Loksound V5 decoder fault?

[Paperlad]

Yesterday I bought a Loksound V5 sound decoder for a Bachman 37. After insulating the three ‘power pack’ (stay alive) wires and fitting the decoder to the loco I placed it on the programming track to set the address. I can read and change the CV’s and there is the usual, slight, motor judder when setting a new CV value but when I try to run the loco nothing at all happens. No movement, no sound or lights.

 

The loco runs fine on DC and also with a different (non sound) decoder.  I’ve read that some others have difficulty with a V5 but before I return it I thought I’d ask if I was just being dim and missing something obvious?

 

My controller is an older Trix Mobile Station.

 

Any advice appreciated.

 

PL.

 

Edit: the decoder is from Rails and I believe that it’s a South West Digital sound project.

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by Paperlad

[charliepetty]

Try a CV8=8 Reset before returning it to Rails.

 

Charlie (Legomanbiffo Team)

 

www.dckits-devideos.co.uk

 

 

[Paperlad]

16 hours ago, charliepetty said:

Try a CV8=8 Reset before returning it to Rails.

 

Charlie (Legomanbiffo Team)

 

www.dckits-devideos.co.uk

 

 

Thanks for the tip but wouldn’t doing a factory reset (CV8) erase the sound file? Sorry if this is a dumb question.

 

PL.

[legomanbiffo]

Resetting puts the CV’s back to how they were at the point of sale and keeps the sound file intact. Worth a try in this case. It’s worth pointing out that the symptoms of a dead decoder (no lights, movement or sound) are no different to a mismatch between the chip’s address and the one you are trying to control it with so check and double-check both just in case.

[Paperlad]

3 hours ago, legomanbiffo said:

Resetting puts the CV’s back to how they were at the point of sale and keeps the sound file intact. Worth a try in this case. It’s worth pointing out that the symptoms of a dead decoder (no lights, movement or sound) are no different to a mismatch between the chip’s address and the one you are trying to control it with so check and double-check both just in case.

Once gain thanks for the information.
 

I’ve just done a CV8 reset (twice:)) but sadly still nothing. What I don’t understand is that I can see and change all the CV values  and the decoder accepts them with the motor doing its little ‘jiggle’ thing which suggests to me that the decoder retains some functions but when I try to run it there’s just nothing? I even tried the decoder in a different loco with the same result.

 

Anyroad, thank you for the help, it is appreciated, and I’ll have another try later before returning it.

 

PL.

[Hamburger]

Address checked? (Avoid all from 100 to 127).

CV29 set correctly?

Speed step settings (controller vs. decoder) identical?

After CV8=8: short power cut carried out?

Digital format  (controller vs. decoder / MM or DCC) identical?

Are other unused modes properly disabled?

Edited April 2, 2022 by Hamburger

[smokebox]

Be aware that resetting the decoder returns it to address 3.

[Paperlad]

1 hour ago, smokebox said:

Be aware that resetting the decoder returns it to address 3.

Thanks, that’s one that I was aware of.

 

[smokebox]

It was just a reminder.  Some folk don't realise.

 

[Paperlad]

19 hours ago, Hamburger said:

Address checked? (Avoid all from 100 to 127).

CV29 set correctly?

Speed step settings (controller vs. decoder) identical?

After CV8=8: short power cut carried out?

Digital format  (controller vs. decoder / MM or DCC) identical?

Are other unused modes properly disabled?

I’ll check CV29.

I didn’t do the power break after the CV 8 reset so I’ll do it again. Thanks for the tip.

Digital format: I’m not sure that I understand that one?

It’s interesting that you mention speed steps, the steps listed for the decoder are (from memory) 14, 28 and 128 but my controller display indicates 14, 28 and 126…..possibly because it’s an older Trix device? However, none of my other decoders seem to mind but this is the first V5 that I’ve used.

 

PL.

[Paperlad]

9 minutes ago, smokebox said:

It was just a reminder.  Some folk don't realise.

 

Thinking again about your post and you’re spot on as the symptoms would suggest that the wrong address is set or the controller doesn’t recognise it, irrespective of what I set. Others have suggested similar but I do keep checking it, honest

[adc]

Bit of a long shot, but does the project have the brake functionality enabled and does you DCC system have the corresponding function latched on for that loco?

 

Alan

[Paperlad]

Thank you to all for the tips and advice but I’ve now given up on the decoder.

 

I’ve gone through each individual CV to check values and done multiple resets but I can’t get it to do anything. I’ll call Rails tomorrow and ask if they have the facilities to test the decoder and if so I’ll have a day out to visit them (about two hour drive each way) if not I’ll post it back for an exchange.

 

Best regards to all.

 

PL.

 

[charliepetty]

If you get no where then pop in £10.00 and return it to:

 

DCKits-Legomanbiffo, 111 Norwood Crescent, Leeds LS286NG and we will replace it for you, with the far better Legomanbiffo Sounds on an ESU Decoder.

