Tsunami Q's

[Smoke]

I am installing a Tsunami into a Kato SD70MAC and have some questions. Should I get a board replacement or should I get the other board. Now I want to put in a Railmaster speaker and was wondering which speaker I should use. www.railmasterhobbies.com/Speakers.htm Also which is better 8 ohm or 100 ohm?

Thanks!
Andrew

[MONONC420]

I would probably use the board replacement as you don't have all of the extra wires to mess with. You want the 8 ohm speaker, the only company that I know of to use the 100 ohm impedence is LokSound.

christian

[bcrmlw]

The board tsunami is easier to fit into a loco then the conventional decoder, plus it has pads for LED's or 1.5v bulbs. I'd go with the railmaster 8 ohm 18mm x 53mm (68mm over lugs) x 14.3mm bass reflex speaker, with the lugs cut off. Its a great speaker and should fit into the Kato SD70, although you may have to modify the rear light bar to fit the speaker.
-Trevor

[CIOR]

SIMPLE, Board replacements!
The simple way to install a decoder. Like Christian said, no extra wires.

Use the 8 Ohm speaker.

I've got probably 10 or so installs now on this and its SIMPLE. I can get one done in about 10 minutes start to finish.

[wvsecondary]

I would do the board replacement as well. I personally usually replace lighting with 1.5v bulbs as it is easier than trying to get the light bars modified to fit where you place the led's.

[Smoke]

I have another question. Which is the positive side of the motor? Is the clip of the left of the clip on the right the positive motor lead? You are looking down the locomotive from the cab of the engine.


And one more thing, the LEDs that Kato uses, are they 12V?

Thanks,
Andrew

[CIOR]

Andrew, Do a test. I've noticed that some Kato are backward. Simple solder/unsolder job.
As Christian knows, I test everything as soon as I have it wired.....

I'm not sure on the LED's, I swap out the LED's for bulbs. I either use the 1.5output or use 14/16v bulbs.

[MONONC420]

Andrew, I have always thought that the lead off of the top was the positive and the bottom one was the negative. Not sure about the LEDs.

Christian

[wvsecondary]

Everytime I have tried to use the Kato LED's things don't work right. I remove them and replace with 1.5v bulbs or with 12v Sunny White LED's as the Kato LED's are kind of orange and don't look right.

[railfanalex]

Hey Andrew,

You might have solved your problem already, but you can take a 9V battery and touch the two leads. Take note of the direction the locomotive wants to travel. You want it to be going forward. Turn the battery around if you need to.

Once you have the locomotive going in the forward direction, see which lead is touching the (+) and the (-) on the battery. Your (+) will be your (+) lead on the decoder and the (-) will be the (-) lead on the decoder.

Hope this helps!

[Smoke]

Ok can anyone tell me how to hook up LED's to a Tsunami board? I have tried two ways and neither have worked. I am getting a little frustrated so if anyone could help me out a little bit that would be great! What pads do I hook up the LEDs too.

Thanks!!
-Andrew

[CIOR]

Yup, like Fred said!

[Smoke]

Ok, so if I understand you guys correctly I use the two middle pads? The "flag side of the led on the far side(if the engine is facing left) and a resistor on the closer side to me? That is what I have hooked up right now, and the lights don't work. let me take a picture and see if you guys can pick out anything that I did wrong

-Andrew

[Smoke]

Ok, here is a picture. The "flag" part of the LED is on the far side of the picture.



Thanks for all your help!
-Andrew

[wvsecondary]

Usually the "flag is not necessarily the thing to determine polarity. Have your tried reversing sides for polarity? I have found the kato LED's to be a little tricky and big pain in the a**.

[CIOR]

I can't recall without looking at the manual and I can't walk down the steps right now, so I can't go look.

You should test it first with gator clip leads and see if it works, that or be prepared to unsolder and resolder! (I do the later some times.)