# Athearn lamp board motor wiring



## hrizhouse (Jun 23, 2009)

Hello Group, I have a newer style Athearn lamp board that I want to upgrade into a Genesis SD75I (circa 1998). The board says "component rtr dcc/lamp 80" and there is a number on it "GJ551A". It has two small screws to secure it in the center of the board as opposed to the "clip" style now on the existing SD75I. My question is: Which tab is the motor pos(+) and which is the neg(-)? Review pic.


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

Can you post more images, like the ends of the board?

Do you have the jumper or dummy board to make it work as DC?


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## hrizhouse (Jun 23, 2009)

RRGRASSI, This board (pictured) does not have the added four function tabs on the opposite side of the power tabs. So I don't believe this is a DCC card. Also, there is no provision for a speaker. And, to the best of my knowledge, Athearn uses Soundtraxx cards for their DCC. Please review added pics.


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

Ok, I do see where additional lights, ect are added. That is at the ends. True, no speaker.

That bourd is intended to plug into a DCC decoder, but I had a locomotive with that board in it, an SD45. That board got replaced by a Soundtraxx Tsunami. I did the initial work. It was functional, but needed to tweaking. NIMT cleaned up my install.

The board you have will take either the 8 pin or the 9 pin. You have to remove the jumper plug to use it. 

It would be better if you installed a DCC decoder directly instead of going through that Athearn board.


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## hrizhouse (Jun 23, 2009)

RRGRASSI, Thanks for the response, but I think we had a little derailment. The question was about the motor poles, not DCC. All I need to know is which of the two tabs for the motor power is pos(+) and which is neg(-)? This loco will be DC operated, not DCC. THANKS!


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

You may have to hit Athearn's web site, or do you have the paper work that came with the locomotive?

Let me check and see if I have a schematic...If the motor works one way, but not according to the other locomotives, then the wires will need to be switched.

Ok, on the board, the on the ends, with the four tabs, the outer tabs are for power pickup left and right, front and rear. The inner tabs are for the lights, front and rear.

As I recall the two tabs in the center are for the motor. The way to test it would be to use a volt meter and see if tabs centered near the motor vary with DC power. You would need to hook up the power pickups to the transformer though.

All of mine in this vintage (RTR with Quick DCC plug) are hardwired DCC and the Athearn boards were discarded. 

With out the jumper plug, the locomotive will not operate.


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