10-05-2022, 07:13 PM
...I get the "I can always hire someone...."
My dad always said "You can save a lot of time and money if you can do something yourself", and I guess it got ingrained in me because he could do just about anything, and I got to help him do it. So, even though I'm not the best at anything, I can do a lot of stuff and I'm willing to try just about anything, which in the age of YouTube, can be a dangerous combination. Did the gutter guards this spring, Charlie - I feel your pain. Outside tasks - mine. Inside renovations - also mine.
Yeah, decoders. Been there, smoked that! Nothing worse than spending 20 to 30 dollars (or more like 75 for a sound card) on a little chip and you end up shorting two wires and the thing's toast. If it's a decoder with a spider cable attached to it, got a tip for you. Use the smoked chip to build a test connector with a wire connected to each of the pins in the mating socket. While you're installing each connection (motor, lights, etc.) plug your test connector in and check continuity (resistance) to ground and to every other wire in the test connector before plugging the decoder into the wiring. If you get anything other than an open, you have a problem to correct. However, I'm probably not telling you anything you didn't know already, but just like Christmas, you get a shiny new toy and you want to quick go out and play with it - been there, had to order a new one.
My dad always said "You can save a lot of time and money if you can do something yourself", and I guess it got ingrained in me because he could do just about anything, and I got to help him do it. So, even though I'm not the best at anything, I can do a lot of stuff and I'm willing to try just about anything, which in the age of YouTube, can be a dangerous combination. Did the gutter guards this spring, Charlie - I feel your pain. Outside tasks - mine. Inside renovations - also mine.
Yeah, decoders. Been there, smoked that! Nothing worse than spending 20 to 30 dollars (or more like 75 for a sound card) on a little chip and you end up shorting two wires and the thing's toast. If it's a decoder with a spider cable attached to it, got a tip for you. Use the smoked chip to build a test connector with a wire connected to each of the pins in the mating socket. While you're installing each connection (motor, lights, etc.) plug your test connector in and check continuity (resistance) to ground and to every other wire in the test connector before plugging the decoder into the wiring. If you get anything other than an open, you have a problem to correct. However, I'm probably not telling you anything you didn't know already, but just like Christmas, you get a shiny new toy and you want to quick go out and play with it - been there, had to order a new one.
Check out my "Rainbows in the Gorge" website: http://morristhemoosetm.wixsite.com/rainbows