How to use Capacitors to add EXTRA Power to a Tight Decoder Install

Рет қаралды 7,605

3 жыл бұрын

Some installs are too tight to fit a CurrentKeeper to maintain power over dirty track and switches. In these cases you can often fit a capacitor or two for a little power boost. In this video, George walks you through some simple tips to adding capacitors to your tight fit installs. He also shows you how to easily determine the polarity on our capacitors. Watch now to learn more!
Tsunami 220µF Replacement Capacitor: soundtraxx.com/accessories/in...
SoundTraxx CurrentKeeper: soundtraxx.com/accessories/in...
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Пікірлер: 48

@BNGreen970

George, Not sure if you still look at comments on videos this far back. But I wanted to thank you for this one. I just did this very install on of the new Athearn SW1500s. Kudos also to Norman for his quick reply to my email and his help in where to connect the two capacitors to the Athearn 21 pin board. Merry Christmas to everyone at Soundtraxx.

@larryriehle166 3 жыл бұрын

Very timely. I recently painted the rail webs on a section of my layout and missed a tiny area where I didn't get the paint off of the top of the rail. My locomotives with the current keepers in them rolled over the spot without a problem but my 060 saddle tank with a capacitor in it didn't. Now I want to add as many capacitors as possible to this little guy.

@tct855 3 жыл бұрын

GG 👀,

@artyz2002 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks George. Just what I need, and looks like many others too.

@1621billw Жыл бұрын

This is a really good idea that never occurred to me. Thanks for sharing it as I'm finding that space is at a premium when working in n scale.

@Bill-kx5yh 3 жыл бұрын

Once before, having been in a hurry, I accidentally reversed the polarity of a custom capacitor install like this. It was like a small fire cracker inside the model. The end of the capacitor blew off. Be careful with polarity like George says. Model Railroading is fun. 💥

@DamonGaskin 3 жыл бұрын

OMG! Right on time George! I was just thinking about contacting you all on this! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!

@hughfordmusic6736

It appears that every one who watched your video understood where to solder the wire from the capacitor to the locomotive.

@frankhellman6879 3 жыл бұрын

Side bar? ⚡🔥♨ NOW you tell me! 😆

@geraldjones2278 2 жыл бұрын

I just saw this on FaceBook and I think it would be helpful to go into more detail on exactly how and where you would wire this into the decoder. I know your 2200 series decoders have plugs to receive current extenders, keep-alives, or whatever you call them but exactly where you would solder any you make yourself and what lead goes where is not clear.

@phillipg1588

Don't Stay Alive caps also require a diode and resistor?

@spacecalander 3 жыл бұрын

George, if they are side by side, don't you solder negative to positive down the row so you have positive at one end and negative at the other? You showed negative to negative when using only two caps correct? or match polarity when using only two caps?

@MikesProjectsandHobbiesMC 3 жыл бұрын

So we don’t need a diode or resistor between the decoder and the caps? You can make an cap bank in parallel and connect it right to the tsunami keep a live port?

@schmidtw900 Жыл бұрын

I'm about to start adding my own custom builds like this on my locos and am wondering what the 2 pin CK connection fittings are called so that I can make my own harnesses to connect to the two pins on your decoders and maybe repair some other 4 to 5 pin ones on some Atlas engines.. Thanks !!

@adamserafini6945 Жыл бұрын

Can 1 current keeper be used for a steam engine with a sound only decoder and a separate dcc decoder for motor control ?

@mafarnz 3 жыл бұрын

Polarity is important! Things go pop if not.

@louisfourie8404 3 жыл бұрын

Hi could i use a 16v 2200 uf capisitor instead ?

@klaticus 3 жыл бұрын

Can use a 25v capacitor with more microfarads? 330 or even 1200uf??

@csxrensville5105 3 жыл бұрын

I use your Tsunami 2 pnp decoders. They have a connection for a currentkeeper. I know you can purchase just the leads for the currentkeeper. If I use a small Capacitor can it be plugged in to the decoder using the plug on the board, and which colour on the lead is positive? Thanks

@cdills3454 3 жыл бұрын

I have a capacitor attached to a TSU 1100 boards green yellow stipe and blue wires but the loco doesn't seem to have any improvements in comparison to no capacitor at all, any advice?