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A couple of different DCC loco problems.


ITG
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  • RMweb Gold

Hi,

still learning about DCC. Still at the stage of extended test running after track laying/wiring. I use a GM Prodigy Advance2 and a couple of locos have recently developed some odd running characteristics. Both were historically fine but have little use since I started rebuilding the layout. As one who hasn’t encountered the need to take remedial action before, I’d be grateful for some guidance. I bought both pre-owned, so not sure which decoders, but I suspect they are factory fitted.

 

1. a Bachmann 4-4-0 continually speeds up and down of its own volition. It does run both forward and backward, but jerks fast/slow. I have a suspicion this problem started after I’d had a short for some other reason.
2. a Bachmann 4-6-0 Patriot sound DCC runs fine, including sound, but recently started to short on every electrofrog point. Points are Peco modified with GM frog-juicers. All other locos run fine over said points, so it is definitely the loco.

 

Any help much appreciated before I start trying to re-programme or wield a screw driver.

Ian

Edited by ITG
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Let me ask a couple of questions relating to the Patriot and the shorting.

 

What do you mean when you say "Points are Peco modified"? Which modifications have you carried out?  In particular, have you cut the connections to the switch blades?

 

Second, is it clear that the short occurs with the loco at a particular place on the point? Is it typically the same place?

 

I am trying to establish what exactly is being shorted by the loco.

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  • RMweb Gold
1 hour ago, KingEdwardII said:

Let me ask a couple of questions relating to the Patriot and the shorting.

 

What do you mean when you say "Points are Peco modified"? Which modifications have you carried out?  In particular, have you cut the connections to the switch blades?

 

Second, is it clear that the short occurs with the loco at a particular place on the point? Is it typically the same place?

 

I am trying to establish what exactly is being shorted by the loco.

The Peco points are modified by cutting blade connections, and using frog juicer. The Patriot did run perfectly well over them all for some weeks, and another half dozen locos are fine with same points. So must be loco, I guess. I’ve just remembered that it did pick up a stray track pin recently, which was easy to see, stuck to the wheel. I removed it but could that have caused a problem somehow. Will report back exactly where the short occurs later when layout running.

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  • RMweb Gold
1 hour ago, RFS said:

Which decoder have you fitted to the Bachmann loco, and what loco is it?

It’s a D11 Edie Ochiltree. As for decoder, the loco was purchased secondhand, and was from memory factory fitted DCC so I don’t actually know which decoder - what’s best way to tell? And is it likely to make any difference to this issue?

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  • RMweb Gold
1 hour ago, ITG said:

It’s a D11 Edie Ochiltree. As for decoder, the loco was purchased secondhand, and was from memory factory fitted DCC so I don’t actually know which decoder - what’s best way to tell? And is it likely to make any difference to this issue?

 It's likely to have a Bachmann decoder which needs CVs 54 and 55 setting. They come preset, but if the decoder resets itself then they revert to 0. Try setting CV54=12 and CV55=60. You can find out which decoder it has by reading back CVs 7 and 8. If it's a Bachmann decoder then CV8 should show a value of 101.

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  • RMweb Gold
4 hours ago, RFS said:

 It's likely to have a Bachmann decoder which needs CVs 54 and 55 setting. They come preset, but if the decoder resets itself then they revert to 0. Try setting CV54=12 and CV55=60. You can find out which decoder it has by reading back CVs 7 and 8. If it's a Bachmann decoder then CV8 should show a value of 101.

Cv8 = 151 which google tells me is ESU. Does that make any difference?


I’ve not wholly got my head round changing CVs. I can see CV values on the Prodigy but how do I actually change them. Pressing ‘PROG’ just clears the screen, and inputting another numerical value seems to move on to that CV.

 

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6 hours ago, RFS said:

 It's likely to have a Bachmann decoder.....

 

1 hour ago, ITG said:

Cv8 = 151 which google tells me is ESU. Does that make any difference? ....

 

2012 model ?

It's likely to be a Bachmann branded, ESU 21-pin decoder.

Possibly a 36-554, which is a Bachmann badged version of the old LokPilot Basic V1.0

 

If it's an 8-pin, it'll be the 36-553, which is the same decoder with 8-pins instead of 21.

 

 

.

 

.

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  • RMweb Gold
1 hour ago, ITG said:

I’ve not wholly got my head round changing CVs. I can see CV values on the Prodigy but how do I actually change them. 

 

Suggest you do take the time to get to grips with this as it's a really vital part of using DCC to its full potential. I have no knowledge of the Prodigy (I have Lenz), but I do know these Bachmann rebranded decoders have this issue if CVs 54 and 55 are not set correctly. 

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  • RMweb Gold
19 hours ago, RFS said:

 It's likely to have a Bachmann decoder which needs CVs 54 and 55 setting. They come preset, but if the decoder resets itself then they revert to 0. Try setting CV54=12 and CV55=60. You can find out which decoder it has by reading back CVs 7 and 8. If it's a Bachmann decoder then CV8 should show a value of 101.

Correct. I worked out the programming of CVs, and once I reset CV54 & CV55, the D11 is ok. Thank you. Now I need to examine the Patriot, and it’s shorting on points problem. I’ll post some more info shortly.

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