jamesed

I think it's all part of the worlwide component shortage and securing production time at the factory in China. Drop them an email and ask. I find they are always helpful in responding. They may even pick up on this thread and you'll get a reply from @DCCconcepts .

The DCC Concepts products are filtering through in small batches but most suppliers have back orders to fulfill which is why they don't often appear as being available. If you are happy to wait a short while then if you order direct from DCC Concepts you will get them the quickest. They fulfil their own back orders before sending new stock out to dealers. However you will have to pay the full price wheras most dealers discount by about 15%. It might also be worth talking to DCC Concepts at the Warley show in case they've held back some stock to sell there.

I don't really understand this thread. You have already received good advice in your previous thread including advice that is specific to your application using Cobalt point motors. In any case, with a Unifrog point it's all irrelevant anyway. The whole point of Unifrogs is that the blades are already bonded out of the box. You can see that in the picture you have posted, therefore any further modification is completely unnecessary. You even already have a frog wire attached (which will need extending) for wiring straight to either S1-frog or S2C on your Cobalt IP Digital. Just remove the spring from the points, extend the frog wire (and maybe add a bit of heat shrink over the bare wire) and you're good to go.

Ok, so on our Club layout we have used Peco Code 80 Electrofrog points and Cobalt IP Digitals without any modification, other than a wire soldered on for a frog feed, and they work fine. Out of the box the blades of the point are wired to the frog. So, if you power the frog from the frog output on your motor then both the frog and the blades will be powered without relying upon any physical contact. However, you do have do be careful when wiring up because if the phase on the frog output is wrong you'll immediately get a short. Obviously this is easily corrected by swapping the dcc power input wires over. Because the frog power switches over at the mid point of travel (with a brief off position during the changeover) you should always be ok in the phasing switching whilst there is no physical contact between the blades and the stock rail. You do need to make sure that your Cobalt throw wires are centrally lined up ok. This works fine and I can confirm this from practical experience with 22 sets of points and CIPDs. The only caveat to this is that I have heard of reports of people having problems running very old locomotives through the points with larger wheel flanges. However, with modern rolling stock (by modern probably up to about 30 years old) you shouldn't experience any problems.

The key word there is "recommended" and there is no obligation to follow it. Just like function mapping. Most people are familiar with the NMRA recommended function mapping but if you've got, for example, a Lenz decoder it's default mapping is different. The only mandatory CVs in the NMRA standard are for cv1 cv7 cv8 and cv29. Then there is cv2 cv5 cv6 and cv11 which are all "strongly recommended". Everything else is just "optional". The best advice is to always read the manual for every type of decoder you have.

Can't help there sorry - way above my pay grade!

cv349 = 0 cv4 = 1

CV3 and CV4 settings are different for different manufacturers. Zimo, for example use 1-255 whilst in a Lokommander it's 1-62 for some reason. In a Zimo chip, each decimal unit corresponds to about 0.9 of a second. In other words, a setting of cv3=10 means it will take 9 seconds to accelerate from stop to maximum speed. Unlike CVs 2, 5 & 6 which are specified by the NMRA there is no standardisation for CVs 3 & 4. If 'active braking' is set up in a Zimo decoder then CV4 values are ignored when the brake function button is applied (usually F2 but can be set to any function number) with the value in CV349 taking precedence. Sound projects will usually apply their own defaults to these CVs but you may be able to adjust them within certain limits. Then you've got 'shunting mode' with a whole different set of parameters - typically reducing cv3 and 4 values by 75%. I'm not sure if that answes your question.

I never actually found a way of doing a factory reset on the Z21. Anyway, I took screenshots from my unit and have now made certain that all the sttings are the same on the Club's one. I don't believe anyone at the Club has had a chance to play with the settings since we've owned it. Maybe the unit we were sold was previously returned by another customer or used as a demo model by the supplier. I'm pleased to have solved the problem but it's quite irritating that I've wasted a couple of hours on it this afternoon. If there was a simple way to do a factory reset I'd have got there quicker.

Ok, I've solved the problem myself but probably worth leaving this thread here in case anyone else has the same problem without the advantage I had of a second unit to compare with. In the Z21 settings menu of the app, if you scroll down to Z21 Programming Settings at the bottom you can set the programming voltage and output voltage. On my Z21 these were set at 16v and 18v respectively. On the Club Z21 they were both set to 11v. I've now set that unit to 16 and 18v the same as mine and now POM Railcom reading works fine. Identical units, neither of which had ever had those settings changed from new (as far as I know) but each set up differently.

Ok, so my loco on my layout with my Z21 reads CV data on POM with no problem. If I swap over to using my Club's Z21 box with exactly the same loco on the same bit of the layout it won't read the decoder. I've tried with the app (returns "could not read cv value for selected address) and I've also tried with the Maintenance App which retirns " cannot read CV1 Result = NACK!" As far as I can see the Z21 settings are the same for both Z21 units with Railcom switched on. Both units are running the same latest firmware version 1.43. Is there a way of doing a factory reset on a Z21 ? Does anyone have any ideas or have I got a Z21 with faulty Railcom? Just to confirm loco fitted with a Zimo decoder. Cv29 =10 and Cv28=3 but it works fine with my Z21 anyway.

If you are using a Z21 then the mimic screen which comes as part of the app is perfect for controlling points and other accessories. No need to build a separate mimic panel. That's one of the big plus reasons to have a Z21. Just control it all on a tablet. There's a good argument to having an extra tablet which you use just for this.

