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Is this a 21 Pin Decoder? Bowser GE U25B Locos and rolling stock
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Regular poster 355 posts Dan Pugatch Breakwater Branch Regular poster 355 posts
Dan Pugatch Breakwater Branch

I took the shell off my Bowser U25B that came DCC Ready. Not sure where to look for the pins. Did I keep the box or instructions when I bought it over a year ago? NOPE! Little ole me was like "Instructions are on the internet" and "I will never go DCC" I am pretty sure all Bowser Executive Locos are 21, im pretty sure this is Executive before I tossed the box...

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Freelance HO Scale set in 1977-1984 Portland, Maine.
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Nelsonb111563 Moderator 2,268 posts
Nelsonb111563

21 pin

Not 100% sure but it looks like the 21 pin socket is under that zip tie!

Nelson Beaudry,  Principle/CEO

Kennebec, Penobscot and Northern RR Co.
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Dan Pugatch Breakwater Branch Regular poster 355 posts
Dan Pugatch Breakwater Branch

I'll carefully cut the zip

I'll carefully cut the zip and get more photos later on. Looking to order a decoder soon so you figured I'd take it apart.
 
Freelance HO Scale set in 1977-1984 Portland, Maine.
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Logger01 Prolific poster 1,786 posts
Logger01

No need to cut

The 21 pin connector is the black connector under the larger loops of yellow wires.

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Ken K

gSkidder.GIF 
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joef MRH Founder 17,531 posts
joef

From the Bowser website

Amazing what Google can tell you ... the answer is on the Bowser website (who'd of thought?) ...

Quote:

Bowser U25B: Ready to Run, super detailed, numbered, with DCC and Sound or Analog (DC). 21 pin socket provided for DCC module. DCC/Sound version features LokSound Select decoder.

Joe Fugate​
Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine

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Dan Pugatch Breakwater Branch Regular poster 355 posts
Dan Pugatch Breakwater Branch

Thanks guys! I was not 100%

Thanks guys! I was not 100% sure so I had to ask. Somewhere I read Bowser did 8 pin at one time.
 
Freelance HO Scale set in 1977-1984 Portland, Maine.
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Mark Pruitt Pruitt Prolific poster 1,284 posts
Mark Pruitt Pruitt

A bit of a tangent, but...

...what's the purpose of a 21 pin connector? What does it give you that the 8 pin connector does not (other than 13 more pins)?

Mark P.

http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton

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Greg Williams GregW66 Prolific poster 1,305 posts
Greg Williams GregW66

Everything you want to know and more

Here's the low down on 21 pin decoders. The advantages, the disadvantages and the confusion. Have a happy read.

http://www.sbs4dcc.com/tutorialstipstricks/21mtcconnector.html
Greg Williams
Superintendent - Eastern Canada Division - NMRA
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Dan Pugatch Breakwater Branch Regular poster 355 posts
Dan Pugatch Breakwater Branch

Looks like depending on the

Looks like depending on the board version. It could be 8, 21, or both!
 
Freelance HO Scale set in 1977-1984 Portland, Maine.
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joef MRH Founder 17,531 posts
joef

21 pins

The 21 pins make it easier to build more functions into the loco board and it also lets the sound speaker wires also be part of the plug socket. The 8 pin socket only covers track-to-motor plus front and read headlight (FOF, F0R) through the socket. The 21 pins (supposedly) covers what the 8 pins cover as well as F1, F2, F3, F4, and the two speaker wires (6 more wires) for a total of 14. That leaves 7 left for more, and you KNOW they will dream up more. But because of some standards incompatibility between NEM and the NMRA, as well as vendor idiosyncracies, F3 and F4 implementation is inconsistent. As long as you don't need on-board F3/F4, then the expanded 21-pin standard works pretty well.

Joe Fugate​
Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine

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