oldravendale
Western Thunderer
I've now been lucky enough to spend two or three afternoons in my new workshop - time spent so far in repairing models which have become slightly damaged during use at club. Not a problem at all, as I enjoy seeing my builds in use, and other seem to gain as much pleasure as I do from seeing them hauling trains.
However, today was a time for something new, and I had a DCC sound decoder to fit to my A3 - an exercise I've carried out numerous times previously. This time it went somewhat awry.
The A3 had been run in on conventional DC control over a few weeks at club, and was running well. I removed the chassis and fitted the new decoder entirely conventionally. Once wired up it was checked using a Lenz Compact on a programming track. It read correctly as loco 3 which I renamed as loco 64 to match the running number and on setting it up to run the chassis operated as expected. I then fitted the body and tender (with pick ups) and connected the speaker. I rechecked on the programming track and it read as loco 64 without any default. I then set it up to run - which it didn't! I exchanged the Lenz controller for a Multimaus and it still failed to run. I replaced the A3 with a new Dapol Terrier on address 3 which ran perfectly. I set the A3 up again on the programming track and tried to reset to the ID 3, but it failed to do so.
On removing the tender and the chassis from the body I rechecked on the programming track where it read as loco 64 but still failed to operate. I remade the connections between motor and decoder and set up on the programming track again. The loco read as 64. I reset it to ID 3 which it accepted this time. I tried to run the chassis alone again but it failed to do so. I reconnected the Multimaus and the chassis still failed to work. I put the Terrier back on the track without removing the A3 chassis. Both worked!!
The current situation is that I've now refitted the body without bogie or tender and checked on the programming track. It reads as loco 3 and when tested runs as loco 3. I'll fit the bogie and tender in the morning and hope that the loco continues to operate before renaming it for a second time.
My question is - why did it fail first time around??
Additionally, when it starts up on DCC it's a "jump start" rather than being smooth. It also makes a "jump stop". What's the solution?
Brian
However, today was a time for something new, and I had a DCC sound decoder to fit to my A3 - an exercise I've carried out numerous times previously. This time it went somewhat awry.
The A3 had been run in on conventional DC control over a few weeks at club, and was running well. I removed the chassis and fitted the new decoder entirely conventionally. Once wired up it was checked using a Lenz Compact on a programming track. It read correctly as loco 3 which I renamed as loco 64 to match the running number and on setting it up to run the chassis operated as expected. I then fitted the body and tender (with pick ups) and connected the speaker. I rechecked on the programming track and it read as loco 64 without any default. I then set it up to run - which it didn't! I exchanged the Lenz controller for a Multimaus and it still failed to run. I replaced the A3 with a new Dapol Terrier on address 3 which ran perfectly. I set the A3 up again on the programming track and tried to reset to the ID 3, but it failed to do so.
On removing the tender and the chassis from the body I rechecked on the programming track where it read as loco 64 but still failed to operate. I remade the connections between motor and decoder and set up on the programming track again. The loco read as 64. I reset it to ID 3 which it accepted this time. I tried to run the chassis alone again but it failed to do so. I reconnected the Multimaus and the chassis still failed to work. I put the Terrier back on the track without removing the A3 chassis. Both worked!!
The current situation is that I've now refitted the body without bogie or tender and checked on the programming track. It reads as loco 3 and when tested runs as loco 3. I'll fit the bogie and tender in the morning and hope that the loco continues to operate before renaming it for a second time.
My question is - why did it fail first time around??
Additionally, when it starts up on DCC it's a "jump start" rather than being smooth. It also makes a "jump stop". What's the solution?
Brian