You must have both cars on the track and program them at the same time. If you try and program the non-motor car on its own it won't take the programming. Start with a reset (cv8=4 for Lais). Then program the address so that both units will have the same. Then program cv33=9 and cv34=6 as I said. That should be all you need to do to get front and rear lights all on F0

Try cv33=9 and cv34=6 or maybe the other way around. You can program both units at the same time with those settings. Should then all work as you wish it to.

You aren't restricted to just one type of control with the Z21. Use as many as you like - even mix android and ios if you wish. I use two Lenovo M10 tablets (the 2nd gen version with 3Gb RAM) which you can buy for about £100, I also have a wifi Multimaus and I often have my androud phone connected too. My tablets are most of the time mounted on gooseneck brackets clamped to the side of my baseboard but can quickly and easily be removed when I want them to go mobile - sprung loaded arms. The power leads can be plugged in when in the gooseneck brackets. The Lenovo tablets work brilliantly well and never give any problem. You can pick up the 2Gb RAM versions for about £75 which are probably ok too. I just decided to play it safe with the 3Gb version. I think Roco recommend 3Gb but that is probably overkill.

I'd say that as well as putting those cv values back to zero you also need to then reprogram cv33=1 and cv34=2.

If you haven't already done so, do a cv8=8 reset (which shouldn't affect the sound project settings). Then, by default, whichever lights are wired to the two pin outputs will be controlled by F0 directional in either forward or reverse. Whatever lights have been connected to the two solder pad function outputs will be switchable on or off with F1 and F2. This should then be the same as the other make decoder you tried. Once you have established that they all work then you can set about re-mapping, making F1 and F2 outputs directional if required and also apply unilateral light suppression if needed. If you have lights toggling on and off with F8 it sounds like someone has set that up for unilateral light suppression. A reset will put cv107-110 back to a default of 0 so you can start again.

If the layout has been in storage and unused for a while then I'd start with a thorough clean of all the track with IPA. Then you'll also need to clean the wheels of the locos - especially any you have run on dirty track. Finally you may find that your locos need to run in a bit at mid speed.

Hmmm the answer to this is exactly as Iain has said. For every locomotive from each manufacturer there may be many different variants as component parts have changed over the years all based upon the same tooling and outward appearance. Add to that the number of different manufacturers of decoders, and the various sub sets of ranges each makes, and the variations in performance of each one as firmware upgrades are applied. Let's not even consider the number of different scales. You just can't assume that two apparently the same locos will have the same performance. Decoders play a big part in this too and it is well understood that there are wide variations of performance from one brand to another. Even with the best, such as Zimo for example, the MX decoders perform differently from the new MN decoders. It all changes again when you start to factor in consist performance and the different ways of setting this up available with different brands, or sometimes even within the same decoder type. As Iain said, every one can be different and could be used in a different way depending upon the layout (and I've not even touched on inclines on layouts). Setting up decoders for performance levels that suit the individual circumstances is all part of what many of us find to be quite a fun part of working with dcc. For others they are just happy to stick with default settings. For anyone struggling to come up with the best combination of cv settings to suit their wishes then that's where a forum like this can be helpful.

Option1. Kill off an old relative who is planning on leaving them a big inheritance. Option 2. Tell them it's time to start paying a realistic rent. £1,000 per month, half of which will cover their rent and share of household bills and the other half which you'll keep and pay back to them in a lump sum when they move out - towards a deposit etc. By the time a few thousands have clocked up in the fund they'll be keen to get their hands on it Option 3. Stop doing any of their washing or cooking them any meals. Give them a separate cupboard and shelf in the fridge for "their food". Draw up a rota for them doing their share of family chores. Tell them it's all for their own benefit. Soon they will decide they can't stand having to do all that, will move out and then realise they were better off living at home by which point you will have repurposed the bedrooms. Option 4. If all the above fail then change the locks and suggest they try the local Premier Inn until they decide to agree to one of the above or move out. Of course all options are doomed to fail because your wife will give in and tell you how lucky you are to have them living with you.

It's not always cv8=8 for a reset. Some of the cheaper (in price and quality) decoders use cv8=4 to reset. There are also some other variations. Check the instructions for your decoder.

I suspect (but am not sure) that the Class 59 setup is the same as the Class 68. As the Imperium decoders have the same cv set as Lais decoders a quick search has returned the following setup information which might be worth a try: Set loco internal switch 3 to position 1 Then configure your decoder with the following CV settings. These will give you whites directional on F0 Reds No 1 end directional on F1 and Reds No 2 end directional on F2 CV = Value 34=4 35=2 36=8 50=16 51=16 52=0 For non directional control of reds so you can leave them on when you want, for example parking lights set CV = Value 50=32 52=32

A good place to start would be if you tell us how you'd like the lights to operate. What would you like on which functions. Then we can advise you what CV changes you may need to make. Second, the loco would have been supplied with an instruction sheet telling you which lights have been wired to which function pins on the 21 pin socket. If you can confirm those details that will also help.

You don't say which type of Cobalts but I'm going to assume that they are IP Digitals and you are running them from your track bus. If you are controlling them with dcc then the easiest way is to simply give both the same address so that they throw simultaneously. If not then there are wiring diagrams on the DCC Concepts website showing how to wire interlocking if you are using pushbuttons. If you are running from the track bus then that will leave S2L/C/R available to power led signals. Just take a 12v dc feed to S2C and feed out to your signals from S2L and S2R. Check to see if your signals are common anode (+) or common cathode (-) to see whether you wire + or - to S2C. If you are powering from an accessory bus then you'll need the S2 connections for your frog switching so won't be able to use them for powering signals.

Fair enough, I'd always though that pin 3 was left unconnected but it makes sense to wire it to a function output if available. That's inteteresting to learn that an Active Braking function doesn't use up one of the decoder's functions in a non-sound decoder. I didn't know that so thanks Nigel.