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Problems with DIGITRAX


TEAMYAKIMA
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Let me explain my position.

 

I have a big exhibition layout. I know nothing about DCC but was persuaded to go DCC and in particular DIGITRAX by a team member. That team member is now in hospital and not available.

 

Yes, I plan to become knowledgeable about DIGITRAX in the medium/long term but at the moment I have so much going on that I just don't have the time to go through the 68 page manual and learn it all.

 

I was testing some new points earlier this week on a random FY board just placed on the ground in the garden. All was going well. The points were responding but two were the wrong way round, so I unplugged the DCS100 and made the changes. But that's when the problems started. Here are some photos of what the handsets are saying. The DCS100 seems to be saying OFFLINE whatever that means...

 

Here is the DCS100 set up for wireless operation..................

 

post-4476-0-60648200-1526676582_thumb.jpg

 

Here is what the handset is saying

 

post-4476-0-20280600-1526676620_thumb.jpg

 

post-4476-0-33400100-1526676661_thumb.jpg

 

I then reverted to plugging the handset directly into the DCS100

 

post-4476-0-96304300-1526676645_thumb.jpg

 

All I was trying to do was test the points, I did not attempt to run a loco.

 

Any thoughts?

Edited by TEAMYAKIMA
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Ok I have been using digitrax gear for years but have little experience of errors like this. I notice though your track power is off. Can this be turned on when the controller is plugged in?

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  • RMweb Gold

To go online press the bottom left button. The display will then ask you to press Y or N. Y will get the layout going, but do look top right on the DT402D for a small dot. If this is steady then fine, if it is flashing, press Y again.

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Did you change back the wires to the original setup, and what changes did you make and what equipment you are using. Also how is the components wired together.

 

Andy

 No, I haven't changed the point wires back. The DS64 is set up for PECO point motors and so there is only power (momentarily)  in the wires when they are activated and so it cannot be a point motor issue

To go online press the bottom left button. The display will then ask you to press Y or N. Y will get the layout going, but do look top right on the DT402D for a small dot. If this is steady then fine, if it is flashing, press Y again.

 

I'm at work at the moment but will try this once I get home - thanks.

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To be able to help it would be helpful to know how you had things wired when it worked and what specific changes you made

 

Andy

 

Finally managed some time back on the layout.

 

First I plugged in the DCS100 and linked it into the DS64. I then plugged in the DT402D (without battery) into the DCS100 - blank screen

 

post-4476-0-72655000-1526836591_thumb.jpg

 

I then inserted a battery and tried again

 

post-4476-0-04082100-1526836609_thumb.jpg

 

Got to here................

 

post-4476-0-23001400-1526836625_thumb.jpg

 

Eventually got to here ..........................

 

post-4476-0-05623700-1526836637_thumb.jpg

 

Then got out the wireless part...................................

 

post-4476-0-60918800-1526836855_thumb.jpg

 

post-4476-0-71708800-1526836868_thumb.jpg

 

Eventually ended up like this ................ but still unable to switch points. I'ved been pressing the SWITCH button and trying to key in a point number - that's right isn't it?

 

post-4476-0-69863700-1526836653_thumb.jpg

Edited by TEAMYAKIMA
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Ok I have been using digitrax gear for years but have little experience of errors like this. I notice though your track power is off. Can this be turned on when the controller is plugged in?

In your latest photos I notice that your Track Power light is still off (as per DougN) & the Off Line light is on (see Olddudders to turn the track power on)

 

To go online press the bottom left button. The display will then ask you to press Y or N. Y will get the layout going, but do look top right on the DT402D for a small dot. If this is steady then fine, if it is flashing, press Y again.

 

John

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"I was testing some new points earlier this week on a random FY board just placed on the ground in the garden. All was going well. The points were responding but two were the wrong way round, so I unplugged the DCS100 and made the changes. But that's when the problems started. Here are some photos of what the handsets are saying. The DCS100 seems to be saying OFFLINE whatever that means..."

 

To try and isolate the issue I would keep things simple, don't use the radio aspect of the throttle for now. Have you put things back to when the points was wrong way round as per the above statement. Can you clarify what you mean by points wrong way round. Personally I don't like the 402/502 type throttles. I still use a dt300 and only use it for point switching when testing things. I will have to get my 400 throttle out to see how you switch points on it

 

You should get a display with no battery inserted, and I notice on some photos you have a track power dot but the dcs100 shows its off line

Andy

Edited by Andymsa
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Try cycling the Right Hand switch (marked "Mode") into the bottom "Sleep" position, then back up into the "run" position, followed by power, yes, yes on the DT402.  That works for me with a DCS 100 & DT 400.  No, I don't know WHY it does it...but sometimes it seems to go into the sleep mode when powered on.

 

James

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Can you clarify what you mean by points wrong way round. Personally I don't like the 402/502 type throttles. I still use a dt300 and only use it for point switching when testing things. I will have to get my 400 throttle out to see how you switch points on it

 

You should get a display with no battery inserted, and I notice on some photos you have a track power dot but the dcs100 shows its off line

Andy

 

Andy

 

Thanks for your interest in my problems.

