2: Open board decoder example – TCS A4X – photo cour-
tesy TCS.
3: Decoder Block Diagram.
2
3
DCC Impulses Column - 2
When I’m wiring open board decoders, I select wires with colors
that match the NMRA recommended practices
, as they
help me remember “what is what” as I’m doing the installation
and later, if I’m troubleshooting or reworking a locomotive.
Figure 3 shows a block diagram of a SoundTraxx Tsunami TSU-
1000, which covers the features of most decoders. Don’t be
intimidated. Let’s walk through it in detail. The dashed line rep-
resents the decoder itself. The lines that cross that dashed line
represent the leads coming out of the wrapped decoder.
Figure 4 is a wiring diagram, modified from the SoundTraxx
Micro Tsunami instructions. The Micro Tsunami (TSU-750) is
4
4: Decoder wiring diagram – from SoundTraxx’ Micro
Tsunami (TSU-750) instructions.
MRH-Feb 2013
