I seem to have lost the address of a loco whilst doing a change of settings.
I seem to remember that there is a formula to obtain control by using 00
as a starting address but cannot remember the CVs. I have tried CV8 to 8
and CV30 to 2, with no luck. Can someone advise please !!!
Thankyou in advance.
Colin Huckle U.K.
Never heard of a formula. Also, which brand decoder do you have? Different decoder flavors have different reset codes.
Anyway, best, easiest method is to put your loco on your programming track and reprogram short address to three (3) and long address to whatever you want it to be.
Dialing up 00 on your DCC system allows you to run a DC locomotive on a DCC layout - but it doesn't work very well. Has nothing to do with changing a decoder ID.
The other things you say you did are things you do to re-set the decoder completely back to factory settings, meaning if it was successful most likely the ID would now be 03(short) and 0003(long).
As Maxman said, just go ahead and re-program the ID to whatever you want. You don't have to know the old ID to change it to something new, and if the new address is the same as the old address it's not going to hurt anything.
You haven't told us what system you have and the decoder installed in the locomotive.
You can try placing the locomotive on the program track and set the address to what you want.
If you want to try to reset it, do you know which decoder was installed? Some have slightly different reset procedures.
As to the default address being "3", that is a myth. Only true if you (or someone else) installed a decoder purchased at a hobby shop. When the decoder is installed at the factory any valid address is permissible.
That is why I set the address to the loco number. One glance tells me what the decoder number is. I also run a couple of permanent consists in which case I program both engines to the lowest numbered engine
wjstix Dialing up 00 on your DCC system allows you to run a DC locomotive on a DCC layout - but it doesn't work very well. Has nothing to do with changing a decoder ID...
Dialing up 00 on your DCC system allows you to run a DC locomotive on a DCC layout - but it doesn't work very well. Has nothing to do with changing a decoder ID...
That's not strictly true. As our late friend Randy Rinker posted, a number of times over the years, if you can't recall what your decoder is, or what its current address is, simply go into paged mode*, dial up Add '00' and effect a reset, almost always CV08 to a value of '08' these days, with some exceptions. Zero-zero (00) is a universal address. It has worked for me a number of times, too.
*Paged mode, or broadcast mode, means every powered decoder on the layout will take the change, and they'll all end up back in Add '03' per the NMRA conventions. So, please do remember to remove all other locomotives before doing this, or move the affected locomotive to a programming track or to an isolatable length of track.
Thankyou Selector,
I knew there was solution to this problem involving address 00, just couldn't remember the sequence. Many thanks for the info. I'll write it down, like I should have done in the first place. at least I haven't completely lost my marbles, YET.
Many thanks Colin
Selector - I'm not clear on how using 00 and doing a factory reset is going to tell you the ID number of the decoder, or change it to the number you want? I guess you could use it to run the engine short-term, but I guess I don't see the long-term value of it?
BTW I'm assuming the OP's DCC system doesn't allow reading CVs, so they don't have a programming track or Decoder Pro etc.? Otherwise, they could just read the ID from the decoder and find out what number it's set to.
When you place a loco on the programming track, with an nce system, as you go through the programming steps, it will usually tell you the manufacturer id. In the case of nce I believe that is 11. Ive startex using jmri decoder pro and while nce is still mfg no 11, I want to say it will tell you the decoder version number as well but not positive. I usually just add the info I want, and let decoder pro do its thing. As far as a factory reset, programming cv8 to 8 is pretty standard on most of them but it does vary. Even if youve "lost" your decoder address, a reset will let you start over. If your loco is in runaway mode, simply stop it by hand, take it off the track and turn off your dcc system. Turn it back on, put said loco on a programming track, and start over. The programming track SHOULD NOT provide full power and therefore your loco cant just take off on you. No harm, no foul.
The address 00 method only works when programming on the main. AKA Operations Mode Programming. Selecting address 00 when programming on the main will broadcast program to the track. This is how DCC systems do an "all stop" command. It will program every decoder that is on the track so remove everything that you don't want programmed. Go into Programming mode and select Operations Mode programming. Select address 00 then select the CV you wish to change. Program the value. When done, exit programming mode. This doesn't always work because some decoder manufacturers do not allow changing the address on the main. Some will not allow decoder resets on the main.
Martin Myers
Using Ops Mode (aka Program on the Main) an address is required. If no address is specified, or 0 is used, it will write to every decoder on the track at that time.
Just the way it works.
Modern decoders really don't support a "Paged Mode", as that was a method to get around limitations of the primitive Physical Register mode of programming early decoders. Modern decoders support Direct mode, which is much faster.