NCE DCC System Programming problems

[Lukas G.]

Good morning all

I have recently been trying to resurrect several locos and have encountered an issue. Each loco (Kato 3044, Fleischmann 731219, Graham Farish 371-386) has been responding when I have been programming it under programming mode, however each time the system gives me different information for the short address, long address, manufacturer info and decoder info. Does anyone know what might be causing this? I also have several other locomotives which have been successfully programmed and run well, leading me to think this could be an issue with the decoders. Any information, tips or advice would be much appreciated.

[Simon G]

I have encountered a similar issue with my Powercab.  It successfully reads the information off nearly all my locos, with the exception of a Bachmann Class 37 with factory fitted sound.  It gives a different value for the same CVs as Lukas every time I try to read them.  In order to try to get to the bottom of the issue, I read the Class 37 CVs on both a Lenz LH100 system and a Hornby Elite, and they were read correctly and consistently.  I then tried a different Powercab to my own, and the misreading continued.  From this, I can only conclude that it is some sort of glitch with Powercabs.

 

Despite this, it runs perfectly OK with the Powercab, so just seems to be an issue with reading back some CVs.

[Lukas G.]

Interesting to hear your experience- in my case the main problem is that I can’t ascertain an address with which to control these locos, because every time I try to change it it then changes to a different address. Would factory resetting the decoders work?

[Simon G]

I dont know about resetting the decoders, but I guess that it cant do any harm, unless of course they are sound locos, where I believe that it is possible to lose the sound files on some non-factory fitted locos.  If you give it a go, please let me know how it goes!

[Nigelcliffe]

12 minutes ago, Simon G said:

I dont know about resetting the decoders, but I guess that it cant do any harm, unless of course they are sound locos, where I believe that it is possible to lose the sound files on some non-factory fitted locos. 

 

This "loss of sounds" was an issue before about 2011.   Hasn't been an issue for a dozen years.       

 

( And they weren't "lost", just that the CV's necessary to make the sounds play had to be re-entered.  Which could be a long winded and tedious job, particularly if lacking documentation from a decoder sound file created over ten years ago.   )