Interface cables: required or not?

idlemarvel

idlemarvel

Neither idle nor a marvel
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I was buying a decoder from a web shop today, and asked whether the decoder (Massoth LS) included a 10-pin decoder lead as the loco it was going in had a 10pin interface. (I think I knew the answer). I was told that Massoth don't include them any more because "99% of the customers take out the existing electronics". I'm sure the 99% was for dramatic effect, but I would thought most customers would use the circuit board there (assuming it had a 6pin or 10pin interface) to save themselves having to rewire all the lights etc. The cynic in me says that this is just a ploy by Massoth to get another £5 off us to buy what used to be included. I don't supposed they dropped the price by £5 when they stopped including them! Different ball game if there is no DCC interface at all, or if you are desperate for space, but in general keep it simple I would have thought. But perhaps I am the 1% and the rest of you want to rip it all out and start again?
 
I agree that they've probably been dropped for reasons of cost, but there is also the point that most LGB locos (which is what I presume Massoth expect most of their decoders to end up in) are no longer supplied with the 10-pin interface..... so it's really only either new-old-stock or second-hand locos that the 10-way loom is now required for.

Certainly if I have a loco with the interface, then I'll use the cable - I'm hoarding the few spare ones I have here against such eventualities!
You mention an LS decoder rather than an XLS - the LS has only ever had the 10-way lead if it was a special-order one from somewhere like Mark at GRO, to go in a loco like the Saxon 1k variants, because the cable has to be soldered onto the LS - it's only the XLS where it can be used with screw terminals only.

Jon.
 
I always take out the analogue board I suspect it dums down the digital one.

Mind you I keep the interface cables just cut off the connector the wires come in useful
 
Frank Gallagher said:
I always take out the analogue board I suspect it dums down the digital one.

Mind you I keep the interface cables just cut off the connector the wires come in useful
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That is generally my plan since I discovered better sounding and cheeper Massoth Alternatives. Yes it is a shame to remove fully working boards from LGB Locomotives, but the resukts is always worth it and the effort to redo the lighting wire. On an older Loco with an only Massoth setup, this does give you the option of setting the Lamp Voltage to older original bulb power.
JonD
 
Thanks for the feedback everyone. Perhaps I am in a minority then, but then I've always been an oddball character. :-)
 
I must have been unlucky?? :oops::(:rolleyes:

In all the decoder installations I have done, I think I have only had the option of using the 10-pin interface cable once..

? I thought there were (past tense may be important) two versions of the LS decoder ? - One with the four motor-block wires attached, and one with the 10-way ?
 
I think you are (and indeed were) right, there was an option for a 10 pin attached LS but they have stopped making them (according to Michael van Hoof @ grootspoor) so you have to buy the interface cable and solder it on yourself if you want to use the interface.
 
The 10pin LS decoder has been discontinued. I still provide my customers the option of a 10pin version at a small additional cost.
 
My recommendation with existing LGB electronics with the 10 pin interface is to leave it in place, if at all possible, that is certainly what I have done in all cases. The reason for this is that as well as not having to rewire the lights, smoke etc the existing board provides the on/off switches for the lights and smoke so that the voltage of these is irrelevant, and it doesn't matter what the voltage of the decoder function outputs is set to. It also means that the current drawn, which could be large for smoke units, does not go through the decoder. If the decoder was ever set back to default settings there is no danger of blowing anything up.

I have never purchased a 10 pin interface cable since they are easy to make up oneself. The pins are on standard PCB 0.1ins centres so 10way standard latch housings available from most electronics outlets can be used. In fact if anyone needs some I've got loads that I can give away, just PM me.
 
Cliff George said:
My recommendation with existing LGB electronics with the 10 pin interface is to leave it in place, if at all possible, that is certainly what I have done in all cases. The reason for this is that as well as not having to rewire the lights, smoke etc the existing board provides the on/off switches for the lights and smoke so that the voltage of these is irrelevant, and it doesn't matter what the voltage of the decoder function outputs is set to. It also means that the current drawn, which could be large for smoke units, does not go through the decoder. ....
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I'm with you on this George but I didn't fully appreciate the reason. The provided circuit board must be more sophisticated than I thought. I imagined once you unplugged the blank and plugged in the decoder it was simply an elaborate switch to replace the track power with power from the decoder to the motor, lights and smoke unit but from the above there seems to be more to it than that. Is there some documentation that explains what these boards do? Thanks, Dave
 
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