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Version numbers of Lenz Decoders.?


250BOB

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CT = CT Elektronik, otherwise known as "Tran" after its owner. Maker of the best motor control for tiny motors you get(*) and also the smallest DCC chips on the market (quite an achievement to be smallest and best control). Also provider of the worst instructions/advice on their decoders; frequently incorrect or misleading, even in the German originals (leading to a number of hobby provided instruction sets). Herr Tran used to work at Zimo, then left and started making his own stuff.

 

On the whole, not worth considering in 4mm scale, except in unusual circumstances. I have one in a 4mm loco, which is a tiny Hudswell Clark 0-4-0T.

 

CT also make very small and medium sized (and decently capable) sound decoders, and very small sound speakers (the "sugar cube"), though Zimo now offer a smaller cube speaker than CT. The sound decoder suffers from being difficult to master its programming; there is one commercial supplier of CT sounds in the UK.

 

 

(*) several years ago I did a load of detailed tests on decoder performance. The test locos were from my collection of 2mm scratchbuilds, N RTR and 4mm kit builds. The smallest locos used Faulhaber 816 and 1016 motors, the N were Farish (UK made) 5-poles, the 4mm kits used a variety of Mashima motors.

In the smaller motors, the bottom speed control of all DCC decoders except two were poor - sufficiently bad to say "forget DCC"; my analogue controller used for comparison was a lot better. The two good performers were Zimo and CT, both better than analogue and achieving better than 8 times lower bottom speed control compared to Lenz and better than 12 times lower speed control compared to TCS & Digitrax.

As the motor sizes increased, the poor performance issues when compared to analogue disappeared. With most medium OO motors the differences between CT/Zimo and Lenz was a lot smaller (though Zimo still superior to Lenz by a significant margin). The CT chips I was using (DCX74's) were not really powerful enough for the medium/larger OO motors.

 

 

- Nigel

Thankyou both Izzy and Nigel,

Interesting to hear you say Zimo ahead of Lenz, and by a fair margin.........I never seem to see them on sale that much.

 

But I have recently been hearing some good things about their sound decoders, arguably better than the Loksound 4.???

 

I'm trying to catch up on this stuff......perhaps next saturdays visit to the NEC will help me further.

 

Bob.

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Im sure at Railex last year I looked up the manufacturer ID on a Bachmann n gauge chip and it was a CT one? Gave very nice control of a Farish cl24 anyway when the controller was set to 128 speed step.

 

Zimo chips have got a bit ahead of Lenz with the latest releases and the prices haven't risen as sharply either.

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Im sure at Railex last year I looked up the manufacturer ID on a Bachmann n gauge chip and it was a CT one? Gave very nice control of a Farish cl24 anyway when the controller was set to 128 speed step.

 

No, Bachmann's 6-pin is by Soundtraxx, and I find the control in a Bachmann 6-pin to be poor compared to Zimo or CT. Which illustrates that one person's perception of good control is not the same as someone else.

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  • RMweb Gold

Well I spoke too soon. Having swapped decoders and reprofiled, the problem remains with the 2EPB using the 2-year-old Lenz Silver21. I now believe it's an issue with Traincontroller, as the unit slows to the stop marker and then intermittently keeps moving at TC's threshold speed before stopping - anything from 2-20 inches beyond the stop marker. It happens in different blocks and running in either direction but is very intermittent - perhaps no more than 10% of the time or less.

 

The next test is to delete the engine entry altogether in TC in case it's somehow corrupted and define a new one with a different name. I'll see how that goes.

 

Just to close off this sub-thread ....

 

I deleted the 2EPB engine and train entries from the Traincontroller database and redefined it with a new name and re-profiled. Exhaustive testing today shows the problem has gone so it looks like another little quirk of Traincontroller.

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The next test is to delete the engine entry altogether in TC in case it's somehow corrupted and define a new one with a different name. I'll see how that goes.

Been playing with TC today and not been able to recreate the overrun problem with either version of the lenz decoder. The only difference i can think of is that i upgraded to the TC gold demo version (7.0 F4) since my last runs with these decoders. I wonder if there's been a fix in TC?

 

Having read Izzy's post decided not to return decoder(s) to A&H, instead managed to pick up a decoder programmer on ebay at a half reasonable price. Only problem it was from the German ebay site so well see what language the instructions are in when it arrives. Already have the Version 12 firmware updates to load from Lenz.

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Hi Bob.

Not sure if you're still monitoring this thread, (or have your decoders sorted) but if you are here's an update.

 

Today I received the Lenz Decoder programmer from Germany, as expected the instructions were in German but the software install had English as an option.

I've just uploaded the latest firmware (version 12) to my problematic (version 9) Lenz Silver+direct and can confirm that the problem with the emergency stop when the running direction is changed has been sorted. Will update the Silver+21's this evening and report back.

 

If you're interested in getting your's updated send me a PM and we'll sort something out.

 

Ray.

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Hi Bob.

Not sure if you're still monitoring this thread, (or have your decoders sorted) but if you are here's an update.

 

Today I received the Lenz Decoder programmer from Germany, as expected the instructions were in German but the software install had English as an option.

I've just uploaded the latest firmware (version 12) to my problematic (version 9) Lenz Silver+direct and can confirm that the problem with the emergency stop when the running direction is changed has been sorted. Will update the Silver+21's this evening and report back.

 

If you're interested in getting your's updated send me a PM and we'll sort something out.

 

Ray.

 

Hi Bob.

Not sure if you're still monitoring this thread, (or have your decoders sorted) but if you are here's an update.

 

Today I received the Lenz Decoder programmer from Germany, as expected the instructions were in German but the software install had English as an option.

