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two decoders / one engine

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  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 22 posts
Posted by elcercao on Friday, March 28, 2008 9:51 AM

HI,

About the light bulb... The Soundtraxx decoder work already has a "load" between the motor leads. It was the only way I could get it to work. But I used a resistor (1K). I can see I shall have to do some major 'tinkering' . Thanks anyway.

Lou

  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: Elyria, OH
  • 2,586 posts
Posted by BRVRR on Thursday, March 27, 2008 6:27 PM

Ensuring that the BMF circuit is in operation in the loco should eliminate the speed changes with loads.

I don't know if it will help, but you might get better response if you put a small light bulb across the motor leads on the sound decoder. I have found that this little trick works with the low cost Soundtraxx decoders.

I have several of them on my layout. Most are installed in dummy locos with the same address as the lead loco. I have couple under the train table that I just MU to non-sound equipped locos. These have a 'load' across the motor leads too.

With a little tinkering, I don't see why you can't get satisfactory results with you current installation(s). It may never be perfect but it should be 'good enough' for most applications.

Good luck!!

Remember its your railroad

Allan

  Track to the BRVRR Website:  http://www.brvrr.com/

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 22 posts
Posted by elcercao on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 5:24 PM

[ YES, there is something wrong here and that is me. I am very much a novice with DCC, having installed (hardwired) only a few decoders, and this is my first sound installation so it is all new to me. I will make sure the load compensation is enabled. There is a lot to DCC that I do not know. I have programmed and reprogrammed the decoders so many times that pretty soon I shall have a very prototypical smoke comming out!

I will make sure the 'load compensation is enable. Thakns for your time

Lou

  • Member since
    October 2004
  • From: Colorful Colorado
  • 8,639 posts
Posted by Texas Zepher on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 8:23 PM
 elcercao wrote:
I adjusted both of them, the Shay to go a little faster and the sound to be slower. But the moment I add more cars, the train goes slower but  not the sound.
There is something wrong there.  The Lenz silver has back-emf load compensation so (unprototypically) it should not go slower with more cars.  Are you certain the load compensation is enabled on the decoder?
  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 22 posts
Posted by elcercao on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 2:05 PM

Hi,

I adjusted both of them, the Shay to go a little faster and the sound to be slower. But the moment I add more cars, the train goes slower but  not the sound. I think I shall have to take out the decoder in the Shay and run a couple of wires to the motor.

Tks

Lou 

  • Member since
    October 2004
  • From: Colorful Colorado
  • 8,639 posts
Posted by Texas Zepher on Monday, March 24, 2008 6:39 PM
 elcercao wrote:
Lenz Siver... a Tsunami  (Tsu-1000) ...They both run and have the same address, but I am having the hardest time programming so the sound will relate to the speed of the train.
Are you just trying to program the sound curve in the Tsunami or are you also adjusting the speed curve in the Shay?  I can't think of any reason that the speed curves of the two could not be able to be matched up and therefore syncronizing the sound.
  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 419 posts
Posted by UpNorth on Monday, March 24, 2008 5:22 PM

Unless you resort to a cam you will find it hard to sync the chuff rate to perfection.  I tried using speed tables till I found one that closely match the speeds I prefer. It is not perfect and never will be.  If you have the patience you can get better results fooling around with speed table entries. 

What would be great is a way to vary the chuff rate itself via a table. As it stands it is linear to throttle input, not engine speed.

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 22 posts
two decoders / one engine
Posted by elcercao on Monday, March 24, 2008 5:06 PM

So I managed to install a decoder in my small HOn3 Shay... but then I discovered sound.  And decided to install a sound decoder in a box car and run it behing the Shay.

Decoder in Shay is a Lenz Silver (Art. # 10331).

The one in the Box car is a Tsunami  (Tsu-1000)

They both run and have the same address, but I am having the hardest time programming so the sound will relate to the speed of the train.

Would running them as a consist be a solution? I am afraid that the engine will always run slower since it is actually pulling cars. 

Thank you

Lourdes

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