Piko BR64 decoder and sound fitting

[beachdonkey]

I am new to this forum having joined a few hours ago (never actually been on any forum before or Facebook stuff).
I bought a Piko BR64 dc loco 3 weeks ago and I am very happy with it.Last week I decided to change to DCC and would like to convert this loco to DCC with sound. I am a complete novice regarding all of this but want to have a go doing it myself using the Piko decoder and sound module stated in the user guide supplied as the sound appears to already be loaded and the speaker comes with it. My question is how easy is it to fit ? Piko say it is plug and play but I have heard these words before and not found it so!

 

[Zerogee]

Welcome to the forum!

I bought my BR64 already sound-chipped, so I haven't actually done an install on one - but I did put a Massoth XLS into my BR24, which is a very similar loco (although with the tender it has rather more available room to work with!).

I believe that Piko are probably being reasonably honest about the ease of fitting their own decoder and sound kit, there is a little panel under the back end of the 64 where the decoder fits and I'm assuming it is just a case of connecting a few wires to the screw terminals on the decoder - not quite sure how much you will have to dismantle the loco to fit the speaker, though (on the 24 it's dead easy because it goes in the tender along with the decoder).

I think a couple of folks on here have chipped their own BR64s, so hopefully they will be able to offer more specific advice.

Jon.

 

[beachdonkey]

Thanks ,I am just a bit nervous taking a loco to bits for the first time.

 

[muns]

Check the DCC section - Decoder fitting guides for a link to the Massoth forum showing how to fit an eMotion XLS decoder. It details how to dismantle the loco.

https://www.gscalecentral.net/index.php?topic=297446.0

FYI dismantling it is easy, getting it back together is a little harder

 

[1to3]

Re: Piko BR64 decoder and sound fitting

Piko decoders seemed easy enough for me. My first loco adjustment ever was to a Piko saddle tank starter loco. I added their nicer sound card and speaker to it.

Probably should have added the lower end, as the speaker and extra wires were tough to wrangle back in the loco, but once I tucked them all inside it was fine. (And I have dcc on it)

The saddle tank is a small loco and should have FAR less space in it than the bigger BR's. I'm guessing it took me an hour and a half since I didn't know what I was doing... I clipped the back up lights accidentally and had to splice new wires. (It was a great deal used)

If I do another one it will go much faster... Probably 30 minutes or less.

 

[beachdonkey]

Decoder fitted this afternoon,I sat and stared at it for a while before making a start and it appears to work OK. I will fit the sound module asap.