Large Scale Central

How to identify a Phoenix card?

Electronics Power and Sound
#1

I’m looking at a Phoenix sound card installed in a Bachmann 38 ton shay and I need to identify the model so I can get a wire diagram to trace the wires. Something isn’t sounding right and the volume switch isn’t working. The only markings I can see reads G-3826. looking that up didn’t get me too far.
I also need to figure out the battery situation for this. Online directions said to run it a few laps at 8 volts to charge but that did nothing for it. I suspect the little yellow 3 cell pack is the original and might need ot be replaced.

Any ideas?

#2

a picture of the card would do wonders.

Go to Phoenix website they have pics of all of their products and descriptions.

Bill

#3

I am in the process of re-installing two Phoenix ‘Big Sound 97’ sounds boards in my Bachmann Shays, but this time it will be using DCC and not DC.

Right now both boards are at Phoenix Sound for checkup and repair, both battery inputs are not working, you have to be careful when hooking up the battery and not connect it backwards, it will stop working. Now I did not know that these two boards have been this way for many years and thought the batteries where bad.

I do have the manual for the Shay sound wiring from Phoenix if you need a copy.

Dennis

#4

Dennis, I won an auction for an Aristocraft Pacific and tender for only $325. I was surprised that in the tender was a Phoenix big sound 97 not mentioned in the sale. There were some issues with wiring on the tender, caused a track short when I put it on the track. However, I solved the issues and it sounds great.

I run DCC, and what I ended up doing was buying two decoders. A digitrax DG583S for the loco, and a much cheaper Digitrax HO decoder DH163D for the tender sound card (it’s less than 1 amp). I programmed the start, mid, and full voltage all at about 70% on the tender decoder. The battery is toast, but the sound comes alive as soon as you go to 1 on the throttle. The two decoders are consisted and if you program a speed table on the loco decoder so that it doesn’t start until 2 or more, you can have the idle sounds without use of a battery on DCC.

#5

I checked out the Phoenix website and found the card and I’m 99% sure it is a 2k2.

I also found diagrams and instructions there. Thanks Bill and Thanks for the offer Dennis.

Reading info on the site it looks like I should charge the battery for hours by putting the engine on the track, turning it off and turning up the voltage to 6-7 volts. I will research that deeper.

Meanwhile I have another question. What is this board for? The only markings on it is RS

#6

I don’t know what that other board is - might be a radio control module but if it is, then it’s not an Aristo, maybe one of the other guys will rrecognize it. Is that black wire an antenna ? (only connected on one end )

Bill

#7

Todd Haskins said:

Meanwhile I have another question. What is this board for? The only markings on it is RS

That looks like a Digitrax DCC decoder. It looks identical to the DG583S that I have. If you flip it over there is a number on the PC board. Mine says GX83-R2. I guess the R2 is the second revision of the board. May be similar PCB to other decoders.

EDIT: yep, I just checked digitrax website and there are other decoders in the G_83 family. 3 amp, 4, amp and several 5 amp versions. My guess would be the X in the PC board represents a placeholder and could be used in several versions. But from your picture, It looks just like my DG583S.

#8

Hmm the plot thickens. I’d flip both cards over but they are really stuck down with double stick tape. Someone did a nice pro install job here. It looked better before I cut the zip ties holding the wires. The volume switch which doesn’t seem to be working was hidden under a valve on the tender shell. The on/off is the bachmann switch behind the smoke box door and the PC jack is underneath out of sight.

Since I’m not using that extra control board maybe it should come out?