No, addresses for mfx decoders are set automatically by the controller and each decoder will get a unique address.
You will then have to make a consist of both decoders.

You can set the MM address of mfx decoders. If there is no mfx coming from the controller, both decoders will listen to the same MM address.

I changed the title of this thread.

It has expanded beyond just a dead decoder replacement to discussions on upgrades of which I may have initiated.

Keep the comments coming.

Glen,

thanks for the comment, mate!

My SBB consisit will be basically "fixed" i.e. I have a loco in mind for every one so I will not "switch" them with different locos. I think it is then better to go with the non-mfX decoder, give same addess to loco+steurewagen, make sure that the lights are "inverted" (head in front and tail in back) and have fun with it. I like the idea of the Viessmann couplers and only one grounding plate. Do the decoders run out of power if i have, say, 5 IC-2000 cars, double deck, with lights on both decks? I plan on using Marklin LED lights (of which I have a few) or, even better, those LED strip-lights you can buy in 5m rolls from China for 15$ (have bought a few rolls). You can split in ca. 10cm lengths / 3 LED each and I plan on using three such strips per car, say total 15 strips = 45 LEDs. I think the load on these is minimal but I heard somewhere that decoders have a limitation (is it 210 mA) on the light output.



Let me know what you come up with. I actually believe that leaving two thin wires going between loks would make it even more realistic



BTW.. question: since I bought my A and B units on e-bay and some came without box, I would like to have the three units "fixed" together. I saw there is a fixed connection you can use (not the NEM coupler) but only have one of them. Will have to build the second one if I can't find a Marklin part number for it.

Looks like a perfect solution

Hello, Abisel,


Good idea to put the connecting wires between the different A/B units through a sleeve or heat shrink.

A couple of weeks ago I was doing some maintenance on my new 37628 (Kansas City Southerns A-B-A F7). The colored connecting wires were not held together at all.



(the bit of yellow wire "tie-wrap" is my doing).

After putting the shells back on the chassis I forgot to check the wires properly, and, alas some had got caught between chassis and shell.
The result was at first that all functions of de decoder did still work, but not the motor control. As soon as spped 8 (of 126) was reached on my CS1R, the decoder shut down, and would reset itself after a couple of seconds.
Resetting the decoder did not help. The motors were tested separately with a DC transformer and showed no problems.
I checked the wires but could not detect an area where the insulation had been damaged (and possibly caused a short circuit...).

In the end the decoder did not respond at all. Completely dead.

Maybe there was something wrong with decoder from the beginning. I do remember that the F7 did not slow down and stop gently according the deceleration setting when the direction of driving was reversed by pressing the "red knob" or speed control knob.

I sent the F7 back to M. repair and hopefully it will be repaired under warranty.

And I do find the speaker "tube" to close to the edge of the chassis which makes it difficult to properly secure the interconnecting wires.


Willy