# Another off the wall decoder question



## Theamazingswal (Dec 14, 2017)

I have and extra sound decoder. I was thinking about using it in a none engine application. I think for it to response it has to have a motor attached? Is there anyway I can fool it?
George


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

One of our electronics pros would be the best to respond, but,
it occurred to me, that if, in fact, the presence of a motor is
required, (are you positive?) you could use an ohm meter to measure the resistance
across the motor terminals of any existing loco then put
a resistor of near that value across the motor terminals of the decoder.

Don


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

If this is a separate sound only decoder and contains no engine controls then no you don't need a motor.


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## Theamazingswal (Dec 14, 2017)

Thanks for responding Lemon but I guess because I found how to adapt my 8 pin decoder to a 21 pin TCS board in another post. I'm going to withdrawal my question.
George


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## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

Hi.
If you're assuming the chuff rate of the decoder is determined by the revs of the motor or loco's driver revs, that is not so.
But before we continue, It'd help allot if you explained to us the type of steam vehicle you are making..
Why ? Because if it has the obligatory large flywheel with a side rod connecting to a yoke and piston rod + cylinder ( to be an external combustion engine it must have at least this much ) then you'll have to actuate the model in some way. No ?
So, this in turn tells us there has to be a motor unless you aim to actuate it manually somehow..
We need to know which you plan. 
This much I'm sure you must know, that it has to have a speaker somewhere ! 
A model loco speeds up by advancing the current to its motor..It's that same increase in current which speeds up the audio portion of the decoder's steam chuff rate.
If your vehicle moves on its own, there's your motor current. If it's a static model but chuffs anyway,
it's precisely what *DonR* says above... M


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## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

* ! * *ATTENTION GROUP !*

*OPer* has withdrawn his question !!..... We'll, isn't that special !


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## Theamazingswal (Dec 14, 2017)

Thanks telltale but if what I'm trying to do doesn't work out, I'll be back.
George


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## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

Theamazingswal said:


> Thanks telltale but if what I'm trying to do doesn't work out, I'll be back.
> George


*Is that a threat or a promise ?*


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## Theamazingswal (Dec 14, 2017)

I haven't done much with decoders lately because I was working on my bridge projects but now their done it's time start working on my locos. I like the TCS WOW mother boards because they have the great StayAlive. I don't care to much for their decoders because of the horns. .So I been trying to match up Lok Sound decoders with TCS WOW mother boards. I knew you could plug in a Lok Sound 21 pin decoder into a WOW board but was unaware you could do the same with an 8 pin. That's why I was asking around.. After finding a video on how to accomplish this I'm going to give it a try.. The question about installing a sound decoder with out hooking it up to a motor was another idea I had to solve some loco problem I might run into. 
George


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## Theamazingswal (Dec 14, 2017)

OK I got the Lok Sound 21 pin decoder installed on the TCS AK_MB1 board. I have to order the TCS 8 pin board adopter before I install the 8 pin Lok Sound decoder in another loco. 
George


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