I'm going to take up Steve's offer and exchange my current Loksound decoder for another Loksound V3.5. And, since the speaker doesn't work, I think I'll probably include that also along with the decoder, when I send it in. (For any edification it might be to Steve.)
When I removed the decoder from the tender, I did inspect it visually through the plastic wrap that encases the decoder. Unless it's a bad component, I didn't see anything glaringly wrong.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I had the same problem in a PCM F3, (locksound V3.5 and 3 speakers), and twice as you. And them I discovered the problem: it was in the decoder itself, a loose soldering. I resoldered it, and problem fixed!!!. Get a great magnifying glasss.
Again Tom, same thing he did for me. He down loaded the Big Boy sound file to Terry's old decoder for free, then sent it back. I could not get the lights to work. Called Steve for help, tried what he said to no avail. So he sent me another while I still had the old one!
Ken
I hate Rust
UPDATE: Well, I tested the old 100 Ohm speaker with a digital multimeter this evening. I also tested a new one, as a comparison.
The new speaker read 93.5 - 94.0 Ohms. (I'm assuming that there are ohm tolerance ranges with speakers?) The old speaker, however, read "OL" (open circuit). So, it appears that the Loksound decoder is faulty and is frying the speakers; albeit slowly.
Steve @ Ulrich Models has offered to exchange a new V3.5 decoder for my current one. He said that the decoder "can be replaced under warranty" and that he can send it back if it's bad. If Steve's willing to do that, even though I bought it from another vendor, he's got my business. That's going above and beyond.
Tom, you are more than welcome. Pretty much the same story I had with sending free parts.
Far as the Big Boy with the QSI Revolution, not impressed. But it maybe the speaker in the Trix. My PCM Big Boy has two speakers and speaker enclosures that are pretty good sizes. They would not fit in a Heavy Mike. If you remember Terry from Texas gave me his Loksound 3.5 from his Allegheny because it sounded bad. He all so sent the speaker, speaker had a very short throw.
If you went with the QSI, you would have more types of speakers to choose from.
Glad I was of some help, Ken
i'd be looking at a bad decoder too, perhaps with a bad joint that gives a high resistance that gets 'hot' after a few minutes?? see how hot the actual decoder gets during operation and see if the sound goes as heat arrives??
Well, Ken - I had to wait an entire 18 min. and 37 sec. for Steve to reply back to me. (I was only going to give him a total of 20 minutes before looking for someone else. LOL!) Anyhow, here's what Steve wrote back:
Well Tom,
This is a bit of a strange one. I have not encountered this before though anything is possible with electronic circuits. I have also never heard of a Loksound speaker failing much less two of them. The audio power of the the 3.5 decoder is not sufficient to fry the 1" speaker. You need to verify that the speaker is not bad to go further. I can send you another speaker and you can try it. Send the old one to me and let me test it. No charge for this. Then depending on the results, we can replace the decoder or not. The decoder can be replaced under warranty. I will send it back to ESU if it is bad.The last thing you probably want to consider is another decoder swap. However, just as an FYI. Take a look at this.
QSI Revolution in TRIX Big Boy
Link to YouTube VideoSteveI've already replied back to Steve and performed the factory reset. Everything reset as expected: Lights and motor work fine...but no sound*.
[*Background: I did have sound again briefly before performing the decoder reset this evening. I fired up the Trix Mike again and the ambient or background noise came on. Instead of moving the locomotive, I pressed F1 and engaged the bell. The bell started out fine for a ~5 seconds...then the sound decayed for another ~5 seconds before returning again to normal. I probably let the bell ring for another ~10-15 seconds before turning it off. I then pressed F2 to engage the whistle. The whistle only lasted one blast then the sound completely conked out altogether. Light and motor function remained unchanged.]
I also checked and found out that I do have (2) brand new 100 Ohm speakers here at home that I can swap out for the troublesome speaker. However, I think it would be a wise idea to test the current onboard speaker to find out if it really is the problem or not. Gut feeling is leaning towards a bad decoder.
I'll continue to keep you all posted on this. Ken, thanks again for recommending Steve. I'm impressed already.
Thanks, Ken. I just sent the following e-mail to Ulrich Models:
tstageUPDATE: I turned the layout on after lunch today. For a brief time, the background or ambient sound surprisingly powered up on the Trix Mike like normal. However, once I engaged the locomotive, the chuff sound quickly deteriorated and - within a few seconds - disappeared altogether again.
Sound more like a decoder problem than a speaker problem. Onces you blow a speaker coil, the speaker is normally dead. I did have a tweeter that would work for a short time then stop. Coil wire was burnt through, but touched the other side of the wire. Get the meter out and test the speaker would be the first step.
cudakenSteve may be able to down load the 2.0 sound file to the 3.5 decoder.
