With DCC, I had a workbench decoder tester board with motor for testing new decoders before installation. Has anyone come up with a workbench pre-installation test stand for the LocoFi module? I have just received my pre-ordered Gen 3 decoders. These two modules are slated for installation in a Mehano 2-6-0 and a Bachmann 2-8-0. The installation won't begin until I have received a new Fischer Stay alive that will be included in the steam installations.
A thought: could I use the same power source/setup used for my NCE PowerCab programming track. I would add temporary alligator clips to the red/black wires and just clip the leads to the programming track. Would I need a motor as well for the module to work?
I did just practice removing the MicroSD card and copying the wav files and testing them in Audacity. They certainly sound more robust than the earlier wav files from the Gen 2 module.
best
Ken Adams
Here's a way to test your control unit before installation. The base is double-thick corrugated cardboard sized to fit the components. Any old can motor will do to take the place of a loco motor. This one was a computer fan. It was easier to just mount the whole fan instead of taking the motor out and then making something to hold it. The power supply is a leftover from some forgotten piece of computer gear. For electronic control of locos the power supply must be "clean" — don't try to cheap out by using a regular DC train power pack.
Cut and glue pieces of cardboard to allow the board and speaker to slip in. It's just to hold them while testing so make it easy to put them in and take them out. I used two LEDs that had a "too cool" color temperature for my modeling era but they're fine for a test board. Note that the test component wiring colors are the same as used on the control board.
While we are not aware of the wiring associated with a programming track, we believe it should be possible as long as the LocoFi™ module gets DCC power through the red and black wires. Orange and grey wires would feed the motor. White and yellow would connect to the positive of its own LED while the blue would connect to the negative of both the LEDs.
If you have a picture of the setup and a wiring diagram, we may be able to suggest something.