# Massoth S DCC/DC Sound Only Decoder - DC Analog Operation Challenges



## LGB333$$$$ (Oct 11, 2017)

A customer's LGB 2019S Mogul needed repairs and the old factory sound board in the tender had also failed. I installed into the tender a Massoth S Sound Decoder with volume controller and Massoth Maxi PowerCaps. The decoder's sounds work fine except in the DC analog operation the Power Caps won't charge up well to power the decoder's standing sounds when the locomotive comes to a stop.......lasts only about 15 seconds even with making some CV adjustments to the power caps for longer holding charge. If I charge up the power caps by placing the tender alone on the track at 18v. high voltage, the power caps will charge up nicely after a few minutes but then when operating again with the locomotive on the track they will obviously not recharge well again. If I test the decoder on a DCC test track, the power caps charge up super nicely since the decoder's receiving continuous 20v. DCC to the track. So, here's the challenge operating DCC sound decoders in DC Analog: How to get the power caps to charge up well while operating the Mogul & Tender at normal speeds on the track? Are there any electronic devices I could install onto the decoder or power caps to compensate for the lack of sufficient DC power being provided to the decoder? I don't think running the track power through a DC Adjustable Voltage Regulator with Bridge Diode Rectifier to the decoder would do the trick since the continuous 18 volts it could provide the decoder would mess up the chuff sounds which adjust their sync speed based upon the amount of DC voltage the Mogul receives. Thoughts?

Maybe I should convince my customer to switch to DCC!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

see my response on the other forum.

short answer: you want constant sound, lighting, etc? get a system with constant power.... DCC


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## piercedandan (9 mo ago)

Just use a DC to DC step up converter. MT3608 is a 2 amp unit


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I think he put the reason that won't necessarily work:

"
I don't think running the track power through a DC Adjustable Voltage Regulator with Bridge Diode Rectifier to the decoder would do the trick since the continuous 18 volts it could provide the decoder would mess up the chuff sounds which adjust their sync speed based upon the amount of DC voltage the Mogul receives. Thoughts?
"


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## astack (Apr 22, 2018)

This is not the answer you are looking for, but I use the Massoth eMotion S on an LGB loco in analog and I find there is a voltage in between when the sound activates and the loco starts to move. With fine adjustment and practice, it allows me to have a stationary loco with the ambient sounds going. The card will trigger random noises periodically as well, like station announcements and engine sounds (I had the people at All About LGB set that for me before shipping it, but if you have access to DCC, I’m sure you can set that).


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Interesting though, are you doing CV2? Just enough for the sounds to start, but not enough to move the loco?

Greg


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## astack (Apr 22, 2018)

No, it’s a pre-unification (Western Germany) LGB mallet, 2085D, to which I added the sound card. Mohammed at All About LGB told me about the trick. I should say, that the trick worked well on the first eMotion S, but I fried the board and the trick doesn’t work as well on the second one. I wonder if there is a setting on the board that dictates at which voltage the system comes on? I’ll have to look when I get a minute (I seem to remember a setting like this on the HO broadway limited engine I run around the christmas tree).


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## LGB333$$$$ (Oct 11, 2017)

piercedandan said:


> Just use a DC to DC step up converter. MT3608 is a 2 amp unit


Dan, how would you install this converter? Would you connect it to the Power Caps connection where its existing wires are connected to the decoder? If so, then the Power Caps would get power from both the decoder and the converter and that might do the trick to fully charge up the Power Caps.


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## piercedandan (9 mo ago)

Greg, the LGB 2019S does have the engine rear axle chuff sensor. Older LGB engines had that awful sound card in the tender but the chuff sensor was always in the engine on the rear axle. I have that identical engine and installed the Zimo decoder but I did not use the sensor as the zimo decoder worked ok for me with the chuff sound and I rarely run decoder equipped engines on DC.


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## LGB333$$$$ (Oct 11, 2017)

piercedandan said:


> Greg, the LGB 2019S does have the engine rear axle chuff sensor. Older LGB engines had that awful sound card in the tender but the chuff sensor was always in the engine on the rear axle. I have that identical engine and installed the Zimo decoder but I did not use the sensor as the zimo decoder worked ok for me with the chuff sound and I rarely run decoder equipped engines on DC.


Dan, I agree with your approach of using the electronics in DCC decoders for the chuff pulse instead of the hall sensors/chuff sensors. I find the Massoth, ESU, Soundtraxx, LGB Sound Modules electronic chuffs are great and don't fiddle with installing sensors and magnets inside motor blocks.


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## LGB333$$$$ (Oct 11, 2017)

astack said:


> No, it’s a pre-unification (Western Germany) LGB mallet, 2085D, to which I added the sound card. Mohammed at All About LGB told me about the trick. I should say, that the trick worked well on the first eMotion S, but I fried the board and the trick doesn’t work as well on the second one. I wonder if there is a setting on the board that dictates at which voltage the system comes on? I’ll have to look when I get a minute (I seem to remember a setting like this on the HO broadway limited engine I run around the christmas tree).


Astack - Here's my final posting on the GScaleCentral forum about the same issue......check the setting the CV193 on your S Decoder, probably 2; change to 1 and this helps start the sound chuffs when the Mogul starts to move.


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