Sierra Soundtraxx connector

[maxi-model]

Seeing as I might have a little time on my hands soon, now semi-retired and in the C 19 red zone for self isolating, I thought I'd better get round to fitting the 3 Sierra Soundtrax cards I aquired a few months ago. I'm having a little trouble getting a fix on a little connector I need. It's the one that goes into that white "male" socket on the board up front and centre in the picture below. I tried e-mailing Soundtraxx a couple of times for advise but never got a reply. The best fix I can get on this is that it is 3 pin micro JST plug. Is this right or is there a better fit/description ? Pictures on listings are never quite at the right angle to be sure.

It is my intention that all 3 cards will be for track power installations with back up batteries fitted initially and not a full on board battery powered loco installation as how my first Sierra soundcard setup was done in an Accucraft K-27. The intended Bachmann Climax and 2 x K-27's destinations do not have the same pick up issues that an Accucraft K-27, so I feel confident they will work ok set up like that. Then again sometime in the future I may revisit that set up and go full battery power but that wiill require a bridge rectifier as the Sierras don't like the PWM outputs that ESC's produce. Before you ask, yes one of the cards is a "dedicated" Sierra Climax sound card and I have had a good read of George Schreyer's pages on this subject. I look forward to you suggestions and observations Max

 

[PhilP]

RC Trains RC Trains - Accessories

Electronic and hardware accessories for battery powered, radio controlled model railway / railroad locomotives

www.rctrains.co.uk

Scroll down to the 3, 4 or 5 pin 2.5mm JST connector leads

If you want to check the pitch of the pins, or measure across the top of the connector, I will measure one here for you?

PhilP.

 

[maxi-model]

Thank you PhilP. Your business ? Might have to PM you with a shopping list of bits I will need. Yes, I seem to remember reading about the pitch/spacing of the pins. Again thanks for the link and advise. Max

 

[PhilP]

Thank you PhilP. Your business ?

Guilty as charged..

2.5mm. pitch and the housing is 10mm. wide, with a couple of slots in the top. - I think they are burnt-out in your image, so not visible?

PhilP.
(phil@rctrains.co.uk)

 

[DGE-Railroad]

Ooo. Useful website Phil. I've just bookmarked it. I suspect I'll be ordering in the near future too.

I was just about to revisit my Shay Soundmaxx install Max and am debating setting it up as a battery-only installation so I may need to search out your K27 posts.
The 6v soundcard battery was dead when I got my Shay, so I've replaced that. I'm trying to understand the purpose - it essentially acts as a UPS for the card when running on DC track power, right?

 

[PhilP]

The 6v soundcard battery was dead when I got my Shay, so I've replaced that. I'm trying to understand the purpose - it essentially acts as a UPS for the card when running on DC track power, right?

Correct..
Obviously, on DC, When the loco is stationary the track voltage is 'zero', so sounds, lights will not be powered. - The battery keeps the sound-card alive, with 'standing sounds', random injector / coal shovelling / etc.

Not necessary, for a full battery installation.

PhilP.

PLEASE NOTE:
The earlier posted image of the connector, is the same 'family', but a larger pitch to the pin-spacing. - Usually used as a balance charging lead for Lithium based battery-packs.
I will be listing the smaller connectors, once they arrive here. - Parts are still coming in, but can take a little longer to arrive, if only as we are now getting postal deliveries 'every-other day'.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

You do not need to use that battery connector, screw terminals 2 and 4 are internally connected to that nasty little socket. The screw terminals are better in all ways, ease of use, and power handling.

Read NOTES section on this page:

Soundtraxx Sierra

Greg Elmassian web site on large scale trains and garden railroads, cigars, and computers

elmassian.com

Greg

 

[maxi-model]

Greg, thanks for the information but I would rather stick with the factory set up as supplied, at least I will know I have wired it correctly. I had already reference that page on your site but as I could not be sure which "very problematic connector" you were referring to I left well alone. Your suggestion regrettably does not come with any any revised schematic I can reference to make sure I do not do anything silly with all the other bits that seem to be in that circuit and end up blowing up a perfectly serviceable card through my own stupidity and lack of knowledge about the basics. Max

 

[Greg Elmassian]

The problematic connector is the one you asked about, the 2 pin "battery" connector.

Your words: "I'm having a little trouble getting a fix on a little connector I need. It's the one that goes into that white "male" socket on the board up front and centre in the picture below "

Besides being harder to find, it does not have the current rating of the screw terminals, therefore "problematic" is appropriate, and indeed, strictly speaking it is the only "connector" on the board, the rest are screw terminals.

You could actually verify this for yourself. The information comes from the Sierra people long ago.

By the way, "Your suggestion regrettably does not come with any any revised schematic I can reference "
perhaps you should get Sierra Technical Bulletin #6 that shows this, or any of the many schematics available, before you intimate that you possess the full line of documentation.


But of course you read my link provided earlier where I state:

"A number of application notes were made, besides the Steam and Diesel manuals.

I have them in PDF form, email me if you need them."

Since you did not email me, I guess you have them already?

(I tried helping) Greg