Installed Chip But Loco Not Responding Correctly

[Riccarton Junction]

Fitted a 36-566 Bachmann 0.9 Amp 4 Function 8 Pin DCC Decoder featuring RailComPlus into my K3 LNER Steam Loco and it seems to work i.e. the  loco does respond to the controller. Only problem is it appears to go flat out with any turn up of the power i.e. as if there is only 2 speed settings - max and 0. It's like when the loco is selected it becomes a DC unit on full power. Is there a way to tell the chip in the loco to accelerate gradually in line with the controller? As it stands the loco is unusable as it races at top speed when selected! For info, I have other units on the layout which respond as expected, it's just this old loco which is acting up.

 

ps. my controller is a Bachmann 36-500 E-Z Command.

 

Edited October 23, 2020 by Riccarton Junction
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[Pete the Elaner]

I had something similar with both of my Bachmann decoders but at the time it felt like I was alone.

I had control of the maximum speed but it ignored CV3 (acceleration) completely & instantly got to the speed I had selected. CV4 (deceleration) worked fine though.

They were from 8-10 years ago & Bachmann re-badge decoders, so I don't know what they really were.

 

My solution was to put the 2 decoders in my Mk3 DVTs where they control lighting only & I have never bought a Bachmann decoder again.

[Nigelcliffe]

The decoder in question is a rebadged moderately new ESU LokPilot design.   So, should be better than those of 10 years ago. 

 

The behaviour is what one would see with a failed decoder's output stage.   So, I suspect faulty/failed decoder.    As the EZ-Control system has no ability to set anything in the decoder (other than address of 1-9), there isn't anything to do. 

 

Its possible there is a fault in the loco which is causing this, or causing decoders to fail.   Requires a multimeter to test it - do you have one ? 

 

 

- Nigel

 

 

[Riccarton Junction]

For info, I got my hands on another 8 pin chip (thought it worth doing to see if the problem was the loco or the chip). As it happens this latest chip worked a treat. To summarise, in my early DCC days I have used 3 chips:

 

Zimo MX638D (21 pin) - Worked perfectly

Gaugemaster DCC92 Ruby Series 2fn Small 8 Pin - Worked perfectly

Bachmann 36-566 (8 pin) - Loco raced off the track i.e. useless.

[Nigelcliffe]

If the Bachmann chip was bought from a retailer, return it as "faulty from packet" for refund or replacement - it happens sometimes.    That the loco runs correctly on another chip suggests no fault with loco.   ESU (the maker of the chip Bachmann have badged for this particular decoder) are a decent maker.  

 

- Nigel