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can't select loco w/ NCE cab and PowerCab ?

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  • Member since
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can't select loco w/ NCE cab and PowerCab ?
Posted by gregc on Monday, March 12, 2018 6:51 PM

hitting the "select" button on my cab doesn't cause the LED to turn-on which then turns off after entering a cab # and the "enter" button.   had been working until a week ago.

but i noticed that if I plug the PowerCab into the right hand jack and the cab into the left hand jack, it works.   Of course this doesn't help me because the PowerCab needs to be in the left hand jack to provide track power.

i did a conductivity test through the rj-12 cable between the ends plugged into the PowerCab and the cab.   

what am i missing?

appreciate any suggestions

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

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Posted by richg1998 on Monday, March 12, 2018 7:10 PM

You are not missing anything. Just use the six wire cable, plug into the proper socket and follow the instructions.

I have the NCE Power Cab.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

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Posted by gregc on Monday, March 12, 2018 7:12 PM

if it wasn't clear, the Powercab works fine.

i can't select a loco with the 2nd cab

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

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Posted by richg1998 on Monday, March 12, 2018 7:15 PM

I noticed that. The answer ishould be in your instructions.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

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Posted by richg1998 on Monday, March 12, 2018 7:20 PM

I just Googled the issue. You need a second cab. Do you have a second Cab, just the Cab, not everything else.?

https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/203244199-Two-Power-Cabs-on-the-same-layout

I thought that was obvious. At least it looks like that to me but never tried it. Do not know if anyone ever has.

There is a Yahoo DCC NCE active Group in Yahoo Groups.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

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Posted by gregc on Monday, March 12, 2018 7:34 PM

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

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Posted by BigDaddy on Monday, March 12, 2018 7:49 PM

You need to assign the loco to the other cab.  page 46 of the manual.

Select loco, merely alllows the power cab to control a loco.  The default is it can remember two different locos, but that can be changed.  The recall button merely flips between control of loco 1 an 2

I don't have an accessory cab, but the led on the power panel comes on with system power and does not blink.

 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by rrinker on Monday, March 12, 2018 7:57 PM

 Are any of the pins bent in the right hand jack, the they wouldn't make contact with the cable from the extr cab?

 Did you inadvertantly reset the cab number on either the PowerCab or the second cab? NCE requires each cab to have a unique cab number and not all possible numbers are valid for all types of cabs.

                                    --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by gregc on Monday, March 12, 2018 8:11 PM

sorry again if I wasn't clear.  The 2nd cab was was working a week ago (i'm not trying to figure out how to make it work).

there's an LED on the 2nd cab, not the PowerCab or PCP, that is not turning on when I hit the select button.   And again, it does work -- select turns LED on until enter key hit -- when I reverse the jacks, PowerCab on right.

did a continuity check thru PCP with cable plugged into PCP.   Don't see any RJ pin/wires bent back too far.   Could this possibly work with one data line disconnected, both PowerCab and cab have a common ground?

the powerCab still reports that it is cab #2.   the 2nd cab is cab #3 (had tried #4 and #5)

PCP schematic

thanks for the thoughts ...

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

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Posted by BigDaddy on Monday, March 12, 2018 8:17 PM

I would try resetting the cabs, maybe trying the accessory cab first.  I don't know if you need to, but I would then power the system off and on.  If no blinking, reset the power cab too.

 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by richg1998 on Monday, March 12, 2018 9:27 PM

I have never looked at the right connector. All I know is that the LED is connected to the DCC output to the track at the left connector with a one k resistor. I traced it out about ten years ago. Planning to give the set to someone in my local club where they have the five amo Power Pro.

If I can find the panel, I might take a close look.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

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Posted by bearman on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 4:57 AM

After resetting everything, per Henry's suggestion, your problem might require a call to NCE.  The PowerCab address is factory set at #2 and it has to stay that way.  The second cab address is factory set at #3.  If the second cab was working a week ago, is there something you have done in the meantime to the cables or wiring whcih something may be causing the problem?

Bear "It's all about having fun."

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 5:02 AM

Cab, cab, cab.

I'll bet a lot of viewers of this thread, especially those who don't own an NCE product, are confused by the references to "cab" and "the other cab".

I assume that you own a Power Cab that is being used as a second cab to your Pro Cab, the hand held throttle that comes with the PH-Pro command station.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by bearman on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 5:06 AM

Rich, the assumption I made and based on the diagram, the OP has a PowerCab and a second cab, for example, I have a Cab06. Hence, it may be necessary for a panic call to NCE.  That diagram came straight out of the inside cover of the PowerCab manual.

Greg, one more question, when you plug the PowerCab into the left hand socket you get track power, right?

And, Rich, part of your response begs the question as to why the manufacterers dont call those "cabs" what they are...throttles.

Bear "It's all about having fun."

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Posted by gregc on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 5:09 AM

it worked for a moment last night after i tried bending the pins forward in the PCP

will try to find some contact cleaner.  i think our club has a similar problem with some UTP jacks

sorry for all the confusion re: cab and LEDs

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

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Posted by bearman on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 5:16 AM

AHA, I bet that you need a new PCP and the problem is neither with the PowerCab nor the second cab.

Bear "It's all about having fun."

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 5:57 AM

gregc

hitting the "select" button on my cab doesn't cause the LED to turn-on which then turns off after entering a cab # and the "enter" button.   had been working until a week ago.

but i noticed that if I plug the PowerCab into the right hand jack and the cab into the left hand jack, it works.   Of course this doesn't help me because the PowerCab needs to be in the left hand jack to provide track power.

i did a conductivity test through the rj-12 cable between the ends plugged into the PowerCab and the cab.   

what am i missing?

appreciate any suggestions 

This is definitely a situation in which a call should be made to NCE for technical support.

As I read some of the literature on the NCE web site, a lot of seemingly related information to your problem does exactly that - - it suggests that the user call NCE for help and advice.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by bearman on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 6:01 AM

I think that there may be two possible fixes from least expensive, a new cable (which I dont think will work) to more expensive, a new PCP.  Otherwise, hello, NCE!

Bear "It's all about having fun."

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Posted by gregc on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 4:32 PM

contact cleaner seems to have fixed the problem

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

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Posted by bearman on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 4:34 PM

Then, Greg, you may have gotten away with a really inexpensive fix.  

Bear "It's all about having fun."

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