Decoder wiring Standards

• RED WIRE – this is to pick up power from the track. Traditionally, this should be connected to the pickups that collect power from the RIGHT rail
• BLACK WIRE – this is also to pick up power from the track. Traditionally this should be connected to the pickups that collect power from the LEFT rail
• ORANGE WIRE – this is to connect the decoder to one of the motor brushes. There is no “normal” left or right for this one, as motors do not always face the same way in the chassis. Don’t worry – if the loco runs backwards, simply swap for the Gray wire OR use the instructions to change CV’s to make the loco run the other way (easy and works every time)
• GRAY WIRE – this is to pick up power from the other motor brush.

IMPORTANT – Red and Black wires must NEVER share any form of direct electrical  connection with the Orange or Gray wires. Nor should the Gray and Orange wires ever share a connection with the pickups in any way. Fail to check or ignore this and you will destroy your decoder immediately – The result of this contact, no matter how slight, is usually a puff of smoke and a black hole in one of the decoder IC’s.

• BLUE WIRE – This wire is the COMMON wire for all functions. It is used with  other “accessory: or lighting wires. It is always POSITIVE, and is the common partner for every function. For example, front light = white + blue, rear light= yellow + blue.
• WHITE WIRE – “Front lights/functions”. To connect the headlights or “front” function, use the white NEGATIVE wire and the BLUE POSITIVE wire. How your decoder controls this wire will be clearly stated in the instructions, but it is usually via Function Zero on your controller (Often helpfully marked “lights”)
• YELLOW WIRE – “Rear Lights/functions”. To connect the rear lights or “Rear” function, use the Yellow NEGATIVE wire and the BLUE POSITIVE wire. How your decoder controls this wire will be clearly stated in the instructions. Please note as follows: o Rear light functions can often be used for things like firebox flicker on steam loco’s\ o If the function needs more than 100mA, you can parallel two functions to make a higher power function – i.e. Yellow+ white to one side of the smoke unit, blue to the other side. o Lighting can be configured to be manually or automatically reversed, plus MANY other options.

Check your manual, and if they don’t light as expected suspect the need to switch them on at the controller! This wire too is usually set to operate on function zero.

• GREEN WIRE – “any other function” including lights or accessory control. Use the Green NEGATIVE wire and the BLUE POSITIVE wire. How your decoder controls this wire will be clearly stated in the instructions. Usually 100mA Max. On non sound decoders, this will be set ex factory for operation by function 1
• PURPLE WIRE – “any other function” including lights or accessory control. Use the Purple NEGATIVE wire and the BLUE POSITIVE wire. How your decoder controls this wire will be clearly stated in the instructions. Usually 100mA Max.   On non sound decoders, this will be set ex factory for operation by function 2.
• BROWN or STRIPED WIRE – “another optional function” for use with any lighting or accessory of 100mA or less. Rare, but useful for complex MU or diesel lighting SHORT Circuits and HEAT kill decoders! On non sound decoders, this will be set ex factory for operation by function 3.