My loco won't run! Athearn Genesis F45 with factory installed SoundTraxx sound. Set it on the clubs layout AND their separate program/run track and both places it set off the internal circuit breaker.
It worked perfectly fine a few weeks ago last I ran her. No home layout so it hasn't been used at home, and have NEVER opened it up so no way I could have crossed wires or something. I didn't notice any smoke from the unit or burning smell from a fried decoder (oh yeah, I know what that smells like), but I haven't taken the shell off to check it.
Looking to save this loco. Where I should I start to look?
What brand of DCC system is the club using? If it can be put into programming mode before the locomotive is placed on the programming track and not short out the system, have them try doing that and then reset the decoder (CV 30 = 2), then remove power before putting the loco back onto the regular track).
If the system shorts out as soon as the loco is placed on the programming track, then something has shorted out internally and you will have to remove the shell and look for shorted wires.
Most locomotives today don't have wires soldered to the decoder (a way for the Chinese to avoid environmental laws about exposure to lead and the expense of installing a soldering station), but use small plastic clips to hold all the wires to the circuit board and the trucks. While it's open, remove those clips and solder all the connections, making sure that no adjacent wires are touching each other.
I concur with cacole's recommendations.
I will add that the most likely explanation for the mysterious difference -- working one day, but not now -- is that one of the small plastic clips he mentioned was not quite all the way on tight and has bounced loose and allowed a short to happen. You will have to take the shell off to do what he suggests and just go ahead and solder the connections.
Once the wiring is checked and secured and the shell is back on, be sure to run it through the programming track first to confirm the short is gone before moving it to the layout's DCC system.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Look for bits of metal that may have gotten caught up in the wheels. These could short to the frame if you're unlucky enough.
I installed a Tsunami, and it failed after a brief time. It has as flashing LED built in, and as I recall it flashed an error code. Based on that, I sent it back to Soundtraxx and they replaced it.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
The decoder itself looked fine, wires were all there and connected, motor looked good. Wires were connected surprisingly good for being held on with plastic clips. The Soundtraxx guide wasn't much of a help for trouble shooting, but i did notice all the pics of the decoder in the manual are the pretty purple-wrapped ones and my Athearn has more spartan PC board looking decoder. All the solder connections on the trucks and the motor (including mount tabs) looked good, nice tight and clean.
I haven't taken the trucks apart yet to check them out, but I plan to yet. I did try but it wasn't working and I stopped before I broke something. This was last night though not very good lighting so I will try it today when it's still nice and light out.
I'm at a loss though.