# Wiring DCC to an old loco, not dcc ready?



## CircusFreakGritz (Oct 27, 2010)

Hey everyone!

I picked up a couple of the AHM/IHC Boeing LRV trolleys recently and want to install LED head/tail lights and a decoder.

Do you think if I went to a local hobby store and bought the decoder/LEDs, they would be willing to help me install the parts/do it for me for a fee? Or, do you know any places that do things like this? If not, how do I learn? There is so much information online but it's hard to weed through it since I don't know what works with what.

I would also want this decoder, because it turns on the tail lights when the train slows down, etc. O

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JFfgLCXHqw
http://home.earthlink.net/~traxx/ <--- the decoder is listed on the top under "Bowser F-Line PCC Cars" but it says it's for trains that are "dcc ready"....? 

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks...


----------



## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

LHS (local hoby store) might do that for extra charge. 
the procedure is not trivial but not really rocket science either. if you technically inclined, can follow documented directions and somewhat knowledgeable about electric wiring you should be ok.

in essence what you are doing is disconnecting the motor from trucks and connecting them via decoder which is a sort of middleware in between them, later the lights will connect directly to decoder. 

with that, make sure the piece of rolling stock you installing the decoder into is in top shape running condition. DCC does not solve poor running and often will only amplify the problem.


----------



## CircusFreakGritz (Oct 27, 2010)

tankist said:


> LHS (local hoby store) might do that for extra charge.
> the procedure is not trivial but not really rocket science either. if you technically inclined, can follow documented directions and somewhat knowledgeable about electric wiring you should be ok.
> 
> in essence what you are doing is disconnecting the motor from trucks and connecting them via decoder which is a sort of middleware in between them, later the lights will connect directly to decoder.
> ...


Ah, thanks for the response. Is it really that simple? I could buy any HO decoder and it should work?


----------



## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

The biggest issue is..

1. Isolating the motor completely from the track. Easy enough to do so long as the frame isn't used as part of the mechanism.

2. Amps...old motors pull plenty of them. If there is any doubt, get a 1 amp + chip.


----------



## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

shay, i havent really seen below 1 Amp decoders anymore



> Ah, thanks for the response. Is it really that simple? I could buy any HO decoder and it should work?


i said its not that hard. but there is abit to it still. do it wrong and you burn your decoder.


----------

