Will give this a shot:
(1) Did I read that this works FINE when powered / switched to a conventional track power? I read the problem as being that the decoder powers the motor and the motor runs from conventional power, but not from battery.
(2) Are you sure that power is actually getting to the decoder from the batttery when switched to battery. Looking at the G2 with the Airwire Receiver at upper left, the black (-) power should be to the top right terminal and the (+) red power to the bottom right. If the voltmeter reads proper power at #1 and #8 from battery, I would next disconnect the battery from the decoder and put a load - say a motor - directly from the battery and be sure that the battery can actually supply amperage -- sometimes you have ok voltage but due to battery issues, inadequate amps come out (internal resistance due to battery issue).
A related issue is -- if the battery can run a direct hooked up motor, try connecting the motor and battery but take all secondary loads off the decoder -- some lighting circuit or smoke circuit may be sucking all the amperage and causing voltage reduction in the battery output.
Just another question -- is the T5000 communicating OK with the Airwire -- it's not your question / issue but there have been some times that communication was a problem.
I'll be watching for your resonse. If you can find my direct email in the user section, feel free to communicate direct.y
Contact Al at air wire (cvp) and he will help you. I just talk to Al at CVP because I had problems with a decoder for my GP38-2. Come to fine out after he help me go thew differant procedures, it was the decoder that was the problem and he is sending me a new decoder for my locomotive. Call Al at 972-238-9966 or e-mail him at cvpuse@sbcglobal.net. It may take a couple tries, but he will get back to you.
As kstrong suggested, the first thing is to make sure the G2 decoder and the T5000 throttle are set to the same frequency. Once you confirm this, try running the loco on address 3, which is the factory default.
Also double check the battery input connections (Pin 1 is POSITIVE and Pin 8 is NEGATIVE on the G2 decoder.
Next, check the motor connections. One motor wire goes to terminal 2 OR 3 on the decoder, and the other motor wire goes to terminal 4 OR 5 because the decoder supports locos with two motors.
If these are all correct and the loco still doesn't run, the battery might be bad. Even though the battery may give a reading indicating it is fully charged, it can still be bad and not put out sufficient amperage. The only way to know for sure is to try the battery in a power tool, since you say it is a tool battery.
If Airwire tested/replaced it originally, there's got to be something quirky with your particular installation that's causing it not to work. Is it just the motor functions that aren't working? (i.e., have you hooked a sound system to it, and can trigger the sounds, etc. just fine, or perhaps headlights, etc.? I'd look for those as signs that the transmitter is communicating with the receiver. Another way to do this if you don't have anything connected would be to program one of the CVs. The G-2 "chirps" and pulses the motor when it acknowledges a change in a CV. If it's not doing either of those two things, then the receiver is not hearing the transmitter.
If that's the case, then make sure that the transmitter and receiver are operating on the same frequency. (0 - 7). (I know you said you ran through the trouble-shooting stuff, but for the benefit of others reading...) Once you make sure that's the same, make sure the transmitter is set to the correct address for the receiver. By default, it's "3". If your transmitter is set to loco address #3 and the receiver isn't hearing it, then try resetting the G-2 board to factory defaults. (That should be covered in the T-5000 manual.) Again, the G-2 should "chirp" and bump the motor a bit once it receives the "reset" instructions.
Also, make sure the motor is connected properly. I know this sounds silly, but it's a bit confusing in the manual. You want the motor leads to go to terminals (2 and 4) or (3 and 5). The labeling in the book is a bit unclear, and often people (myself included) erroneously connect the leads to 2 and 3 or 4 and 5. When you do that, the motor doesn't turn.
Beyond that, I'd have to see the installation to be able to troubleshoot further.
Later,
K
I have purchased a T5000 throttle and G2 decoder.I am powering it with a 14V tool battery.I have read and followed all the instruction as much as I can. I have tested the modified motor connections in my loco and it works fine when connected to a conventional power pack.I have done all the tests in the troubleshooting guides for both components.I even became convinced that there was something wrong with the decoder and got AIrwire to replace it.
No matter what I do , I cannot get the unit to work. I have attached a multi tester to the output leads on the decoder and see no output.When I called the Airwire folks they really couldn't help. They said I needed to send it to the vendor I bought it from.Unfortunately, Since I work on the road and have little time to work on my hobby it was 7 months from the time I purchased the equipment till the time I tried to go back to the hobby shop. They had suffered too much downturn and had closed their doors.
SO here I am with a fairly hefty investment in a bunch of electronics that do everything but work.Does anyone have any experience similiar to this or does anyone know a reliable repair guy? While I don't want spend alot more money on this I have gotten to the point that I am sufficiently frustrated and will probably do whatever it takes to beat this piece of ...modern electronics ...into operating.
Also, my outdoor layout is far enough along that to go back and add conventional power would be more work than I care to undertake unless this system is just totally inoperative.
I am open to any suggestions short of explosives.
Get the Garden Railways newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month