installing decoders with double sided tape

TCH

New Member
after installing a decoder
is it best to leave it loose or should it be fixed with tape or
something similar ?

I have done both and the only ones to give me trouble where held
on with double sided tape.

has anyone had problems using this tape?

the decoders have been TCS1`s and when the last one smoked
it looked as if the tape had disintegrated somewhat.

when I replace it the new one will be taped using duct tape or similar.
 

woodone

Member
The tape might be causing and over heating problem if the tape covers the components on the board. Some of the decoders don't like to have the devises taped. Hold the board in a place where there are no devises, just the printed traces or pads.
Just a thought.


Just use Kapton tape only!
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
TCH, i ONLY use sound decoders, but i hope this might be of some help to you. 90% of the time when installing the sound decoder I'll have had to shave some of the engine weight off to get the decoder to fit nicely into the engine. instead of attaching the decoder its self to the engine weight, i take a drop of hot glue and place it where the wires are coming out of the sound decoder. hot glue dries real fast and don't damage the wires. buy using the hot glue, you can glue the wires high enough at both ends, leaving the decoder "suspended" in air, letting heat easily escape from it:winki: . (see pic below) in the event that the decoder goes awry sometime down the road, the hot glue can EASILY be pulled off the engine weight, and a new decoder can be installed:thumb: . i hope this may have been of some help:smilie: .
:deano: -Deano
 

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UP SD40-2

Senior Member
Great tip Deano!
THANKS STEVE!:mrgreen:
the sad truth is, i didn't come up with this till a few months ago:eek:ops: , so quite a few of MY engines are not set up like this:eeki: , only the more recent ones are:winki: .
:deano: -Deano
 

cnw1961

Member
Deano, really a very good idea :thumb: – would not have thought of hot glue to fix my decoders :cry:.
 
This is a good idea from what i can see. Mite have to try it out on some of my older units that don't have the plug in on them.
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
Deano, really a very good idea :thumb: – would not have thought of hot glue to fix my decoders :cry:.
THANK YOU KURT & TRAINNUT65!:mrgreen:

OK, heres one for those of you that DO NOT use sound decoders:winki: .
you would basically install the decoder just as i wrote in the above post, the difference would be on the end of the decoder that DOES NOT have wires coming out of it, place a dot of hot glue down, WAIT FOR IT TO DRY, this will only take a min or two, then set the end of the decoder without the wires down on the pad you just made of hot glue, now the decoder is still resting "suspended" in air letting the heat escape from it:thumb: . hope this is of some help:smilie: .

Duct tape may be Red Green's best friend:winki: , but hot glue is mine:toug::119: .
:deano: -Deano
 

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TCH

New Member
thanks to all for your replies.

upon reflection I think the decoder has probably not had enough room
to cool, so I will certainly try Deano`s hot glue method.

will also go over the wiring very carefully to double check that everything is OK, as this has only happened with the same loco.

thanks again
 

b28_82

Member
I would say that the only decoder that you could use double sided tape on is the ones that are already wrapped with heatshrink.
 

TCH

New Member
the decoders where wrapped in a plastic type film.

don`t know if it would act as a heatsink.
 

w8jy

Member
Deano, thanks for the hot glue tip. It certainly is timely, as I placed an order yesterday for two decoders that I will be installing. Up to this time, I have purchased locos either complete with modem, or have had the hobby shop install them before shipping.
I was wondering about how to anchor them, so thanks again for the tip!
 
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