Tsunami, Zephyr, PR3 and Decoder Pro

[Birdog]

Here is the problem:
Recently installed a TSU-750 in my HO scale Bachmann Shay.
Installation went well and decoder tested fine after installation.

Moved to programming with Decoder Pro, a Digitrax PR3 and my Zephyr.
(I have had trouble using the PR3 standalone to program Tsunami's 
in  the past. I have a Climax with a TSU-750 that was a bear. My  
solution was to hook my Zephyr up with the PR3 acting as an computer 
interface and I was finally able to program my Climax.)
At the start the programming went well (I used Decoder Pro in the  
Ops mode and "comprehensive programmer" setting) and I was able to  
program the decoder fully except for the address, which remained 03. 
The motor would pulse at every CV change.

I tested it out and needed to tweak a few things so back to the  
computer I went. The decoder now would not program in the Decoder  
Pro "Ops mode", "Comprehensive programmer" setting so I switched it  
to the "Advanced programmer" and now it would program fully except  
for the address. Again, motor pulses after every CV change. After I  
was finished with this I thought I would try to program the address  
using the Zephyr directly without the PR3 and computer. It would not 
program a new address in any mode. I tried OPS, PAGE, etc. After  
trying in DIR I received a DND message which means it could not  
recognize a decoder at all.
I have now tried repeatedly to program it with the PR3 and Zephyr in
many configurations as well as the Zephyr by itself with no 
success.  I have restarted my computer, reset all connections, etc. 
etc. all  to no avail.
I reset the decoder and started over and now nothing will work.
Can't program anything. The reset worked as advertised in the Soundtraxx manual but I can't program any cv's.
I followed the instructions to reset just the address understanding that with the Zephyr in Ops mode you can only program the 4 digit if the 2 digit is primary and vice versa.
I really want the use of decoder pro, it makes it so much easier.
Do I need a booster somehow hooked up with the PR3 and computer?

I did send this same e-mail to Soundtraxx directly and did not get much back for information. Essentially they told me the 4 digit v. 2 digit programming with Ops mode deal. I just need more insight.

I'm getting pretty frustrated so any help would be appreciated.

Birdog

[rrinker]

 Try programming in Ops Mode - no booster needed. You can't read back, but you can set the long address if the decoder is still on the default of 3, or some other short address. If you want to program a new short address (less than 128), you'll have to set a 'dummy' long address then program the desired short address. The automatic programming from the Zephyr might not set CV29, but if you do it through DecoderPro it should handle everything. Just make sure no other locos are on the track using the same address or they will also be programmed.

                                    --Randy

 

[Birdog]

Randy, Thanks for the time. I have tried repeatedly to program in ops mode. Some things work, I changed the whistle for instance but the addy just won't budge. On top of everything the decoder is now completely unresponsive to decoder pro so I have taken it out of the equation and moved to straight Zephyr Ops mode programming.. I tried to program the 4 digit addy in ops mode with my Zephyr and the motor pulsed, and I thought I was in. But when I selected that addy no luck, ever. I followed the Soundtraxx instructions exactly and the decoder just won't respond. I assume that cv 29 is changed when you program the 4 digit, to make that primary no? But just to make sure I changed cv 29 per the Sndtrx instruction. Again no luck. Ops mode, addy4, write, motor pulse, exit, try to select, no response,pound head on wall, repeat. 03 was the only thing that worked. Ahhhhhhhhh!

[CSX Robert]

Birdog

...I tried to program the 4 digit addy in ops mode with my Zephyr and the motor pulsed...

Did the motor pulse three times or just once? From my experience, there seems to be a bug in the 4 digit address programming function of the Zephyr's throttle and it does not do all three writes necessary to write and enable a 4 digit address. Try programming CV17, CV18, and CV29 (make sure you do them in that order) separately. There is a CV17 and CV 18 calculator here and a CV29 lookup table here.

[Birdog]

Robert, 

Thanks fo the reply. 

I would only get one motor pulse, whether I was at the computer using Decoder Pro or the Zephyr stand alone.

