Z 21 fault ?

[thereallyniceguy]

Hi guys

 

I've just plugged a brand new Z21 black to the router and track and powered up , to be met with a Red flashing light. Layout is brand new, no loco's on the track and ipad won't connect.

Any thoughts ? Thanks in advance.

 

Si

[ITG]

Red flashing light indicates a short! If it’s a brand new layout, how do you know if a short exists or not?

Can iPad see the Z21 network?

Edited August 22, 2022 by ITG

[RFS]

Does the red light go out if you disconnect it from the track? If it does that would indicate a track short. 

[thereallyniceguy]

Forgot to mention. Red lashing light even with track disconnected. I'm running cobalt digital motors. Ive just connected an NCE powercab and ran a loco no problem.

I guess the issue must be the Z 21 ?

[thereallyniceguy]

10 minutes ago, RFS said:

Does the red light go out if you disconnect it from the track? If it does that would indicate a track short. 

 

Forgot to mention. Red lashing light even with track disconnected. I'm running cobalt digital motors. Ive just connected an NCE powercab and ran a loco no problem.

I guess the issue must be the Z 21 ?

[thereallyniceguy]

10 minutes ago, ITG said:

Red flashing light indicates a short! If it’s a brand new layout, how do you know if a short exists or not?

Can iPad see the Z21 network?

Ipad not connecting and I connected an NCE powercab to layout and it ran a loco no issues. There are 3 lights on the router and centre light which looks like a globe is flashing orange. Other 2 are green fixed.

 

Si

[WIMorrison]

1. If you disconnect everything from the Z21 (except power cable) from everything does the red light flash? If it does then you possibly have a faulty Z21.
2. If it passes test 1, connect it via LAN cable to the router and confirm that no error condition occurs.
3. Assuming continued success connect iPad to Z21 Router network
4. Once Wi-Fi connected to Z21 Router connect App to Z21 (192.168.0.111)
5. confirm that red light has not appeared.
6. Assuming all is correct, connect layout - if light goes red then short on layout.

[thereallyniceguy]

7 minutes ago, WIMorrison said:

1. If you disconnect everything from the Z21 (except power cable) from everything does the red light flash? If it does then you possibly have a faulty Z21.
2. If it passes test 1, connect it via LAN cable to the router and confirm that no error condition occurs.
3. Assuming continued success connect iPad to Z21 Router network
4. Once Wi-Fi connected to Z21 Router connect App to Z21 (192.168.0.111)
5. confirm that red light has not appeared.
6. Assuming all is correct, connect layout - if light goes red then short on layout.

Hi

 

I just tried with unplugging all except powerline and RED flashing light remains. I guess it's the BOX ?

 

Si

[WIMorrison]

Sure seems like it - try holding down the button until it flashes ‘purple’ then let it go, give it 30 secs and unplug then plug in again to see if that will reset it.

[Matt C]

Also. . Unplug the track power lead from the back of the Z21 ( the small green connector?) And see if you still get a Red flashing light, just in case you are getting a short from this lead at the back of the Z21 in some way. 

[thereallyniceguy]

24 minutes ago, WIMorrison said:

Sure seems like it - try holding down the button until it flashes ‘purple’ then let it go, give it 30 secs and unplug then plug in again to see if that will reset it.

Hi

Most odd. I now press the stop button quickly and it turns blue. Even after switching off then on, the red flashes but press the button and it stays blue.

I will perform a few more tests tomorrow morning but it's looking better. Just have to program a loco to test run.

 

Thanks for your help.

[thereallyniceguy]

3 minutes ago, Matt C said:

Also. . Unplug the track power lead from the back of the Z21 ( the small green connector?) And see if you still get a Red flashing light, just in case you are getting a short from this lead at the back of the Z21 in some way. 

Thanks Matt

Yes I did unplug everything and still flashed but now after switching off and pressing the button, the blue light comes up. I'll test more in the morning to make sure it's not just a fluke and red light reappears.

 

Si

[Matt C]

Hopefully the reset that Iain suggested has sorted things. 🤞

[thereallyniceguy]

Hi Guys

 

Thank you all for your help.

It turned out to be a faulty brand new unit.

I actually drove it back to the shop to exchange this morning.

 

Now it's all up and running. What a truly fantastic system I really must say.

 

Thanks again

Si

 

[WIMorrison]

How sad that it was a faulty unit 😪, but on the bright side I think this is the only case of a faulty unit I have heard off, or seen mentioned here and that proved to actually be a fault with the Z21 - other have been reported but transpired to be user-error.

 

You will find it is extremely reliable and excellent value - a rock solid system that you can trust implicitly.

 

[Michael Hodgson]

2 hours ago, thereallyniceguy said:

Hi Guys

 

Thank you all for your help.

It turned out to be a faulty brand new unit.

I actually drove it back to the shop to exchange this morning.

 

Now it's all up and running. What a truly fantastic system I really must say.

 

Thanks again

Si

 

Bad luck on getting a duff one.  When you're not familiar with a product, it's reasonable to assume that you must be doing something wrong, as you don't expect brand new command station to be faulty.  Glad you're happy with the repalcement.