 

1. What I mean by points being the wrong way round is that two points were throwing when they should have been closing and so I simply swapped the two point motor feeds around so that throw should now mean throw.

 

2. I still get absolutely nothing on the handset when I plug it (with no battery) directly into the DCS100 - and I think it should light up.

 

3. When I put a battery into the handset and then plug it directly into the DCS100 I do get a response. But I still can't access the point motor control - I press SWI , is that right? You will see that I have got the steady black dot but the red 'OFFLINE' light is still on - that shouldn't be like that I gather.

 

post-4476-0-77466000-1526893992_thumb.jpg

 

My problem is that I/we sub-contracted ALL DCC issues to one team member and that team member is currently unavailable. We have only ever had one operating session with DCC and have not had the experience to learn its subtleties.

 

The wireless operation is another load of issues which I will come back to in my post this evening.

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Ok, seems there is a number of problems. I have a dt400 and a dt402 but no wireless control.

 

1 the track power needs to be "on"

- can you drive a loco on the track/ layout at this time?

2 driving the point motors. This is hit the swch button then the decoder number and then either a C or T (bottom line of the controller centre 2 buttons)

 

Can you do the above?

 

On the DT402D does it cycle through the power on the track when you plug it into the DCS100? This is a voltage!

 

Another left field question. Is there more than 1 dcs100? As sometimes they can be set to be a return loop module or the master controller.

 

Ok another one... what is the second RJ45 grey cable connected too? I found I could not have these plugged into the ds64's I just went with the rail a and b connections. But this could be in settings on them as had only used them straight out of the box.

Edited by DougN
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See replies in your post

 

 

Andy

 

Thanks for your interest in my problems.

 

1. What I mean by points being the wrong way round is that two points were throwing when they should have been closing and so I simply swapped the two point motor feeds around so that throw should now mean throw.

 

Yes this is ok I do the same

 

2. I still get absolutely nothing on the handset when I plug it (with no battery) directly into the DCS100 - and I think it should light up.

 

Yes your correct it should display with no battery

 

3. When I put a battery into the handset and then plug it directly into the DCS100 I do get a response. But I still can't access the point motor control - I press SWI , is that right? You will see that I have got the steady black dot but the red 'OFFLINE' light is still on - that shouldn't be like that I gather.

 

Yes I can see you have the steady black dot, you should also have the track status light on aswell. This seems to be the issue here, there appears to be no track power for some reason. So back to basics.

 

Connect the dcs 100 and throttle only try turning on track power.

 

If the issue is still there do you have another throttle you can try this would rule out any throttle issues, but I'm leaning towards a throttle issues due to its behaviour with no battery

 

Andy

 

 

 

attachicon.gifDSC_0305.JPG

 

My problem is that I/we sub-contracted ALL DCC issues to one team member and that team member is currently unavailable. We have only ever had one operating session with DCC and have not had the experience to learn its subtleties.

 

The wireless operation is another load of issues which I will come back to in my post this evening.

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I doubt you would have to read all the pages to appreciate how to turn the 'magic box' on. Digitrax always has a 'Quick Start' section which would be enough for you. For the DCS100, it's a whopping 2 pages :onthequiet:

 

As people are saying to you, in every picture you have posted, the 'Track Status' light is not illuminated. You must figure out how to get the track power on for your setup, normally it would be. Switch power to the DCS100 on on, make sure the 'Mode' switch is set to 'Run'. Plug your throttle in, press the 'PWR' button and then press 'Y +'. The 'Track Status' should illuminate. If it doesn't then you need to diagnose this before anything else. The UR92 (thing taped into the PowerEx box) should also be separately powered or you could drop the voltage on your LocoNet and experience other problems.

 

If your Point Decoders are getting their DCC Signal from the Track, then as soon as you sort out the track power issue, things should be back working you.

 

I'm not sure anybody else has asked, what are you driving the points from DS64s or something else and are you now in a position where none of the points work, not just the ones you have swapped wires on.

 

Cheers, Mark.

Edited by Vonzack
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  • 3 weeks later...

Digitrax always has a 'Quick Start' sectiion

 

Cheers, Mark.

 

Ok, seems there is a number of problems.

 

Try cycling the Right Hand switch (marked "Mode") into the bottom "Sleep" position, then back up into the "run" position, followed by power, yes, yes on the DT402.  That works for me with a DCS 100 & DT 400.

 

James

 

To try and isolate the issue I would keep things simple, don't use the radio aspect of the throttle for now.

Andy

 

First of all a big thank you to those who have bothered to post replies and who have had to deal with my ignorance of Digitrax issues.

 

I have not been able to deal with layout issues for 4 weeks  for various reasons, but today I have been able to carry out some tests and discuss the results with our Digitrax 'expert' - Bob Perrat if that means anything to anyone - who is still in hospital but we conference called via his mobile.

 

It now seems that the issue is that the DCS 100 is faulty - it's as simple as that. I am greatly relieved as it seems that I'm not quite as stupid and ignorant as I thought.

 

Thanks again to all those who posted on this thread.

 

Thanks again for everyone's patience.

 

Paul

Edited by TEAMYAKIMA
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