I've just uploaded the latest firmware (version 12) to my problematic (version 9) Lenz Silver+direct and can confirm that the problem with the emergency stop when the running direction is changed has been sorted. Will update the Silver+21's this evening and report back.

 

If you're interested in getting your's updated send me a PM and we'll sort something out.

 

Ray.

Hi Ray,

Yes I'm still following closely................I'm very keen to learn how you go on, and as you say, perhaps we should speak later by PM and see if you can help me out here.

Cheers....................Bob

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Hi Ray,

Yes I'm still following closely................I'm very keen to learn how you go on, and as you say, perhaps we should speak later by PM and see if you can help me out here.

Cheers....................Bob

Hi Bob.

 

I've now done the firmware upgrade to my Silver21+ decoders that had the same problem and they are all now working perfectly (Version 12).

I've sent you a PM.

 

Ray.

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Bob, I know you were interested to know how its done so here's a picture of the setup.

 

programmer.JPG

 

The blue PCB is a ESU decoder tester that has all the different types of decoder socket, a motor, speaker and some LEDS. Useful for testing/setting up decoders (including sound) before installing in loco. You can just about make out the lenz SilverDirect+ on the bottom right of the board. Alternatively, you can connect the output of the programmer to a piece of isolated track to reprogramme decoders already fitted in a loco. The deoder programmer is connected to a PC via a usb socket and it's all driven from a piece of software supplied.

The latest firmware versions are downloaded from the Lenz website.

There's also software included to edit all the decoder CV's and a Throttle simulator for testing.

 

Ray.

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Thanks for the pictures and the explanation Ray...that makes things so much clearer for me.

 

I do love the technology......but at 63, it does take a bit longer to grasp, but generally I do get it in the end.

 

Will be in touch soon........I bought another lenz Standard Plus today....will check and see what version that is over the weekend.

 

Cheers....................Bob.

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  • 9 months later...

Hi Guys,

Just resurrecting an old thread on Lenz version numbers.

 

I have just read CV7 on a Lenz decoder I have, it comes up as 89.

 

Does anyone have an up to date complete list of version numbers for Lenz decoders, that includes this one.....???

 

Thanks..............Bob.

 

PLEASE IGNORE ME GUYS........ITS A Bachmann DECODER IN A LOCO I BOUGHT READY FITTED, AND STILL HAVE TO CONVERT TO A LENZ.

SORRY.

BOB.

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I have been a Lenz user 17yrs and used their decoders for a few yrs but don't use them at all now.

 

The lenz LH100 control reverse button will always stop any decoder dead if under power inc TCS, Loksound or what ever.

 

If loco is not under power reverse will cause loco to coast to a stop depending on value in CV3 again, all decoders.

 

Now for the kicker, the Lenz LH 90 does not stop the loco dead if reverse is chosen under power. loco will cruise to a stop then go in reverse if throttle is not altered.

 

So it would appear it all depends on

 

1 the hand control

 

2 the system.

 

Cheers

 

Ian

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With my Lenz LH200 throttle and Lenz LH30 throttle, when the reverse button (on LH30) or reverse switch (on LH200) are used the loco will slow to 0 speed as per the programmed deceleration then accelerate to the selected speed in the opposite direction as per the programmed acceleration, this is with a whole range of Lenz Decoders from old Lenz 103, 1024 and 1030 to current golds as well as Zimo decoders.

 

The control unit is a Lenz LZV100.

 

The stop button as others have mentioned immediately removes all power from the track .

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  • 1 year later...

I realise this is an old thread that has been dormant for a while but I have recently inherited a Lenz decoder which is shown as being version No. 045 when reading the CVs.  It is single sided and has a hard wired harness to the pcb and no plug as it has been hard wired into the loco.  Can anyone tell me what model it is i.e. silver gold or standard etc. so that I can source a manual/technical data sheet.

 

Many thanks in advance.

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......I have recently inherited a Lenz decoder which is shown as being version No. 045 when reading the CVs.  It is single sided and has a hard wired harness to the pcb and no plug as it has been hard wired into the loco.  Can anyone tell me what model it is i.e. silver gold or standard etc. so that I can source a manual/technical data sheet.

 

I don't think I can help you that much, but that sounds like quite an old decoder model, long pre-dating the Standard, Silver, Gold and respective (current) Plus models.

 

The following decoders have version no. 45 listed in their manual/data sheets.....

 

LE077XF

LE102XF

LE103XF

LE104XF

LE105XF

LE113XF

 

There may be others?

 

From your description (single sided) and any other clues you can identify, take a look at the manuals for those decoders I listed first.

 

Old Lenz decoders

Lenz Online manuals

 

 

Good luck.

 

 

 

.

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I don't think I can help you that much, but that sounds like quite an old decoder model, long pre-dating the Standard, Silver, Gold and respective (current) Plus models.

 

The following decoders have version no. 45 listed in their manual/data sheets.....

 

LE077XF

LE102XF

LE103XF

LE104XF

LE105XF

LE113XF

 

There may be others?

 

From your description (single sided) and any other clues you can identify, take a look at the manuals for those decoders I listed first.

 

Old Lenz decoders

Lenz Online manuals

 

 

Good luck.

 

 

 

.

Many thanks Ron Ron Ron.

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  • 6 months later...

Amazing what Google will throw out at times.  Seems I've gone full circle, but many thanks to all the contributors who compiled a definitive list of Lenz decoders.  I'm in the process of selling some stock and had no idea what decoders I had fitted.  The info in this thread has proved invaluable.

 

I should have started with RMWeb in the first place although the search facility may not have found what I needed.  Or more likely I wouldn't have guessed what terms to start with…:-)

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