# AirWire Adapta-1 install in an Aristo GP40



## Jim Agnew (Jan 2, 2008)

Installation of the adapter board with a G3 Decoder in my GP40 was very easy. The instructions are well written and illustrated. I did have to install the battery in the fuel tank due to its size (6400mAh). Previous installations of AirWire Decoders in Aristo engines usually required the time consuming task of rewiring the motors and lights.


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## Robby D (Oct 15, 2009)

Very nice work Jim!


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## Dick413 (Jan 7, 2008)

Nice Jim 
I have a write-up of adapta coming, in my sd45 just a little different. 

Dick


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

What is this adapter board? 

Does it increase the AMP capabilities of the Airwire Decoder board?

JJ


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## Robby D (Oct 15, 2009)

It is made by Airwire for Aristo locomotives so that wiring a Airwire decoder is alot easier.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

JJ, The Air wire has 10 AMP outputs. The new board does not change that. It plugs into the Aristo socket and gives you screw terminals to wire to.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Well it also appears to have transistors or rectifiers plus some filtering


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 16 Jul 2013 06:58 AM Well it also appears to have transistors or rectifiers plus some filtering Not according to the pics at the CVP website.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Ahh it plugs into the socket and then you plug your decoder into it. 

Strange, so it gives you access to I'd guess the "functional" pins of the 12 pin side. 

2 motor, 2 track, 2 lights, common and minus??? 

So in a normal situation I guess it allows you to connect something that the decoder can't... 

maybe easy way to get to the track leads if you are going battery? 

also maybe the lighting outputs on an aristo, but I think you might have to cut traces to isolate from the aristo electronics. 

The picture you show tony is not what is in his loco, the polyswitch is not there. 

Greg


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## Dick413 (Jan 7, 2008)

Greg 
look at first pic. lower lt. side orange dote is the polyswitch. 

Dick


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Greg. 
The Adapta-1 is designed by CVP purely so that it makes installing AirWire into Aristo locos much simpler. 
It is not connected to the track pick ups at all. Just the motor(s), F & R lights and + & -. Two other terminals are for the battery input. 
As I understand it, it comes as a kit with a single side pcb, screw terminals, a Polyswitch fuse and the 10 & 12 pin header pins.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I see, I thought the G3 was plugged into the adapta-1, and was underneath it in the second picture.. 

Got it... 

Greg


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## HOMEINLEMITAR (Dec 2, 2018)

Nice Pictures Jim. I am new too this site, but picked up a lot of good information. I do have a question, when you installed the Adapta board on your engine, I noticed Aristo had a two dummy plugs, one of course to be removed when install the adapta board, the other was for the ditch lights. I am assuming you leave the dummy plug for the ditch lights in place, correct?


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

I am afraid that you may need to start a new thread if you want an answer. The last reply to this thread was in 2013, and I am not sure whether Jim still posts here. Sometimes you are more likely to get a reply when you start a new thread. Wish I could help you, but I am more directed towards live steam these days.

Regards,
David Meashey


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## Jim Agnew (Jan 2, 2008)

Not sure what you’re concerned with, the GP40 didn’t have ditch lights. Jim


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## HOMEINLEMITAR (Dec 2, 2018)

I am new to this hobby...been collecting for years and finally doing it. I have an Aristo Dash 9 I am putting AirWire DCC in. I see there is a dummy plug for the dash lights on the main circuit. Do I remove this plug or leave it when I put in the Adapta Board? 

Also, can I plug the two brown wires (plug) from the sound card into the port for speakers, or wire them directly to the adapta board? It is all pretty straight forward..but just not sure on some things.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

There is no place for speaker wiring on the Adapta board.

Do you have the diagram for it?


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## Jim Agnew (Jan 2, 2008)

I’d leave the other dummy plug in place. What are you using for sound?


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## HOMEINLEMITAR (Dec 2, 2018)

Jim,

I made sure the address and frequency is the same for my Aristo Dash 9. But I don't think that is the problem. 

I left the on board switches in place, hoping that all I needed to do was make sure that the switches were left in the appropriate positions: 

Battery/Track Power "battery" position
Smoke "on"
Lights "on"
Motor "on"

The G3 decoder is still not talking to the remote throttle, even with initial power up, the green light is steady with them G3, but the red light does not come on, which should happen even before it is programmed, as it knows the throttle found the decoder, even before programming. I reprogrammed the address and frequency, still nothing. 

What am I doing wrong? I have double checked everything with the exception of doing what the fellow from the fellow from the Ottawa Garden Railroad Society in Canada said to do with the MU connectors on the main board. May that is my problem. But he was also using a GP45 not a Dash 9, but the boards looked the same.

Thanks
Dave


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## Jim Agnew (Jan 2, 2008)

Dave, set the transmitter frequency to 0 (zero) and tell me if the red LED is lit.


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## Jim Agnew (Jan 2, 2008)

Step 1: Turn Power on to the Decoder
The G3’s green LED will glow brightly indicating power is connected. If you have not done so, now turn on your throttle and set it to frequency 0 and address 3 which are the original factory settings for the decoder.
When the throttle is turned on and set correctly the G3’s red LED will glow brightly. If the red LED is not on, then your throttle is not set properly. Do not proceed to step 2 until both red and green LEDs are turned on and glowing steadily.


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