Guys,
I converted my second loco to AirWire. The loco runs but after a short time it goes to a stutter and then I get a loud screeching noise out of the decoder. No I don't have a sound system hooked up so it isn't coming from a speaker. I've got a call into CVP as well as an email but nothing back from them yet.
Trouble shooting so far has been to check battery voltage (OK) and wiring (also OK). Yes the jumper is off the decoder and yes all of the wheel pickups for track power were removed prior to installation of the decoder. Yes the problem did repeat a second time however I'm reluctant to power it up again for fear of hurting something expensive.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Rex
Hi Rex, ARE you sure 100% that ALL pick ups are disconected? are there any pick ups on tender? pony track wheels?. If you have done all of this then you will have to wait for info from manufactor. If no reply from then use your land line to get a quick reply. Hope this helps
Age is only a state of mind, keep the mind active and enjoy life
I took out all the graphite/spring contacts. It might be possible to have a metal to metal contact in there somewhere. I'll go in and take out the brass strips if this could be the problem??
After a couple of emails I was able to contact CVP via land line. A short discussion led to a decision to have me mail the board back to them (at my expense of course). The guy did say that there is some method they use to make noise from the board but would not tell me what it is. Knowledge is power I guess so keep your customers in the dark... Oh well not much I can do but just sit it out.
Has anyone had experience with CVP? How long should I expect to be without the system?
There is a small beeper on the circuit board near the power transistors. One thing that can cause the beeper to go off is reversing the engine without stopping the engine first. Does it work for a while after you turn it on then quit? I would disconnect the motor leads and then turn on the throttle. does it still start beeping?
The board is in the mail so I don't have it to check your suggestion. CVP did not say anything about the beeper and what would cause it to go off. Its very possible that I committed one of those beeper generating sins without knowing it. Now I've got to wait the ten years for it to be returned to me with the explanation that nothing is wrong with it. Boy do I feel dumb!
When I sent an AirWire decoder back to CVP for repair a couple of years ago, they determined that it was not repairable and I had to purchase a new one. If it had been repairable, they could have gotten it back to me within a couple of weeks.
The beeping (screeching) noise indicates that the power output transistors are overheated from a possible short in the motor, in your wiring, or from trying to pull too long a train.
If you enclosed your contact information such as phone number and e-mail address with the decoder, they will phone or e-mail you as soon as they have performed their analysis.
Cacole,
Thanks for the info on the beeper.
It's very possible that I tried reversing before the motor completely stopped. I was holding it in the air to test it as my tracks are 130 miles away. It's also possible that I might have a short somewhere inside the motor block since I did not completely remove all the brass strips when I removed the wheel pickups. I did check resistance with the motor out of the block and got nothing so I don't think I have a static short. With the motor in I get a resistance reading on my meter equal to the same as I get putting the probes together but then I would expect that.
The on-line postal tracking said my decoder arrived at CVP's PO Box this morning so I'll give them a call tomorrow to confirm that they have it as well as my contact information.
Thanks for your help,
I don't think reversing the locomotive while it is running could cause this problem. I have inadvertently hit the direction button a couple of times and my locomotives coast to a stop and then gradually start up in the opposite direction. I think the AirWire decoder is programmed to prevent sudden direction changes.
If you reverse the momentum to 0, reversing the engine while running will set off the beeper. If you do not change any of the original momentum controls then, you are correct in saying that reversing the engine won't set off the beeper.
I got my board back from CVP yesterday. The enclosed note says it checks out fine. Al did comment that it might be the loco motor making the noise rather than the beeper but I don't think so. I think it was probably operator error. I've done a rework of my wiring taking all the brass strips out so nothing else connects to the motor but wires straight to the board. I'll try and get it installed tomorrow and let you know if the board is cured or still making noise.
My loco is back together and running fine. All I can say is operator error plus ignorance of the beeper and what sets it off. My next step is to install the Phoenix Sound system. There is not much room left in the loco so I'll have to install it in a "sound car" which is yet to be determined.
Hi Rex,
You dont say what loco you are using, if it has a tender put S/C in there and pick up engine chuffs from one of the axcils. If you are putting it in a wagon use the one straight behind the loco again use the axcil for the chuff. Hope this helps this is how I do it and I`m vewry pleased with the results
Here is a picture of the converted loco.
It never had a tender so I went out in search of something I could make into a sound car. No luck so I'm going to build one.
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