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Soundtraxx Econami Short Circuit help required


JohnR
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I'm trying to install an Econami 100 in a Bachmann 4MT 2-6-4. It is DCC ready, and I previously had a Lenz Silver fitted with no problems.

 

Now, fitting this into the body proved difficult, and I had to hack about in the cab to fit the speaker. 

 

However, testing it, my controller detects a short circuit, and the blue pilot light on the decoder goes out after 10 seconds and the decoder gets quite hot. 

 

Below is a picture of the install - where have I gone wrong?

 

 

IMG_20210807_155133.jpg

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1 hour ago, BoD said:

Everything looks well ‘sheathed’ but I hope that centre track isn’t live.

 

That's what I thought - and I spread out the wires in case there was something, but I can't see anything.

 

 

The point is isolating so only the right hand track is live.

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Can't tell what's wrong, because its far from clear what should be connected to what.  However:  

 

1 - the tracks alongside which the decoder is sitting on.  If either rail has power, then you're risking blowing the decoder.  Any touch to the decoder outputs and you risk a "pfff" moment. 

 

2 - the rest.  Does this loco have lights (etc) ?  If not, then I'd get rid of the 8-pin socket, its adding nothing, and the suppression inductor (the wire coil thing).  Wire the decoder to the pickup and motor wires (which arrive at the 8-pin socket).     And do the wiring two pairs at a time - DCC track power (can decoder make noise through speaker?), then add motor connections (can decoder now move it ?),  etc..     

 

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Thanks Nigel,

 

As mentioned above, the track on which the decoder is resting isnt live.

 

I hadnt thought about taking the decoder socket out and then trying things separately, will do that.

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OK, before taking the socket out, I thought I would try the previous Lenz Silver decoder back in there, to ensure that everything was still working.

 

It worked fine - so I dont think its anything to do with the socket, or the supression etc.

 

I then thought that there might be a connection on the speaker or the capacitor, so I disconnected those. Still the same issue. 

 

I then looked very carefully at any loose wires (eg the connection to pin 7, where I had removed the blue common to connect to the capacitor, as per the decoder wiring diagram.) Still the same issue.

 

The decoder blue light comes on for a few seconds (according to the PowerCab, its drawing about 0.5 amps at this point), then the light goes out, the decoder starts to heat up and the current draw drops to 0.16A.

 

I am at my wits end - I cannot see an obvious issue - can anyone help suggest anything?

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11 hours ago, Richard Croft said:

John I've replied to your email, soundtraxx want the decoder back to repair/swap, send it back to me and I'll sort it with them

 

Richard

Thanks Richard, I'll stick it in the post to you.

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