 

Charlie

[Hamburger]

6 hours ago, Paperlad said:

It’s interesting that you mention speed steps, the steps listed for the decoder are (from memory) 14, 28 and 128 but my controller display indicates 14, 28 and 126…..possibly because it’s an older Trix device? However, none of my other decoders seem to mind but this is the first V5 that I’ve used.

Although I don't think that this is the root cause, just for explanation:

"128" is just the label for this mode. In fact, there are only 126 speed steps available.

[Hamburger]

6 hours ago, Paperlad said:

Digital format: I’m not sure that I understand that one?

Depending on the version, the Trix Mobile Station usually can send different digital protocols to the track. Please search the user manual.

The digital protocol that the controller is sending out for a certain loco address should match the protocol the decoder is able to receive.

I recommend to set both controller and decoder to DCC only. For ESU decoders this means CV47 = 1, for the controller please search the manual.

[Paperlad]

1 hour ago, charliepetty said:

If you get no where then pop in £10.00 and return it to:

 

DCKits-Legomanbiffo, 111 Norwood Crescent, Leeds LS286NG and we will replace it for you, with the far better Legomanbiffo Sounds on an ESU Decoder.

 

Charlie

Will do. Until this point I’d never heard of you but I’ve just looked up your website and I’ll take a look at some of your videos.

 

PL

[Paperlad]

35 minutes ago, Hamburger said:

Depending on the version, the Trix Mobile Station usually can send different digital protocols to the track. Please search the user manual.

The digital protocol that the controller is sending out for a certain loco address should match the protocol the decoder is able to receive.

I recommend to set both controller and decoder to DCC only. For ESU decoders this means CV47 = 1, for the controller please search the manual.

Ahhh, I think that I understand now. The Trix system is (or was?) ‘Selectrix’ or DCC so essentially I’d be disabling the Selectrix bit?

 

PL.

[charliepetty]

2 hours ago, Paperlad said:

Will do. Until this point I’d never heard of you but I’ve just looked up your website and I’ll take a look at some of your videos.

 

PL

See this: 

 

[charliepetty]

Here is another one !!

 

 

[Paperlad]

Very nice. Out of interest where do you place the Mega Blast speaker, perhaps by removing the fan and mounting? I’m sure the supplied speaker is a bit naff and I was wondering where to fit a replacement - that’s if I get a functioning decoder 😀.
 

 

[Paperlad]

In the interests of full disclosure, I tried running the loco on DC but with the decoder fitted. The loco did run and there was an engine sound, however, the engine sound is intermittent and very, very faint. Also the running was very rough. Still nothing at all on DCC though. I’ve defo given up with it and it’ll be going back to Rails for a replacement.

 

Thanks everyone.

 

PL.

[charliepetty]

1 hour ago, Paperlad said:

Very nice. Out of interest where do you place the Mega Blast speaker, perhaps by removing the fan and mounting? I’m sure the supplied speaker is a bit naff and I was wondering where to fit a replacement - that’s if I get a functioning decoder 😀.
 

 

Yes a better speaker is going to make a big difference, but the fan housing has to come out.

 

Charlie

[Paperlad]

On 04/04/2022 at 18:30, Richard Croft said:

If I had to guess I'd say you probably didn't build the enclosure for the speaker? if you don't build those enclosures the sugarcube speaker is very quiet and tinny, they arent designed to use without it. If you buy sound from a sound specialist rather than a box shifter they would explain that to you and usually supply something better.

 

The other thing that tends to happen with those speakers, is that people put the back of them straight onto the metal chassis block, or something live on the PCB, which can blow the amp, or the whole decoder, so thats a likely cause of the issue, its something to bare in mind if you attempt to fit another one.

 

Richard

Thanks Richard, but with respect, making a guess has a fair chance of being wrong.

 

Update: following a helpful phone chat with Rails I made the long drive over to them today. I took both the decoder and loco in the hope that they might demonstrate the fitted decoder in operation, unfortunately the decoder was taken ‘out back’ for testing and after around 10 mins it was brought back and declared in fine working order and I was ushered out (maybe I’m being a bit harsh but that’s what it felt like). I drove home, refitted the decoder, put it on the programming track and there’s no change, still no movement, no lights or sound!
 

So, where does that leave me? I have no reason to doubt that the decoder tested satisfactorily, the loco runs fine on DC and also with a different type of decoder fitted. My Trix controller works well with all the other decoders that I use (including V3.5 and V4 sound decoders) so I suspect it’s summat to do with the older controller software not communicating with the new V5 decoder, after all, the controller is the best part of 20 yrs old.

 

Last year I began thinking about getting a new controller and the only one that took my fancy was the SignaTrack device so, maybe I’ll take a closer look at it but in the meantime I’ll get a non sound decoder for the 37 to run it.

 

best regards and thanks for all the help, where would we be without RMweb?

 

PL.

[charliepetty]

If the decoder does'nt work in your model then try it in a different model.

 

As I have said before on this decoder, If you get no where then pop in £10.00 and return it to:

 

DCKits-Legomanbiffo, 111 Norwood Crescent, Leeds LS286NG and we will replace it for you, with the far better Legomanbiffo Sounds on an ESU Decoder.

 

Charlie