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JMRI, LENZ, MARDEC


caradis
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Hello there.

So ive succsessfully been running my in-progress layout using JMRI connected to a Lenz LZV200. so far ive encountered no issues etc.

However ive just installed a ArCoMoRa MarDec board in order to control the pointwork. Board was built and setup fine, responds correctly to the test function in the MarDec software, but isnt picking up switch commands from the dcc bus? 

Any advice or help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

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Have you tried offsetting the accessory addresses by 4 ?   ie. if you think the MarDec is set to "10,11,12,etc.."  try addresses 6,7,8  (think these are more likely)  or addresses 14,15,16...

 

Yes, sounds bonkers, but the NMRA DCC specification for accessory addresses has two possible interpretations, and guess what, different makers have chosen each of them.

 

- Nigel

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This is now guesswork on my part.  

 

1 - do you know your JMRI setup will operate other accessory decoders connected to the DCC signal ?  If not, could be a configuration issue within JMRI's preferences, or the way you are addressing turnouts within JMRI.

 

2 - reverse the DCC connections.  Never know, may have some effect. 

 

3 - check the pin selection for the DCC input signal to the Arduino.  Its definitely the correct one for Mardec ?   You know that pin works (from perhaps some other very basic sketch you could load on the Arduino ? ).  

 

4 - in the absence of any other information, my approach would be to load some different software into the Arduino, there are several DCC-Monitoring packages around the internet, and use that to check that the hardware is detecting DCC packets.  That could confirm the path from JMRI to the Arduino is working for commands.   Then go back to the Mardec firmware and work forwards from there. 

 

 

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Im unsure as to wheher JMRI will oporate other accessories as i dont have any others currently. though its interesting to note that it classifies turnouts as xpressnet turnouts, making me wonder if i should plug in to the xpressnet bus for switching? Ive tested whether im getting power at all points and im getting track voltage, and imput voltages to all relevent points, which makes me think that its something to do with the software. 

i shall give the dcc moitoring software a go, see if i get results. 



 

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