DIGITRAX DT 400 MAXED OUT.... HELP

[peterjenkinson1956]

my dt 400 throttle is maxed out    i am having a problem getting rid of the numbers stored in the throttles   i have tried  pressing   loco  disp  but the numbers keep coming back   any ideas   is it possible to wipe the memory and delete all the numbers

[jrbernier]

Peter,

  I sort of doubt you have maxed out your DT400.  I suspect you are getting the slot max' msg because you have not 'dispatched' your engines after using them.  CV36 on the command station needs to be reset.  Remember, after running engines:

• Zero the throttle
• Break up consists
• Dispatch the engines

  Our club uses a Digitrax DCS200 Super Chief, and kept getting the 'slot max' msg.  CV36 would clear it, and a little investigation with Decoder Pro found 'engines' being polled that were not even on the layout.  The 'timeout' does not clear old engines.

Jim

 

 

 

[Stevert]

  Relax, nothing's "maxed out".  The DT400 has a recall stack and will store the last 4, 8, or 16 (user-selectable) addresses that were entered, and you're just seeing those addresses.

  There is no way to clear them, because there's really no need to ever do that.  If you don't want to see them, just don't use the recall function.  Problem solved!

 

Steve 

[Paul3]

jrbernier,
Also, don't forget to turn off all functions (headlights, beacons, bells, etc.).  A loco that has active functions are also being updated to keep them on, which counts against the active slots.

With Digitrax, you have slot types New, Common, Idle and In Use ("The Digitrax Big Book of DCC", page 156).  New and Idle are not updated by the command station, while Common and In Use are (and therefore take up a slot of memory).  New means that the slot has not been used since the memory was last cleared.  Idle means that the slot has been used, but is not currently being updated.  In Use means...well, exactly what it says, and this is for single locos and those in a consist.  Common is the tricky one.  It includes all locos that are in a consist, all locos above 0% throttle, and all locos with active functions.

Paul A. Cutler III
************
Weather Or No Go New Haven
************

[jrbernier]

Paul,

  You are correct - turn off all of those 'functions' before dispatching the loco, and removing it from the layout.  We have set up a SOP at our club on running trains.  We would never make it beyond 3 weeks without the 'slot max' msg's.  Now, we check Decoder Pro and see what slots are in use(an if there are phantom engines out there).

Jim

[peterjenkinson1956]

thanks for the replys   yes it is showing   slot max  and it does have phantom numbers     yes i have been recalling by mistake     i will try to use the cv  suggested    very dificult to get help when i live 12 hours drive from the nearest train shop    dcc is great until something goes wrong    too old to understand  ha  ha

[retsignalmtr]

there are command station option switches that will erase the memory and clear the slot max indication. options switches # 36 and 38 clear all stored mobile decoder info and consists and the loco roster. but option switch #39 does both of them at the same time. i have to do this monthly at my clubs layouts with the empire builder and super chief. we have some members who do not dispatch correctly or pick up their locos while they are still moving. you do not have to remove any locos from the layout as this proceedure shuts off the track power and will not effect any decoders, but it will de-mu locos running together. when you turn on the power after you do this you will get 8 beeps from the command station telling you that the process was successful.

[peterjenkinson1956]

ok so how do i   get to the options switch  is in programme mode ??????   i cannot find any info in my books to say how to reset    all my friends have lenz  and they have a reset key????

[jalajoie]

I have one golden rule when I sell a new DCC system to a customer.  I refuse to help them until they read the manual. 

What you are asking is contained in the manual in various places.

David B

These are words of wisdom David.

[retsignalmtr]

i'm going by the manual for the super empire builder on my layout but the super chief has the same options. place the mode switch on the command station in the op position (right hand toggle sw) middle. then press the switch key on the dt400. sw 001=t will apear on the display. with the keypad press 3 then 9 and the display will change to sw 039=t. go to the clock button on the bottom row and press it once. the display will change to sw 039=c. now put the mode switch on the command station into the sleep mode (down). wait 30 seconds and flip the mode switch up to the run position you should hear eight beeps if you were successful. with the superchief you may not hear any beeps. the digitrax manuals are a little difficult to understand even after reading several times. if you still have problems call the digitrax people directly. i have found them to be very pleasent and helpful. good luck.

[mfm37]

I usually go a little further than David.

Instructions for setting Command station Option Switches can be found in each system's manual in the section titled "Option Switch Set Up"

Chief manual Page 115

Empire Builder Page 107

Zephyr Page 46

In addition, each has a section on "Slot=max" messages.

 

[Railcon44]

Howdy,
The way i do it is go through your engine roster and make sure they are not consist up and that all lights and other functions are off. Then use local and the exit button to release them. Make sure you do each engine. If you know how many engines you have used, it will be easy. Than after you have cleared all of them, make sure to clear and exit after your done using that engine or engines.
railcon44