Hey everyone,
I have a BLI K4 that I put on my DCC track to program for a friend and at first it made noise, ran etc. Now it doesn't do anything, which he also complained about happening to him. He originally wanted the bell to ring at a slower rate. I hooked it up to decoder pro to read the decoder settings and as stated now it doesn't do anything. I tried the factory reset with the wand but no luck. Any suggestions?
First, make sure you haven't inadvertently shut the engine down by pressing the F9 key. To check this, press the F6 key twice and see if the engine comes back to life.
I have never been able to get a BLI to reset using the wand, because the magnetic wand seems to be too weak. I use a larger magnet out of a microwave oven.
You'd probably be better off putting the locomotive on a programming track and performing a reset with the DCC system. Refer to the manual that came with the locomotive to reset it through programming, since different versions of the QSI decoders used different reset procedures.
You may have the wrong address active. I have inadvertently typed in an address that was close, but not correct. The decoder doesn't like "close".
BLI sometimes moves the reed switch to another place than that listed in the explanations (diagramme or manual). The magnet works, but it must be waved right on the deck of the tender and right overhead the reed switch. Close only counts in horseshoes and hand-grenades.
Your best bet, as cacole says, is to start from scratch with a full reset, and your decoder manual will tell you how. For QSI, it requires to to programme a value to three different CV's, and in the order specified. Your best bet is to make sure only the affected engine is getting power from your system (all others isolated or removed), and then enter Ops Mode. Dial in the address "00" and make it active on your throttle before you begin to do the reset....even before you enter Ops Mode. Then, with the 00 address and Ops Mode enabled, go through the three steps changing CV's. You'll get your reset or you have a defective decoder, or you aren't getting power and DCC signal to the rails....(one of) those three are the only possibilities.
-Crandell
NS,
As Chuck suggested, you may want to just reset the QSI decoder to factory settings. The sequence is as followed:
*(Try 128 if the above doesn't work. I seem to remember that I used a different number for CV49 than the one posted. Whichever the case, you should hear 3 audible "toots" when it resets correctly.)
FYI: Most decoder resets can be found at this link. Hope that helps...
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
The only QSI I used with the 'magic wand' was an Atlas Trainmaster - and I never could get the darn thing to reset that way. I DID get it to work when I had the shell off and could see the reed switch and moved a magnet near it - then I could see the contacts come together and indeed it reset as per the directions. But with the shell on, never any success. Resetting through CV programming, that always worked.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
BLI doesn't have a Wand to reset.
Go to the broadway limited website. they have instructions to reset the decoders. You'll probably have to remove the motor decoder and put the blank chip that originally shipped. Then do CV8=8 if I remember right. The motor decoder will also have to be reset. It's one of the pains of the bli's but they run great once you have them set up.
Good Luck
Springfield PA
Hamltnblue, BLI does indeed have a wand to do the decoder resets. I must have at least five of their engines, each different, with the very K4s being one of them, and each has a wand. As Randy and others, including myself, have offered, the other way is to use the three step reset per the QSI instructions. Setting CV8 to a value of "8" isn't one of them. That single step reset function is for the Tsunami and some others.
I'd try putting it on the programming track and reading the ID no. for it. As noted, could be it's not what you thought it was. I've had engines go back to 03 for no apparent reason, or find out that some got garbled putting in the long address and the no. I read back isn't what I expected. Then see if it runs using that number. If not try doing the start up sequence, it is easy to put the engine in "shut down mode" without meaning to.
Hi Crandell
Which BLI's have the Wand? Is it the older ones?
I have 3 Bluelines and none of them have a wand nor is there a mention of them in the manual.
I also went to the BLI website and typed Wand in search and got no results.
My Atlas engines have a wand though.
BLI Blueline locos have a BLI made decoder that has no wand. You have to put a motor decoder in to run them on DCC. Older QSI decoders used the wand and the newer version 7 decoders use a jumper plug for resetting to defaults.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
Thanks, Learning something new every day. I have a paragon 2 and it actually has a small reset button as well.
The older Paragon series came in two flavours. Some had the wand (the K4s is one, and incidentally the only engine on which I have managed to effect the decoder reset via the wand), while others, such as the Hudson, had a "jumper" tower that you have to lift out of the decoder circuit board, power up, power down, and then replace the jumper. The Hudson's tender is a press-on shell...no screws or tabs.
I seem to recall that the J1 2-10-4 is another that came with a wand, and so does the Paragon Niagara. I think it is the Niagara that had one of two notes included with the usual paperwork. One said there were no traction tires included because BLI felt that the model was plenty heavy to pull decent trains. They are wrong...as I see it. The other note said that the reed switch was not where the manual says it is, but had been relocated to just aft of the coal bunker. Or, so my recollection is three years later.
I am not familiar with BlueLine, and realized after I had posted last night that you were probably thinking of the BlueLine series, while I was thinking about Paragon.
The K4 that will not run. Check the plug and wires from loco to tender. Clean wheels on loco and tender. Dont forget the pick ups on the tender axles. They seem to pick up every thing but electicity. Then try the double click F6.
I have an original Paragon SD40-2 that I was unable to reset with the wand until I put it on DC and cranked up the voltage until the sound system kicked in and just before the unit started moving. I then moved the wand over the reset switch and the unit reported that it had been reset. This process is on BLI or QSI's website somewhere. It took awhile to find it. I had gotten the unit into full shutdown mode and couldn't get it to come back.
Engineer Jeff NS Nut Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/
Thanks to everyone for the replies and especially tstage and selector, using your replies I have at least gotten the loco to respond and make noise again. Now I can go on with the original problem which is the bell ring rate. It rings much too fast as it is now. I'd say almost one ring a second. I tried to lower it using CV 180 and had no effect either I was using the wrong cv (possible since I have no manual for this loco and used a blueline manual) or there is another problem. I am going to look online and get the correct manual and try again today whenb I get home. Thanks again for the help.
I am happy that you have some control restored. About the bell rate...it should ring about three times a second because it was a mechanical clapper. Mine doesn't sound like a hand-rung ding - ding........ding-ding......ding- ding.......as you would hear on many smaller and older engines, but the PRR had mechanical clappers. My J1 2-10-4, the Duplex, and my K4 all sound like ding-ding-ding-ding-ding....in rapid succession. So that will have to do for you...it is programmed.
This revelation should restore some hope and a smile for you?
C'mon.....you know you want too.........!