I'll give that a try. I still want to get the thing to program with my computer and decoder pro. Any ideas there?

Birdog

[Birdog]

Robert,

I tried your idea this morning and I was able to change the addy to 4 digit and then to a 2 digit using Ops mode and the Zephyr. I then moved to the computer just to see if it now would work with decoder pro and amazingly it worked. Not really sure why but it did and I reprogrammed the whole glorious thing but only in advanced mode not comprehensive.

However I do have one glitch. The loco direction seems to be reversed and the opposite light comes on. I.e. when in reverse the headlight comes on and vice versa. I changed it in decoder pro to be reversed of normal and that fixed it on the throttle but the light is still messed up. I changed CV 29 directly per the soundtraxx table and I have the same result, forward with backup light and reverse with headlight.

Anyone have any ideas with that one?

Birdog

[rrinker]

 You can do Ops Mode in DecoderPro as well, and since it individually sends the CV values instead of using the 'automatic' CV29 feature of the Zephyr, it should work fine. And since you work from the roster entry in DecoderPro the values you select will be saved in the database.

                                         --Randy

[Birdog]

Randy,

I initially was successful in Ops mode in DP but then it would not work. I tried everything along the lines of reconnecting, rebooting the Zephyr, PR3, computer, unplugging replugging, switching DP between PR3 standalone and Zephyr interface and nothing seemed to work. I tried Ops mode this morning and it failed, I switched to Advanced and it worked, I don't know why, but it worked today. Not sure if you saw the earlier post from Robert but his tip worked and I was able to set a psuedo 4 digit then go to the 2 digit I wanted. I fly an airplane that is very dependent on clean electric power and there are many times that we can't figure out what is wrong with our systems and a restart or cold reboot fixes the gremlins.

Again thanks for your time.

Birdog

[CSX Robert]

Birdog

...The loco direction seems to be reversed and the opposite light comes on. I.e. when in reverse the headlight comes on and vice versa. I changed it in decoder pro to be reversed of normal and that fixed it on the throttle but the light is still messed up...

It sounds like you have got the motor leads swapped when installing the decoder. To get the functions to match the motor direction, you will have to remap F0F and F0R (F0 forward and reverse). I believe programming CV33 to 2 and CV34 to 1 will accomplish that.

[Birdog]

Thanks for the tip I'll give it a whirl....

[wjstix]

I have two Tsunami-equipped engines, both programmed fine just using my Zephyr in Page mode on a programming track, including address. Have you tried that??

[Birdog]

As mentioned above I have tried everything. My Zephyr has never been able to program the TSU's in Page mode. I come back and try occasionally just to see, however nothing but OPS mode works for me. Most times I get a DND message or I will program and it seems like the change took but when I try to change another CV I get a  flashing "busy" message. I can program my BLI RSD-15, Thomas the Tank, and Roundhouse 2-6-0 w/sound in page mode. However my TSU's (3 of them) and Paragon 2-8-2 w/ QSI won't go.

I'm not a fan of fat fingering CV's that's why I really like Decoder Pro. My PR3 will not work standalone with Decoder Pro to program the TSU's. I have tried numerous times. It will program some CV's but not others. And when you try to open a throttle to test the change that has really screwed up the decoder. I have reset them several times as a result. The best method I have found is using Decoder Pro run through the PR3 and Zephyr.

Birdog

[rrinker]

 What power supply are you using with the PR3 when usign the standalone mode? The original PS12 is too low a voltage, and even the newer PS14 is marginal. Others have had good results using power supplies that put out as much as 18 volts. 20 or 22 volts is the absolute maximum for the PR3, so 18 isn't overstressing it in any way.

                                   --Randy

 

[Birdog]

Randy,

The power supply was ordered when I purchased the PR3 a few years ago. I bought them from Litchfield and it is a 12 volt. I really never thought of a bigger power supply but that would be a fantastic fix to the standalone programming issue. I could then leave my Zephyr in place and not have to continually transfer it back and forth.

Cheers!

Birdog