Ouray DonMaxman, I have tried that numerous times but what that purports to do is reset the settings, including the engine address, to the factory values. That will only work if the factory address is 3. Thanks again for your suggestions.
If it doesn't work as advertised, then it appears that your only alternative would be to get the address changed on a DCC layout.
I would think, however, that the factory address should have been 3. But this would have been the short address. The active address would have been 463, but this would be the long address. Again, if you tried it and it didn't work, the reset elsewhere option is the only choice. If you do reset the address, just reset it so that the short address of 3 is the active address. I'd leave the long address as 463 so that you won't have to remember some other number later.
Try following the steps below that to program individual CVs. Set CV1 = 3 and CV29 = 6. The automatic rest may assume a certain type of decoder (probably MRC) and the reset procedure for all decoders is NOT the same.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
davidmbedard...The issue is that there is no NMRA standard for a DCC locomotives with sound and how it behaves with "Black Boxes" or DCC for that matter. Soundtraxx opted NOT to have their sound decoders respond the same way that MRC, QSI or BLI decoders do to little Black Boxes (which is what this MRC product is)...
I think the easiest way would be to take it to a DCC equipped layout as you say. However, the instructions imply that you should be able to re-assign the loco to address 3 with the TECH 6 as follows:
Re-assigning DCC equipped locos to default address # 3 with your Tech 6 is very easy and takes only a couple of steps:
1- Place your locomotive on the track.
2- Turn on your Tech 6
3- Press the “Mode/Select” button until L.E.D. indicator shows you are in the “DUAL” mode.
4- Press the “Shift” button once, then press the “9” button two times, [SHIFT+9+9]. Both directional L.E.D.s will then light up.
5- Wait a 5 seconds, and one L.E.D. will turn off. When this happens, your loco is now set to default address # 3.
I don't know if this will actually work or not, but give it a try if you haven't already. If it doesn't work, then I'd be giving MRC a call and asking them what the story is. Whether or not you get an answer to your question is open to speculation. Ask for a gentleman named Frank. I think he is their DCC expert.
Regards
rrinkerAs far as I understand it, the Tech 6 needs the DCC address to be a specific one for the 'dual mode' to work.
Is this maybe a case of not reading the instruction? The TECH 6 instructions are here: http://www.modelrectifier.com/resources/trainSound/Tech6%20addendum.pdf
An extract from the instructions are:
Locomotives equipped with N.M.R.A. DCC decoders:
Press the “Mode/select” button until the L.E.D. indicator lights up, showing that you are in the “DUAL” operational mode.
Note- all DCC equipped locos and decoders come from the factory set to N.M.R.A. default address # 3. This Tech 6 Train Controller will only run these locomotives and decoders on address # 3. If you were running your DCC decoder equipped locomotive on a DCC layout, and changed the loco/decoder address from address #3 to another address, it must be re-addressed to address # 3, with C.V. 29 set to “6”, [
Also of note is older Atlas H.O. Scale locos that came equipped with a standard Lenz DCC decoder, usually came from the factory set at an address that matched the first two digits of the road number printed on the sides of the locomotive. These locos must have their address re assigned to address # 3, before running them with the Tech 6.
As far as I understand it, the Tech 6 needs the DCC address to be a specific one for the 'dual mode' to work. On most DCC systems, Tsunami decoders need a program track booster to program on a programming track, although you can program them in Ops Mode without such a booster. The question is - just how does the Tech 6 go about resetting the decoder address to the one it needs?
Ouray DonI don't think this is a motor problem because the engine performs flawlessly on my DC power pack and it works fine on the Tech 6 std mode (i.e., pure DC).
Ah. Then that is a different story. I understood from the initial posts that the engine was not running at all.
I think you will need a DCC system to change the factory preset address.
The over-oiling problem is a vexing issue with this run of locos. Blackstone has been very good about fixing these problems. It is unfortunate that a loco this nice is spoiled by this problem. Not all of the Ks have this issue. BTW: I know several happy owners of these locos and most have had some problems with the over-oilng thing. Blackstone made good on all of them.
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
davidmbedard Or...the issue is that the K27 uses a high quality decoder and will not respond to the same signals that an MRC decoder will respond to....
Could be, but at least one of the engines he has doesn't have an MRC decoder in it (the Bachmann). The ads for the TECH 6 say that it will operate any NMRA compatible decoder, which I assume the Tsunami is.
I was only throwing out the possible locomotive issue as something to check before we went down the MRC product is the problem path again. I certainly don't have your experience with decoders, so you could be correct. I was only basing my suggestion on the fact that of a sampling of the same locomotive, 87.5% exhibited a problem.
If the OP is lucky, a communication issue between the TECH 6 and the decoder will be the ultimate problem. Much better that than an engine problem.
Ouray DonNo, I have never used on a real DCC system.
I suggest that you do if possible. The word down in the lunchroom being spread by Randy Rumor is that the first run of these had a problem caused by the application of an incorrect lubricant containing graphite to the motor gearing which caused havoc to the electrical system. As I mentioned, 7 out of 8 purchased by a clubmember all had a problem. One ran about 10 feet and then quit running. Another ran intermittantly and acted like it had a electrical contact problem (wheels and track were clean), and I understand that a couple others were DOOTB (dead out of the box). So it would be a good idea to see if the one you have runs properly on DCC before trying it with the MRC controller. I'm not saying that the engine you have is a problem child, but no sense trying to fix a MRC problem if the issue is at the engine end.
Hopefully you got the engine at a local hobby shop and they have a DCC test track. I'm not particularly interested in narrow gage, but our club has a small narrow gage loop that I invested some time in this past year. I saw a couple of the K-27 on EBAY, one at a somewhat reasonable price, but was discouraged from attempting to bid on one of them due to the issues I mentioned above.
Did you happen to try your K-27 on DCC first, and did it appear to run properly in that mode?
I ask this because a friend of mine bought 8 of those things, and only one is working properly on DCC most of the time. Six of them are back at the LHS to be sent to Blackstone for repair, and the 7th will be packed up and returned shortly.