Ken,
I don't need (nor prefer) to do that because I still have the old V2.0 decoder. And the V2.0 decoder has a few sound shortcomings that were rectified in V3.5 that I'd like to keep - if possible - with the newer decoder. I was merely commenting that the older version was louder and that I had never experienced a blown speaker with it.
UPDATE: I turned the layout on after lunch today. For a brief time, the background or ambient sound surprisingly powered up on the Trix Mike like normal. However, once I engaged the locomotive, the chuff sound quickly deteriorated and - within a few seconds - disappeared altogether again. Pressing F8 made no difference at all after that. And the motor portion of the decoder is unaffected.
Could this particular decoder just have a faulty sound portion to the board that causes it to fry speakers? When I switched out the old speaker for the new speaker back in June, everything has worked just fine since then up till last night.
I may still have a spare 100 Ohm speaker to try out. I could also try bouncing this off Ulruch to get their recommendation.
The other option is to wait for the release of the new Loksound "Select" decoders. They do have two primer mover sounds (#1 Mikado & #3 2-8-2) for their 73414 sound installation package. However, I'd like to hear that before plunking down anymore money for another decoder.
Thanks again for all the help and suggestions...
Tom, Ulrich programs Loksound decoders as well. Steve may be able to down load the 2.0 sound file to the 3.5 decoder.
Chuck,
It's definitely a 100 Ohm speaker. That's the rating for both the V2.0 and V3.5 decoders. I read that the new LokSound "Selector" are supposed to use lower 8 or 16(?) Ohm speakers.
You may be using the wrong impedance speaker. According to ESU's web site their decoders use 100, 16, 32, or 8 Ohm speakers depending on the exact decoder type.
http://www.esu.eu/en/products/accessories/loudspeaker/
cudakenTom, I had a pair of speakers go bad in my Y6-b, but it is pretty loud. BLI replaced them for free and the comment was made that they are pretty cheap speakers. I have now have had it back for two years, run at low volume and had no other problems. If your Trix Mike has the same sizes tender as my BLI Mike, it not loud due to the sizes of the tender. So you may be pushing the sound system more than you think.
Hey Ken,
I won't deny that it's not possible. However, the original V2.0 Loksound chuff is considerably louder than the newer V3.5 and I have yet to have a problem with the other Trix Mike with the older decoder in it.
I would try Ulrich Models, when I added sound to my PCM Big Boy I bought the speakers from them. Steve seems to know what he is talking about. Great customer services as well!
Well, since Bruce's inventory @ Litchfield Station won't be drying up pretty soon, I'll definitely be checking out Ulrich. Thanks for the suggestion and the link, Ken!
Hey David,
In the tender. There's a well on the bottom side that just fits a 28mm (1.1") OD speaker quite nicely. The speaker is also held in place (and sealed) with a 28mm speaker gasket.
I failed to mention that I replaced the original V2.0 Loksound decoder in this Trix Mike for the never V3.5. I also have another Trix Mike with the original V2.0 decoder but have never had any issues with it - or, the original replaced decoder.
As noted previously, the newer V3.5. decoder is generally quieter than the V2.0 decoder - particular, the chuff. And the motor control for either version of the decoder continues to be spectacular.
Tom, I had a pair of speakers go bad in my Y6-b, but it is pretty loud. BLI replaced them for free and the comment was made that they are pretty cheap speakers. I have now have had it back for two years, run at low volume and had no other problems. If your Trix Mike has the same sizes tender as my BLI Mike, it not loud due to the sizes of the tender. So you may be pushing the sound system more than you think.
http://www.ulrichmodels.biz/servlet/StoreFront
One thing I have been thinking about with my Mike is add a set of speakers to a box car and have it plug into the tender.
Cuda Ken
Greetings all,
Has anyone ever had problems with their Loksound V3.5 decoders eating speakers? After a couple of months I had to replace the 100 Ohm speaker in my Trix Mike because it started crackling and eventually died. Now, after ~6 months the replacement 100 Ohm speaker is starting to crackle, too.
I'm trying to identify why this problem is occurring. Could the decoder itself be burning out the speakers?
[small break]
Okay, I just went back downstairs to check out the whistle and bell. The bell sounded okay but the whistle and chuff definitely cause the speaker to crackle. And, after about the 3rd blast of the horn, the speaker has apparently now given up the ghost completely and doesn't work at all. The motor decoder works fine.
This particular decoder isn't very loud so I don't think I'm over driving the speakers. Any help, incite, or hair-brained ideas and/or theories are welcome. Thanks.