New to DCC - First hitch - help anyone?

That is also my policy, I have yet to find any loco that runs better on 14 or 28 so staying with 128 is simple.

The setting of the decoder is by CV so it is retained in the decoder,but this setting only chooses between 14 steps and 28/128 steps. The control unit, Compact or whatever, has to be set to 14 or

28 or 128 as well. Some will remember this setting when turned off, some may not. If your control unit is set to 14 and the chip to 28/128, or vice-versa, you will get poor operation. If the chip is set to 28/128 then the control unit can be set to either 28 or 128 and the chip will recognise the code and react accordingly. Keith

Make friends in the hobby. Visit Garratt photos for the big steam lovers.

Well I've now tried that decoder in 3 locos and in all cases, it works, but the instructions are delayed by random periods. Sometimes it is almost instant, sometimes it takes as long as 15 seconds before the loc suddenly an inexplicably responds. Oddly, the first instruction to move always seems to get through straight away.

I'll try again with my 40, but it looks like I have a faulty decoder...

Adrian

"The Bradshaws" wrote

Send it back Adrian and I'll swap it.

John.

I'll probably order some more decoders, so I'll wait til then (couple of weeks) if that's OK with you (save on postage!). That will give me some more chance to play around and be sure it is faulty.

Adrian

Sorry - finger trouble. As I said, I tried that (resat succeded becuase the address returned to 3).

Adrian

"The Bradshaws" wrote

Mmm, sounds faulty to me. Sorry mate.

John.

Sounds faulty because it returned to address 3 ? (that's right isn't it?) or because it still misbehaves afterwards?

Adrian

"The Bradshaws" wrote

If you write '33' into CV8 it should reset all factory default settings including the loco address. If it still misbehaves it sounds like it was a Friday afternoon jobbie.

John.

There is setting in CV29 to tell the decoder which speed step to use but it also needs the command station to send out the correct packets. Not having a compact I would have thought it would be possible to set the default to 128.

There was a problem with software version 44 off the LE103XF that a particular combination of v start and speed step 0 caused similar behavour. The work around I think was to set the first speed step to greater than 1, can't find the email now.

Chris

John.

It looks like the might be something more to this. My Bachmann 55 now seems to be exhibiting the same behaviour with a different decoder. Also, a newly installed decoder on my class 40 is doing exactly the same. I notice on the

40 that there is a capacitoron the motor. Should I be snipping that off? The bachmann instructions don't mention it, but perhaps thats the problem?

Ideally, I didn't want to do anything which wasn't easily reversible, but if that's what is needed...

Have you removed caps on your upgraded locos???

Adrian

Phil: It may not be the cause of the stuttering / intermittant operation you have described, but it is always a good idea to check that when the NMRA plug is pushed into the NMRA socket, that the pins don't touch and short together on any metalwork beneath the socket! It may seem obvious, but I had this problem on one ogf my installations - and if it happens in only one direction, or when the lights have been turned on (not obvious if none have actually been installed) - that a 'positive' is suddenly in contact with a 'negative' (which in the other direction was positive or floating).. and that the decoder module is protecting itself by current limiting ot shutting down intermittantly.

Solution: If you cannot see below the socket that the pins are NOT exrending to metalwork, uncsrew the socket, add a small piece of insulating tape to the metal chassis below, and then refit the socket.

Also, ((but not common with UK stock)) check that the decoder cannot come into contact with a metal body (OR metal parts of 'handrails' or similar fittings which pass through the body) when it is refitted. (I took the precaution of insulating-taping the inside of a Trix loco body recently for that reason.)

ALSO: check 'unused' wires: eg the violet wire on the 4-output decoder if not actially being used should be INSULATED at the end - as should any other 'loose' wires - and in a way so that they cannot touch each other in later life (eg trim bare end off, and then insulate with gapes between them) - keep them a usable length in case you add lighting in the future!

Phil

Thanks for your help. Actually, I noticed the problem with over-long pins being close to the chassis on my Bachmann 25. I did exactly as you said and placed some insulating tape between the two. The other locos (a55, 40 and

20) seemed to have more clearance.

Should I be removing any capacitors I see?

Adrian

"The Bradshaws" wrote

First job BEFORE installing decoders is to remove ALL capacitors. :-)

Thought we'd discussed this before Adrian?

John.

"The Bradshaws" wrote

I've discussed this at length with Bachmann and they claim they cannot recommend removing capacitors because it could contravene EEC regulations on TV suppression, even though virtually all decoders have inbuilt TV suppression.

You need to remove the one on the printed circuit board and all of the examples sited around the motor (including any surruptitiously hidden underneath).

It doesn't - see above.

I'd get the printed circuit board changed. There are issues with the function operations by following the above course of action. You may not be able to turn the lights on or off for one thing.

John.

It sounds like they are storing up alot of trouble for themselves in returned decoders and calls to their support email (do they have one?).

It looks like I'll need another 6 decoders at some point soon. Some would be LE1014s, but I'd need one for a Bachmann 08 and one for an old Mainline 03, plus a couple of back-EMF ones for Lima pancakes (is that best?). Which would you recommend?

Adrian

"Adrian" wrote

Email me direct and I'll let you have Bachmann service department's email address. I don't want to publicise it on here to avoid them being spammed.

I'd suggest an LE0511A for the Bachmann 08, and might suggest you try a the HO Gold decoders in the Lima jobbies. I've not converted an 03 so not sure what to recommend, or indeed where to fit the decoder. I'll ask on demod.

John.

Or, so that John doesn't have to offer the email address service to everyone on the group.....

Bachmann have an email enquiry form on their public website with a drop-down menu which should get to appropriate departments:

- Nigel

"NC" wrote

Nothing to do with that at all, just that anyone with any common sense knows it's absolutely bloody stupid to advertise any genuine email addresses on Usenet because newsgroups are trawled by spammers and virus spreaders.

John.

I know. I've been on usenet a very long time, I remember the days when spam from usenet posts didn't happen and everyone used their email addresses in headers - the late 1980's.

My reply only gave a website address.

- Nigel (heavily spam protected)