Peter749 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 I have a few Decoders that I removed from locos but I cannot remember which Address they are set at. They were 3 by default but not now. I have two DCC Controllers - the main one is a Lenz LH90 and my programming controller is a Bachman Dynamis And my knowledge of such controllers is limited. - If its not in the manual I have a problem Thanks Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dungrange Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 A factory reset should return the address to Address 3. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Claude_Dreyfus Posted January 14 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 14 Does your DCC controller have a read function as part of the programming? Our club controller has this, and it is invaluable for those of us (okay, me!) who forgets to write the address on the box... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold BoD Posted January 14 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 14 If you have the LZV100 command station with your LH90 you can read the address of a decoder. Page 23 or thereabouts in the manual. If you have removed the decoders from the locomotives how are you intending to ‘connect’ them for testing? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted January 14 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 14 You say that one of your DCC systems is a programming controller. That suggests you have a programming track. You do not need to know the address of a loco on that track - just program it to the new address. OTOH it is likely that you can read back the existing address, too. But as BoD asks, if the decoders are no longer in a loco, doing much with them can be difficult. Most systems require a motor to be in-circuit for the addressing to take place. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter749 Posted January 17 Author Share Posted January 17 On 14/01/2024 at 21:10, BoD said: If you have the LZV100 command station with your LH90 you can read the address of a decoder. Page 23 or thereabouts in the manual. I had removed some of the decoders as I needed a better decoder than a default one. And I'm not sure if one of the three might be faulty. I have a loco that I have not yet fitted a decoder so I will place a decoder in the loco and program it to Loco 3 and I can see if that works. Thanks for the replies. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAF96 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Treat yourself to a decoder test rig. ESU one is good. 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterfgf Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 I think Decoder Pro has an "identify button". I also have a Zimo decoder test rig. Both are very good and recommended. Peterfgf 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold bandmbill Posted January 17 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 17 2 hours ago, peterfgf said: I think Decoder Pro has an "identify button". I also have a Zimo decoder test rig. Both are very good and recommended. Peterfgf The Zimo decoder tester is very good. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMJ Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 Just before I remove chips from locos that I am upgrading I recently have set the address to 3. However I know that my DCC system can read the address when in a loco on the programming track. Some locos are easy to access so have been known to do temporary decoder swaps if I need to say set to 3. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 12 hours ago, peterfgf said: I think Decoder Pro has an "identify button". I also have a Zimo decoder test rig. Both are very good and recommended. Peterfgf That doesn't "identify a decoder" in the sense of this thread. That button sees if the decoder matches something in your existing decoder Roster within JMRI. If the address isn't in the roster, then there is no-match. There is a "New Loco" button which can read the decoder, identifying maker, sometimes model, and give the current address. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 1 hour ago, AMJ said: Some locos are easy to access so have been known to do temporary decoder swaps if I need to say set to 3. The simplest solution, in combination with the programme track of the DCC system. Anyone with more than a few locos should be able to identify the models with easy access to the range of sockets required. There are some very simple choices in RTR OO, two current steam models with bodies tooled in a previous millenium, one easily accessed screw and the very robust body is off: 8 pin, Hornby N2, Next 18, Bachmann V1 or V3. And for 21 pin, Dapol class 21/29. No screws at all, the body simply slides off when required, my current benchmark in the 'body removal, how it should be' stakes. There are surely others, outside my BR KX area focus. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter749 Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 I think the Decoder Pro might be beyond what I can actually do. I have a ESU 53900 Decoder Tester but it did not help when I did not know what number the decoder was set at. