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New system - Digitrax Zephyr Express


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AT last they have got rid of those horrible, mostly identical little cylindrical rubber buttons. That was one of the major factors in putting me off the the otherwise very competent Digitrax system.

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AT last they have got rid of those horrible, mostly identical little cylindrical rubber buttons. That was one of the major factors in putting me off the the otherwise very competent Digitrax system.

Those same buttons are in use on all the DT40x/50x throttles. Seldom an issue for me.

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  • 5 months later...
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18 minutes ago, ELECTRON said:

Got one but according to some and my efforts so far you can't programme 3 digit cv's only 2.

 

Go back to your dealer and ask them what you are doing wrong, or whether its faulty.  
The manual implies all CVs.  Digitrax' own decoder lineup uses three digit CV's (both CV number and CV value).  The previous Zephyr units (including the original DCS50) handle three digit CVs (with the Zephyr keypad the original DCS50 went up to CV255, with a computer interface, any number).

 

If no satisfactory answer from the supplying dealer, then I'd return it as faulty for refund - UK consumer laws would be on your side for a return if bought from a UK/EU retailer. 

 

 

- Nigel

 

 

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15 hours ago, ELECTRON said:

Got one but according to some and my efforts so far you can't programme 3 digit cv's only 2.

Which do you have - DCS50, 51 or 52?

 

If it's a 51, try setting option switch 39 to do a factory reset.

On the 52, set option switch 40 to do the same thing.

 

I have a DCS51, I can try the same CV commands with that for comparison if needed.

 

Note that with mine the "three digit CV" limit is 255 - above that, I use JMRI Decoderpro connected to it via the digitrax USB interface (which I believe is built in to the DCS52).

 

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There is another problem with this digital system.

Digitrax present power feeding only at 14 volt which seems too low for the H0 scale.

What they should have done too, is to use a power supply by option to select voltage.

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15 minutes ago, Anders63 said:

There is another problem with this digital system.

Digitrax present power feeding only at 14 volt which seems too low for the H0 scale.

 

It works fine with my O gauge stuff, even dual motor locos which are somewhat pushing the limits when used with the DCS51 alone.

Anything using 12V (or lower) motors should be fine?

 

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37 minutes ago, Anders63 said:

There is another problem with this digital system.

Digitrax present power feeding only at 14 volt which seems too low for the H0 scale.

What they should have done too, is to use a power supply by option to select voltage.

 

It's quite normal for "starter systems" like the Zephyr, to have a fixed voltage track output.

A selectable, or switchable track voltage is usually only provided on fully featured DCC systems.

 

For the DCS52, Digitrax say.....

 



3.0 Amps of Power to run multiple trains.

Booster outputs 13v for safe operation in N and H0 scales

 

 

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I have used Digitrax DCS100s for twenty years, on HO, OO and On30 models, including US HO multiple loco lashups.  Digitrax recommended the use of the N scale setting, even for HO, and I have always done so. Scalextric this isn’t. 

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This is interested!

When you buy European digital system they all of them are set at 16 Volt as standard and there has never been fault.

With ESU Ecos2 you can even set with the voltage by adjust the power supply.

With Märklin they present 19 VDC power supply for the digital system CS3.

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6 hours ago, Anders63 said:

....With Märklin they present 19 VDC power supply for the digital system CS3.

 

3 rail systems run at a couple of volts higher to the track. Therefore the CS3 power supply will cater for that.

 

The ECoS handbook states recommended different settings on the power supply for both H0 DCC and H0 3-rail (i.e. Märklin).

 

Note the NMRA typical standard voltage for H0 is 14.5v +  and for N is 12v +

 

 

.

Edited by Ron Ron Ron
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On 02/08/2019 at 14:54, Ron Ron Ron said:

 

3 rail systems run at a couple of volts higher to the track. Therefore the CS3 power supply will cater for that.

 

The ECoS handbook states recommended different settings on the power supply for both H0 DCC and H0 3-rail (i.e. Märklin).

 

Note the NMRA typical standard voltage for H0 is 14.5v +  and for N is 12v +

 

 

.

Not really correct!

It doesn´t matter how much voltage you can use on the track.

It´s the load current that matter.

The standard for N and H0 scale are 16 Volt while bigger scale are between 18-20 Volt.

Digital expert recommended up to H0 scale at 3 Amps while the bigger scale at least 5 Amps.

Even decoder in the N scale locomotive handle fine at 16 Volt while load current are some smaller than H0 scale.

Digitrax present 13,8 Volt and it seems to small voltage for H0 and bigger scale, while 3 Amps are perfect for the N and H0 scale.

It´s all about motor in the locomotive that draw load current.

Digital decoder delivery anyway analog power output to the motor.

Today there is 12 VDC analog power to the DC motor (depends model).

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7 hours ago, Anders63 said:

Digitrax present 13,8 Volt and it seems to small voltage for H0 and bigger scale,

 

Funny, I use a Digitrax Zephyr (DCS51) on its own with my O gauge stuff when I'm just messing around with it, and it works fine on all my locos, including dual-motor ones, running one or two at a time.

 

As long as the voltage drop is appropriately low through the wiring and decoder to get 12V to a 12V motor, how can it be "too small" ??

 

I have got a 10A booster, but I hardly ever bother with it, it's just not needed.

 

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On 04/08/2019 at 16:39, RobjUK said:

 

Funny, I use a Digitrax Zephyr (DCS51) on its own with my O gauge stuff when I'm just messing around with it, and it works fine on all my locos, including dual-motor ones, running one or two at a time.

 

As long as the voltage drop is appropriately low through the wiring and decoder to get 12V to a 12V motor, how can it be "too small" ??

 

I have got a 10A booster, but I hardly ever bother with it, it's just not needed.

 

There is difference size of the 12 volt motor and the bigger result more load current.

For bigger scale like 0 and 1 you need higher voltage and more load current.

If you use Lenz system and scale 0 Lenz recommended higher load current and you need to set the voltage in the system too.

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What you mustn't do misquote a figure as a specification when it isn't a specification as you did. Also, to interpret typical as representative is erroneous because they have different meanings and without a confidence factor and sample method applied to the statement it is valueless.

 

Many continental systems use 16-18v as the standard voltage when supplied to the end-user and I would wager that almost all users leave the systems set at the default values irrespective of the gauge that they run and I, like many others, actually use 18v and have excellent results without any if the issues expounded in these fora. 

 

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  • 5 months later...

Well firstly I must congratulate both the Post office and Digitrains for excellent speedy service, I only ordered the unit 23 hours ago and it's in and running already.

I have just read the Express quick start guide, followed the instructions and had instant success, it helps I already had 4 locos that had run on the old EZ command I had used as a start up whilst the new layout was built, but I have to say it is simple and does what it says on the box. It even prompts you what to do next on the nice screen, so when getting extra locos moving and I forgot to press the button a second time to start it, the unit tells you what is required to get the loco moving, quite a bit more than I actually expected.

The build quality looks good, it came well packaged and has a nice feel to it, I will have to set up the programming track next and start trying the unit to change loco addresses and CV's on the locos next and see what it can really do, but my initial trials of running a couple of locos at the same time, swapping from one to the other to either change speeds or use some of the sound functions was simplicity it self, impressed.

 

DSC02663.JPG

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