diagram? Are there any other ( hidden) pitfalls?
I would hate to get it wrong and fry the new decoder...
Any feedback gratefully received.
Cheers
 
Hi
Only just caught up with this topic. I'm about to do the same installation and wondered if it is as simple as it seems. The Bachmann wiring diagram looks clear enough and there's plenty of room. I wondered if there were any hidden pitfalls that I am missing - is it as straightforward as hooking up everything as per the diagram?
Any feedback gratefully received, cheers.
 
Hi Gareth

I did a conversion of the 3 truck Shay 2 years ago. The only thing you need to keep in mind, is that Bachmann works with common GND for all it's light effects. I installed an ESU XL decoder and they work with common U+. I solved that with a few optocouplers. (transistors will also do the trick) Another thing is that very old Shay's don't have separate wires for track and motor. You then will need to take apart every motor block. But if it says 'DCC Ready', you are fine and don't need to do that.


Greetings
Maxim
 
MaximDeDonder said:
Hi Gareth

I did a conversion of the 3 truck Shay 2 years ago. The only thing you need to keep in mind, is that Bachmann works with common GND for all it's light effects. I installed an ESU XL decoder and they work with common U+. I solved that with a few optocouplers. (transistors will also do the trick) Another thing is that very old Shay's don't have separate wires for track and motor. You then will need to take apart every motor block. But if it says 'DCC Ready', you are fine and don't need to do that.


Greetings
Maxim
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great sound
 
Gareth L said:
...
I would hate to get it wrong and fry the new decoder...
Any feedback gratefully received.
Cheers
Click to expand...
Always test a new decoder install on programming track first. If you can read CV1 you're probably okay, if you can't there's a short somewhere. And if you can test it a step at a time - connect motor first, then try on programming track, then one or two lights, try on programming track, etc - that way it's easier to isolate any short.
 
idlemarvel said:
Always test a new decoder install on programming track first. If you can read CV1 you're probably okay, if you can't there's a short somewhere. And if you can test it a step at a time - connect motor first, then try on programming track, then one or two lights, try on programming track, etc - that way it's easier to isolate any short.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the info guys. I've successfully completed the installation without any trouble. Downloaded the Shay sound file from Massoth and it works fine, apart from the German language announcements...
I was a bit concerned about current draw as the decoder is rated at 3 amps and the Shay has three moters. So far only seen a max of just over 2 amps when pulling up a gradient so perhaps all will be well.
In the meantime I've acquired a Soundtrax decoder which is allegedly from a Shay and am thinking of trying that out as it's presumably ideally matched.
Lots to learn but having fun
 
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