I recently purchased an MRC Prodigy Wireless DCC system. I have been running one diesel locomotive (with a sound decoder) on the manline track without difficulty. The sound is incredible!
Today I tried adding an MRC Auto reverse module AD520 to my layout. But when I plugged the Command Station into the power, the green pilot light on the Command Station failed to go on.
I then disconnected the power, and disconnected the reverse module. I plugged the Command Station back on and the green light came on and I was able to run the locomotive. Placing the locomotive inside the reversing loop also worked fine. But when I plugged the Command Station into the power, the green pilot light on the Command Station still failed to go on.
I have two terminal tracks, one inside the reversing loop and the other on the mainline. I attached the two red wires to the terminals on the mainline track and the two yellow wires to the terminals on the reversing loop track.
I would appreciate any suggestion or comments.
Seasons Greetings to All.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Thank you for the quick response!
Yes, both rails are insulated at both ends of the reverse loop.
I am thinking I may have a defective module. Another thought is that the module is wired incorrectly and I should attach the red wires to the reversing loop and the yellow wires to the mainline. But I am leary of trying this for fear that I may damage the module, or something else.
I am new to DCC so my confidence is not that high at the moment as to the consequences of different actions.
I will be wiring my first loop soon and will be watching your thread so I don't have any answers. With reference to your concern about damaging the reversing module it has also been suggested on another thread that it is a good idea to have an inexpensive loco (in case you don't have one) to test track wiring problems.
Bob
Don't Ever Give Up
I don't have an MRC reverser, and I couldn't find the instructions on line.
How do the instructions say to wire the unit?
"Wiring - Connect the two yellow wires to the reverse loop section and the two red wires to the main line section as shown."
I am confident that I have done this (but I may be wrong...)
In my original post, I forgot to add a sentence. It should have read:
I then disconnected the power, and disconnected the reverse module. I plugged the Command Station back on and the green light came on and I was able to run the locomotive. Placing the locomotive inside the reversing loop also worked fine. I then disconnected the power to the Command Station and reconnected the reverse module with the two red wires going to the mainline and the two yellow wires going to the track in the reverse section. But when I plugged the Command Station into the power, the green pilot light on the Command Station still failed to go on.
It seems that as soon as I connect the reverse module to the layout I am shorting out the entire system and the Command Station fails to turn on.
Hope this helps clarify the problem. Fascinating!
Jeff But it's a dry heat!
I'm getting the same feeling. My guess is that the reverse loop isn't completely isolated from the rest of the layout. Either the insulators aren't in the right place, or the rails actually touch at the gaps. Or, you've got another feeder wire to that section that you forgot about.
Can you draw a picture and scan it in, or photograph it? Nothing fancy. If we can see the track plan and where the insulators are, someone may spot the problem.
Edmunds in Latvia http://www.edmundsworld.net HO Transition Era modular layout being built with Faller Car System, DCCar, German Style Signalling, Computer Control and Automation
Success.
First, a very sincere thank you to everyone who has helped me with comments and suggestions. An earlier comment that the only power to the reversing loop should come through the MRC Auto Reverse Module helped. I then disconnected the two feeder lines that were supplying power to the loop. I now had confidence in both the attachment of the module as well as no extra feeder attachments to the reverse loop. I then turned the power on. The pilot light on the Control Station lit up indicating I had power on the mainline. I then tried shorting out the track on the mainline. This caused the pilot light to momentarily go off. Good. I then repeated this test on the connector track that had the two red wires going to the Auto Reverse Module with the same result. Good. I then tried it on the adjacent connector track that had the two yellow wires from the Auto Reverse Module but this time there was no short. The track was dead. Hmm. I tried this at a few other locations within the reversing loop with the same result. There was no current anywhere in the reversing loop. Hmm. The next step was the key one. I tried testing the two screws connecting the yellow wires to the connector track. The pilot light went off. There was power at the screws but not on the track. This meant the module was working fine, but the connector track was defective. I had just purchased this track so it was the last link in the chain that I would have thought would have been the problem. I replaced the connector track with another that I had lying around and everything worked fine. The locomotive entered and left the reversing loop without any difficulty. Yes! You should have heard the blast on the horn as the engineer indicated he was heading home. This has been an adventure, with a happy ending. I have learned a lot in the process. Best wishes to all in 2008.