Zephyr memory help?

[Cobb]

My Zephyr is acting very strange. When I do a power up/down, the speed steps are changed on the Zephyr for some of the locos it was suppose to remember. It also will lose memory of the Mu's I have set. I have reset using option 36c numerous times but the problem still exist. I have had the Zephyr for over 2 years but I am just now noticing the problem. I have only used it to program decoders and run back and forth until lately because I now have a basement and am starting to dive much deeper into programing and running the trains. It could have had the problem all along and I wouldn't have noticed it but I do remember it doing strange things in the past and I had always just blamed the decoders and wound up resetting the decoders. Has anyone had this problem, heard of it, know if digitrax can fix it etc.. I didn't see the Zephyr listed on the out of warranty price list on their website. Does the Zephyr have a battery to keep memory? The only thing I have found so far is an annoying youtube video listing the memory problem under zephyr memory problem.

[simon1966]

The Zephyr is a DCS50 so it does show up in the repair cost listing

DCS series

$35.00

US$41.00

 $35 is the cost to repair including return shipping in the US.

 I do not believe that the Zephyr has a back up battery inside for retaining memory.  The DCS100 for the Super-Chief does for sure, but I don't think that the Z does.

I have a Z but have never experienced what you are describing.

 

With regard to the speed step issue, are you actually status editing speed steps in the Zephyr or are you changing speed steps in the decoders? http://tsd.digitrax.com/index.php?a=360  is there a particular reason you don't want to use 128 speed steps (the factory default)?

[rrinker]

 Only the DCS100/200 has a battery, the Zephyr and DB150 do not use batteries internally. I can guarantee the Zephyr has no battery - always curious, I've opened mine up to look inside.

 OpSw 36 only clears the loco 'slots', try doing an OpSw39 reset which will restore the entire system to factory default settings.

                                          --Randy

 

[wjstix]

I don't remember any settings on my Zephyr relating to speed steps, other than using it to set the speed steps on a decoder when programming it (i.e. CV 29 generally). AFAIK the Zephyr reads the speed step setting encoded on the decoder, it doesn't "remember" them from the last time you used that engine??

However, it should retain any M.U. that you set up until you either remove the M.U. or do a clear / reset of the whole Z. Of course, be sure you're remembering which engine was the lead engine in the M.U.

[CSX Robert]

wjstix

I don't remember any settings on my Zephyr relating to speed steps, other than using it to set the speed steps on a decoder when programming it (i.e. CV 29 generally). AFAIK the Zephyr reads the speed step setting encoded on the decoder, it doesn't "remember" them from the last time you used that engine??

The Zephyr does not read the speed step setting from the decoder. It normally defaults to 128 speed steps and if you want to send 14 or 28 speed step commands you have to hit the "STEPS" button to change it.

[Cobb]

Thanks for the help. I didn't notice or think to look under DCS in the repair list. I also closed option 39 but the problem still exist. I just mu 3 locos then did an unplug and the zephyr lost the mu information, and changed the speed steps under the zephyr steps setting for each of the 3 locos to stri, and s 28. It looks like I need to contact digitrax and see about getting her fixed. This will be the second item I have had to send to a manufacture this month. On a different note, the green display has always had a faint flicker to it like it doesn't get enough power, has a bad lcd, or loose connections. I had planned to get a computer hookup, and throttle and eventually getting the chief but will now need to wait since will be spending $ on shipping/repairs. I wonder if I only used the Zephyr as a booster and got the chief, then the problem would not be noticeable.

[rrinker]

 Be sure to send the PS315 back along witht he Zephyr - it could be the power supply is bad rather than the Zephyr itself. When you hit the track power button to turn off track power, what does the display say? It should show Po10, Po11, or Po12. Po12 is actually the older version, and you may need an update. Random switching to different speed step modes means something is a bit off - especially if it's switching to Trinary (stri) which is almost never used (Maerklin Digital stuff used that protocol).

                                          --Randy