# NCE D13SR hard wire decoder install......



## Rangerover (Feb 8, 2012)

I installed a NCE D13SR decoder in an older, split frame 4-6-2 loco, this was not my first venture with the exact loco, but my first ever hard wire using this decoder. In the past I installed TCS and all went well. I had to do a little more fumbling and weight cutting to install the decoder. 4 of the wires broke off at the decoder pads. Oddly the 3 wires I soldered for functions 3 and 4 for ditch lights with digitrax wire were fine. In the end what I found out was NCE is apparantly using non lead solder which is brittle. The other thing I didn't care much for was the coating on NCE wire, is about the hardest I ever worked with. I used a 30 ga wire stripper I purchased, just to let others know, but with the stress needed to strip the wire may be enough to pull the wires from the decoder if you slip. I desoldered all the NCE wire pads and replaced the wire with the more flexable digitrax decoder wires and my normal lead solder. In conclusion, my first adventure with NCE hard wire decoder was a bit more than frustrating. You simply can't bend them too much, more than twice before they break at the solder pads. I'm quite satisfied though with the decoder performance, but in the future will stick with TCS for hard wire installs. Jim


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