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete the Elaner Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 11 minutes ago, Peter749 said: I think the Decoder Pro might be beyond what I can actually do. I have a ESU 53900 Decoder Tester but it did not help when I did not know what number the decoder was set at. Peter I can do way beyond what I want to do with it too, but it makes the easier things really easy. It turns CV settings into well labelled check boxes or values. I do not know the CV for master volume, but I don't need to. JMRI takes care of that & I just move a slider labelled Volume. It also stores your CVs in files, so once you have read them in, you can see what they are without having to re-read them. I have not seen the specs for your system but expect an LN90 will have a USB or serial port. It is free to install & use. You only need a cable & compatible computer to run it, It runs on Windows, Mac or Linux. There is very little to lose & a lot to gain from trying it out. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 24 minutes ago, Pete the Elaner said: ....... I have not seen the specs for your system but expect an LN90 will have a USB or serial port. ..... Unfortunately, if an older Lenz system (eg. LZV100), and not the current LZV200, then the computer connection hardware has the "reassuringly expensive" tag of almost all Lenz kit. Unless there is a reason to want computer control of the Lenz layout, its not worth it at between £150-£180! A stand-alone Sprog for programming/testing is half the price, and likely easier to setup. - Nigel 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter749 Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 13 minutes ago, Nigelcliffe said: Unfortunately, if an older Lenz system (eg. LZV100), Nigel It is the LZV100 as I have had the set, LZV100 + LH90, for some time. I'm not fussed going down the path of looking in to CV values. I don't use Sound locos on my layout as you hear them well before you see the loco so it spoils the effect. The Spog might be ok for testing If you know the decoders address. But my ESU 53900 Decoder Tester will also test the decoder. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 (edited) 22 minutes ago, Peter749 said: The Spog might be ok for testing If you know the decoders address. But my ESU 53900 Decoder Tester will also test the decoder. You appear to not appreciate the difference between two very different devices. (Its as if you said "I don't need a new car, I already have a dishwasher" ). A Sprog is a mini DCC system, designed initially for reading/writing CV's, and controlled by a computer. And you don't need to know the decoder's address, because the system will read it from the decoder (amongst dozens of other things). The ESU 53900 Decoder Tester is a harness in which a decoder can be placed (thus resembling a desk-bound locomotive). The two are totally different devices, and I'd expect to use my older-version ESU Decoder Tester with my Sprog.... Or, just as often, I'll connect an existing loco to the Sprog for programming changes/adjustments. - Nigel Edited January 25 by Nigelcliffe 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dungrange Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Okay - so I'm assuming you connect your ESU 53900 Decoder Tester to the Programming Track output of the LZV100. Use the LZV100 + LH90 to read CV29 and type the number into this calculator - https://www.2mm.org.uk/articles/cv29 calculator.htm and press 'BackCalc'. Bit 5 will then tell you whether the locomotive is using a long or short address (empty box = short, blue tick = long). If it's a short address (ie CV29 <=31) then read the value of CV1 and you have your locomotive address. If CV 29 indicates a long address is in use, then read the values in CV17 and CV18 and enter both of these into the second calculator at that link and then click 'Calc address' and you'll get the long address of the locomotive. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter749 Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 56 minutes ago, Dungrange said: Okay - so I'm assuming you connect your ESU 53900 Decoder Tester to the Programming Track output of the LZV100. Nope. On 14/01/2024 at 20:50, Peter749 said: I have a few Decoders that I removed from locos but I cannot remember which Address they are set at. They were 3 by default but not now. I have two DCC Controllers - the main one is a Lenz LH90 and my programming controller is a Bachman Dynamis And my knowledge of such controllers is limited. - If its not in the manual I have a problem Thanks Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dungrange Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Okay - and it looks like the Bachmann Dynamis can't read CVs, so unless you're willing to connect the Lenz to a programming track, then pop the decoder into the ESU 53900 Decoder Tester, connect that to your program track and then just write a new address with the Dynamis overwriting whatever the current address is. There shouldn't be a need to know the address to do that. The decoder should then respond to whatever new address you give it. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter749 Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 42 minutes ago, Dungrange said: pop the decoder into the ESU 53900 Decoder Tester, connect that to your program track and then just write a new address with the Dynamis overwriting whatever the current address is. There shouldn't be a need to know the address to do that. The decoder should then respond to whatever new address you give it. That is a very good idea Thanks Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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