P2K 0-8-0 Problem

[JGray]

Hey Everyone; A few weeks ago I posted a request for help re: my two Walthers P2K 0-8-0's in N scale. The two engines would not run with my Digitrax Zephyr in analog mode. I have two Model Power locos, a Pacific and a Mikado, that are DC, a P2K 2-8-8-2 DCC/sound, and a Bachman 2-6-6-2 DCC. All of these engines, both the DC and DCC run beautifully with the Zephyr. The two P2K 0-8-0's are brand new, right out of the box. When I tried to run them, they both shorted out the Zephyr as soon as I pressed the power button. After much searching, I contacted Walthers. They told me that they had seen this problem before. The P2K 0-8-0's "don't like" (whatever that means) operating on a Zephyr in analog mode. They advised I get a straight DC power supply and try it. If that worked, then I should put decoders in them and all should be well. The Walthers tech said the Digitrax DZ143PS would fit. I also contacted Digitrax. They said they had never heard of such a problem and had no idea why my P2K 0-8-0's would not run in analog. OK, I got a pure DC power source and tried it. Both 0-8-0's ran. I bought two DZ143PS's and guess what...THEY DON'T FIT. THANKS WALTHERS!!! Come to find out, the Lenz Silver Mini does; but even though Walthers says the DZ143PS's will fit, they won't. (See the post from "Steam Power Guy" regarding the P2K 0-8-0 decoder installation). Anyway, I went ahead and tested the locos without the tender shells in place. The first just sat there and did absolutely nothing. The second ran about two feet and stopped. It has done absolutely nothing since. I have tested both DZ143PS decoders using the LT1 according to the Digitrax manual. Both tested OK. I have replaced the plugs in both locos and have run them on the DC power source and they ran. Does anyone have any idea of what is going on here? If, as I am beginning to suspect, I am dealing with junk and tech reps. who get paid to BS customers, and you don't want to make a public post; please send me your response direct. I really don't want to throw any more good money after bad. If these things belong in the garbage, I'm more than ready to put them there. Thanks Jim

[rrinker]

 There was a previous post by someone who had this same problem after installing a decoder, however they never came back and posted a followup as to how they sovled the problem or if they ever solved it. Sounds to me like a problem with the wiring of the circuit board. As for fitting, you may have to remove the upper piece of the weight. The DZ125PS is a smalelr decoder and might fit better, but the DZ143PS should fit, maybe with the weight removed.

                                      --Randy

 

[JGray]

Hey Randy. Thanks for the reply. You were one of the few responses I received on my last request for help. I think you are right; there is an electronics problem that allows these things to run on a pure DC power source, but prevents them from running on DCC or the Zephyr set in analog mode. The thing that gets me is that I purchased the two engines a few months apart. If I scored 100% on randomly selected engines from a lot of engines, then surely others have encountered the same. Or, perhaps it is as the Walthers tech. said that it is a problem with the P2K 0-8-0 dealing with a Zephyr. Yet, Digitrax said they know of no problem and my Zephyr does fine with all other engines. I guess there is no one out there who operates a N scale P2K 0-8-0 with a Zephyr. If there is and they are doing OK, I'd like to hear from them. Maybe I can figure out how they are doing it. On the fitting issue, yes if the weight is removed a DZ143 would fit into the space freed up. However, the plug used on the DZ143PS will not clear the top to the tender shell. If one used a standard DZ143 without the plug provided with the PS, they could hard wire it into the tender's NMRA connector and it would clear. It may also work if they used the NMRA connector offered by Tony's Toy Exchange as it has a lower profile. My advice learned the hard way would be to Google the Power Steam Guy's site and see his installation of a Lenz Silver Mini. The weight stays in place and the NMRA connector clears. -Jim

[locoi1sa]

 Jim.

 Here is a couple pictures of a TCS decoder in the N scale 0-8-0.

http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/N_Scale/Walther/0-8-0/Walther%20_N_0-8-0.html

    Pete

[JGray]

Hello everyone, the problem is solved. I found a guy on the Nscale community forum who had been through the problem. May have been the one you were referring to Randy. Anyway, he said his problem was sloppy factory wiring. Especially around the pickups and the back of the tender plug/board connection. I tore into one of mine and sure enough. Two sets of wires soldered to the back of the tender plug looked like they had been done by a drunken gorilla. I re-did the whole wiring network (not something for the ham-handed), and bingo, the P2K 0-8-0 run by a Zephyr has been running great. So much for the much vaunted "factory testing" claim as well as Walthers tech. reps. at customer service. -Jim