MRC Sound decoder woes

[Anonymous]

Aigh...

So, I just finish installing the new MRC Syncro Steam Sound decoder in my favorite MILW 4-6-2 right as my dad walks in to start on Wed. nite layout working session. I put the loco on the prog track, set it up, put it on the main, and let 'er rip... Everything works GREAT. no problems whatsoever. Then we went and started working on scenery for a while, finished up and decided to run the trains a while... The steamer was still working great... after another 10 minutes of run time, the dang thing stopped dead in it's tracks and that was it... No more sound, no lights, no movement, nothing. Our other DCC equpped locos still ran OK.

Put it on the prog track, and assigned it a new loco # and the lights on the train flashed. Is that normal? Anyone have any idea what's going on? I think the decoder blew up... probably going to send it back to MRC and beg for them to fix it.

[cacole]

If the lights on the locomotive flashed on and off several times, that usually indicates that the decoder is resetting itself to default values. If that's what it has done, your next puzzle will be to figure out why it reset itself. Double-check your wiring and insure that there is no short anywhere, and that the locomotive's motor is properly isolated from the frame. See if you can reprogram it. If it will not take programming commands, it may be fried. As near as I know, MRC offers no warranty at all on decoders. What brand is your MILW locomotive? The current draw of the motor may have overloaded the decoder and burned out the motor drive circuitry if it's not a can motor.

[Anonymous]

I checked out all the wiring, and there were no shorts anywhere... And it's an IHC with a can motor, so it was isolated from the frame.

MRC's instruction pamphlet doesnt' say anything about a warranty, but it says that if you ever needed to send the decoder back, send a check for $15 along with the decoder back to MRC... So, I'll try it and see what happens.

[cacole]

You're right about the IHC motor being isolated from the frame and having a very low current draw -- I have put decoders into several of them. Personally, I would never use an MRC sound decoder. I have installed them for friends of mine and think they produce poor quality, weak sound compared to SoundTraxx or QSI.

[Anonymous]

...and they blow up :(

I shouldn't bash MRC like that, sorry... Just really disappointed.

[Javern]

i've installed a dozen of the MRC and had no problems with them

[rlbeetle]

A friend of mine bought an loco that was DCC ready (9 pin connector) and an MRC sound decoder. The decoder was 10 pin so I ended out having to not use the 9 pin connector so I had to solder it in.

[Anonymous]

I'm hoping that they'll fix mine or replace it (found out they do have a one year warranty on them)... And I'll give it another shot.

I've got a Proto2k that has an MRC decoder in it that I installed and it works like a champ... and I ordered 6 more MRC decoders to install in 2 more Proto2k's and an Athearn, plus a couple of other steamers... In other words, I am fairly confident in the MRC equipment...