High Amp Decoders

ESU Loksound L's have a rating of 3 amps continuous and 6 max. Loksound XL's are rated at 4 amps continuous and 7 max.

Either is sufficient for O scale.

If your motor is drawing that kind of amperage, something is wrong.  Either the locomotive mechanism is so stiff that the motor must work hard to move it or the motor itself is bad.  I would fix the problem with the mechanism/motor rather than trying to find a decoder that might temporarily overcome the amp issue.  Besides, it draws 4+ amps today but in 6 months it might be drawing 6+ amps, etc.  Replacement Pittman 8000's are pretty easy to find on the secondary market.

My two cents.

RailPro has a 6 amp module with a 8 amp stall current. $167 with sound and is DCC compatible.  

I agree with Bob. a Pittman 8K series motor should not be drawing that many amps. instead of looking for a decoder that can handle the current amperage draw I would try to find out why its drawing that many amps.

maybe the voltage is low at the track/engine? I've seen some motors in G scale draw higher amps until run in command where they usually behave and draw much lower. I tend to agree that something is amiss.

What are you using for power? wire size to track? track connectors?

Ed's result is not surprising.  Per SoundTraxx guidance their line of Tsunami decoders is rated by the drive train stall current - not the observed draw when the locomotive is running in layout operation.  Virtually all Pittman 8xxx series motors I've tested in O scale models have stall currents far above the 4 amp stall current rating of the TSU4400 decoder.  He either needs to swap out the motor for a more efficient one or use a decoder that can handle the load.  I have a number of  models powered by the physically larger and higher torque Pittman 9xxx series motors that run beautifully driven by 4 amp TSU4400 decoders.  The most recent being a pair of PRR M1b 4-8-2's (Overland) where the original Pitman8xxxx were upgraded with Pitman 9xxx motors.  BUT not all Pittman 9xxx driven models will play nice with a TSU4400.  Recently I've swapped out TSU4400's in several large Sunset  PRR locomotives (J1, Q2, T1) as they would shut down powering heavy trains on my grades.  Those models now have higher capacity ESU and TCS decoders in them.  My decoder preference remains Soundtraxx Tsunami2's (TSU2200 and TSU4400). I wish SoundTraxx would produce a higher amp version of the TSU4400, and have spoken directly with senior management about the limitations of their offerings in providing a full range of O scale solutions.

I left DCC and only had limited experience. I run MTH's DCS exclusively with their decoders in almost everything I have. A few stray G scale DC engines are waiting for upgrades and I have a few TMCC equipped O scale engines laying around.

 That said, I really feel that some companies target HO scale for easier amp loads and larger sales. I don't think there's equal demand for O scale decoders to make every manufacturer consider releasing a higher amp decoder. I thought the standard was to use a NCE version for motors and a separate sound decoder? I believe G scale may have even less overall demand?

 I believe that Lionel and MTH have the O scale market pretty saturated??

 When a certain manufacturer attempted their higher amp capability, there was some postings about high heat being generated. Some users won't try other brands than the one they stick to anyways. Seems that they focus on low price over features and the other "bells and whistles".

Ed R.,

I have checked the specs for the 8000 and 9000 series motors and the 9000 series produces 44% more torque per amp than the 8000 series.

The 9000 series is too big for the 0-8-0.  

Can you recommend a replacement for the 8222 that is currently in the 0-8-0?

Thanks,

Ed K.

Ed K. -  I have a Max Gray PRR C1 0-8-0 repowered with a Pittman 9432 driving a NWSL gearbox.  The short/fat 9432 fits in fits in the firebox without issue.  .     After the O scale National Convention I'll drop a TSU4400 in it and see how it does. 

Joe - Several years ago using a heavy duty NCE 408SR decoder matched with a sound only decoder was pretty common practice in O scale.  Since then higher amperage integrated sound power decoders from Soundtraxx, ESU, and TCS have given O scalers  several new options.  

Thanks Ed! I didn't even hear about TCS wow decoders until recently posted here on the forum drew my attention. It's tuff to stay up with all the stuff available. I did like the NCE decoders performance overall. I figured when they added sound, I would have gone with them. Ah well!

As for DCC, I like the ESU LokSound L decoders, and they have the ability to upload new sounds to them, as well as make you own.  I have installed one in a Lionel Docksider and it runs better then it ever has, and now it has sounds.  And another forum member has posted instructions on how to use the LokSound L with O smoke units and electrocouplers.  I have several MTH PS-1 equipped locomotives that will be getting this decoder installed in them.