Model Railroading > Using a DCC Decoder without motor

I would like to use a DCC sound decoder without wiring the motor. I understand you can use a resistor in place of the motor. Does anyone know what size resistor would need to be used in lieu of a motor? If so, any idea how hot the resistor gets. I assume the resistor needs to be 1/2 to 1 Watt.

Thanks

Why not just buy a no-load decoder from TCS?

Jim

Why not just get a decoder without the motor outputs? if you are not going to program the motor output would think a 1/2 watt 1k resistor would be more then you would need. Remember watts is a product of voltage times current. The Higher the resistance the lower is the current flow for a given voltage.

Casselton Wrote:
> I would like to use a DCC sound decoder without wiring the motor.

No need for the resistor. I've wired a couple of de-motored units up with a decoder, the latest one with a Tsunami, and they work just fine for light and sound control without anything on the motor terminals. The only issue I have is that my Lenz system won't recognize them on the programming track due to the lack of resistance, so when I initially set them up to program the unit number, I have to place a second unit WITH a motor on the programming track at the same time. Once the dummy has its number, I reprogram the powered unit back to its original number and then do the rest of my programming of the dummy on the main.

Joe Atkinson
Council Bluffs, IA
www.iaisrailfans.org/../Sub4WestEnd

A resistor 'gator clipped to the programming track whenever you program the motorless unit should work just dandy, too.

Or, you could buy an accessory decoder.

Thanks for all the suggestions. A 1/2 Watt 1000 ohm resistor worked fine. The resistor does not get hot.