Anyone have an ESU decoder tester.....handy tool?

[steveturner]

Guys i was thinking about getting an ESU decoder tester.Dont seem to be able to find too much about it manual wise. Do you hook it up to your command ?. Worth having?. I would like to see some instructions etc on it before i purchase if anyone has any info.Thanks Steve

[Mark R.]

I use mine to when I load new sound files to test the operation of the decoder before taking all the time to install it in the engine. Tells me everything is working as it should first - nothing worse than going through all the installation only to find something doesn't work. The decoder tester basically replicates the engine including the motor, function LEDs and speaker. You would connect it either to a Lokprogrammer or the program track connections of your command station.

Mark.

[steveturner]

Thanks Mark. Wondering if you know the difference between the old model and revised model. I think my dealer has older version but is not sure of differences. I was going to help him out and take a previous version save him getting stuck with it, than me ordering current version. Thanks Steve...............by the way the GMD1 is in service, and I think of you as it turns the corner and the number boards light up and give me a smile LOL.

[Mark R.]

The biggest difference between the old one and the new one is the speaker on the board. The old one has a 100 ohm speaker which was for the old 3.5 decoders that are out of production. The new one has a selectable switch to choose between 100 ohm and 16 ohm. There are also a couple additional decoder plugs (mostly European standard plugs that we would never use).

As far as the speaker goes, I always attach my own speaker directly to the decoder for testing, so the speaker on the tester is not a concern. I find trying to insert the two speaker wires in the terminal to use the onboard speaker a bit of a pain anyway. If you do this as well, the old version will work just fine .... that's what I'm still using !

So happy to know there's a work-around for the TCS decoders - nice when things work out like that.

Mark.

[steveturner]

Thanks Mark..........i down loaded the manual , its the new manual. Maybe the manual is in the package for older one we will see.That being said not much info. Not sure if you use programme terminals on Zephyr period or track power terminals?

[Mark R.]

Depends on how you do your programming. If you use POM (program on the main) you would connect your track power to it. If you prefer a dedicated program track, then connect your program terminals to it.

I would highly recommend using your program track terminals as the current is lower and less likely to damage your decoder if there is a problem during programming. Remember, all the tester is, is an engine spread out on a circuit board.

Mark.

[steveturner]

Curious Mark would the EU621 plugged into decoder tester told a story? In regards to those light functions.Steve

[Mark R.]

You would have seen that it was not capable of lighting the AUX3 and AUX4 LEDs on the tester. It would have controlled the F0F, F0R, AUX1 and AUX2 LEDs, but that would have been it.

Mark.

[steveturner]

Well that tells a story about the EU 621 21 pin 6 function decoder ! Got the tester coming ASAP, it maybe the newer one it has the different speaker settings and off.Steve

[llxlocomotives]

I can't imagine doing decoder installs without the tester. I'm very meticulous about doing this kind of work. It allows you to check the decoder before the install and at steps along the way. It gives you a visual that the decoder is good. It will do the same for the sound system, but I have not used that function yet.
It is a great tool. It has helped me identify bad decoders before spending any solder time on them.

I'm sold on it,
Larry
Check out my blog: www.llxlocomotives.com