ZIMO RAIL EXCLUSIVE CLASS 47 SOUND

[locospotter]

I have just fitted Zimo Mx644 Rail Exclusive sound decoder into Bachmanns model 47474 Sir Rowland Hill, I managed to fit the speaker under the fans by modifying the enclosure and making a very good airtight seal, Iam very happy with the sound but I did have one problem when I went to fire it up the first time, no workie but had lighties, what was the problem, loose connection on motor tag on pcb because I removed the black wire connector to solder on speaker wires and at 0200 this morning my brain wasnt in gear to see the bad connection.Took a telephone call to my very good friend Geoff to find the problem, he knows everything thank goodness and guided me through the checks to find the fault and that is use solder on connections not plastic plugs pushed over the wire and tag, Bachmann please take note. Need a driving course now to drive the thing with all those features on board.One thing I cant use now is cab lights as decoder hasn't function to use or can I remap a function button from another function on the decoder as this is the first Zimo decoder Ive used. Well done to Rail exclusive and Paul Chetter for a first job, best class 47 sound on the market.  

[pauliebanger]

That's a good lesson for us all, I really don't like the potential for poor quality connections that Bachmann use. As you say, a spot of solder solves the problem.

 

The Class 47 file was created originally for the ViTrains Clas 47, which does not have fitted cab lights. As you say, there's plenty of other things on this decoder/sound project combination which need F keys, so I used them to ViTrains best advantage.

 

You will find the ZIMO range of decoders to be highly configurable,and there are often several different ways to achieve the desired result. The method you choose will depend upon the loco wiring, how simple or complex you wish things to be, how prototypical you need it and your on competency in modelling and re-programming.

 

With that in mind........

 

The cab lights can easily be mapped to any F key up to F12.

F8 is the usual Bachmann assignment, but you are not restricted to that. Assuming Bachmann have used Function Output 1 (Aux 1), set CV42 = 4 and you should have cab lights on F8. (if the cab lights are independently powered to work 'directionally', there will be other settings required, but still just CV changes).

 

As things stand, the sound assigned to F8 will also still play, of course, so you will need to clear that (use the CV300 procedure in the ZIMO decoder manual http://www.zimo.at/web2010/documents/Small_Decoders.pdf). Unfortunately, you can't re-assign it as all the other F keys have sounds on them already!

 

The simplest way would be to turn the volume of that one sound down to zero, CV535 =1

 

 

However, there are two alternatives to the methods above which will not require mapping to F8, and therefore not loosing the sound assigned.

 

ZIMO's 'Swiss Mapping' feature will allow the control to be assigned to F keys in the range F20 -F28 (see the manual).

 

Or , you could map the cab lights to F0 (or headlight button if your controller has a dedicated lamp button) so that the cab lights come on when the exterior lights are illuminated. You can then set the cab lights to automatically extinguish at speed step >0. This method uses only one F key for all lights, but if exterior lights are switched on, the cab lights go out whenever the loco moves, and come on again automatically whenever it stops.  

 

I am making assumptions about the Bachmann FO assignments, but this will be close:

 

CV33 = 5
CV34 = 6

CV127 = 60

 

 

If you need to re-set to the project defaults, use CV8 = 0

 

Let us know how you get on.

 

Paul