Digitrax Loco Adress Problems

[kurtdewald]

I just installed a Digitrax DH163 P/S in my Kato SD-80 MAC and a DH163 AT into my athearn GP-40. These are not the first 2 locos I have installed decoders and this is the first time this has happened. I go to program the Loco adress and it wont take. they both run fine under the factory setting of 03 but when I put in there road number they just sit. I tried to re-program then and when I hit the CV-RD button the road number that i programmed in comes up??????? so i am lost


H E L P

Kurt

I am running the Zepher set if it makes a difference

[Jacktal]

I've had a similar problem a little while back when my SD70(N) accepted it's new adress and ran great for a while.When it stopped with no apparent reason,it was put on the computer programming track and I found out that somehow,it had forgotten it's new adress and had reset the former one.I had to reprogram it twice to get it to accept the new adress.I've used it since with no other problem.Why it did this?Beats me....

[cacole]

Are you trying to program a long, 4-digit address, such as 1234? If so, you must also change CV29 to recognize the long address. Normally, this will need to have a value of 38 if you want the decoder to recognize both DC and DCC, or 34 if you want it to run only on DCC.

[rrinker]

The Zephyr (and DT400) will handle the CV29 setting automatically.

Are you hitting the Loco button so the display says AD4? If the display shows AD2 and you try to put in a 4-digit number, it won't program. Put you loco on the program track, hit Prog until you see PAGE, press Loco until you see AD4, enter your number, and press CV-WR. Press Exit to get out of program mode. Then, press Prog again, hit Loco until it says AD4, and press CV-RD. It should read back the address you just programmed.
Also, what numbers are you trying to program? If the loco cab number is between 1 and 127, you have to use a 2 digit address (AD2). Do you get any acknowledgement of the programming? The motor should pulse slightly when you send the programming information, in the case of the Kato it might even move the loco slightly. Try reading the address of one of your prviously configured locos - if that doesn't work, you may have a loose connection to the programming track, although I'd expect to see a D nD message in that case.

--Randy

[kurtdewald]

Got it. changed CV 29 to 34 and now were up and running. This digital stuff makes me scratch the old head. While I was wating on replys to this problem I installed another decoder in my Athearn GP38-2 and it took the adress the first time no probles just like the other 5 locos I have done in the past.

aren't computers great

thanks

Kurt

[Anonymous]

Kurt:

It sounds like you qualify to be our Resident decoder installer.