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Need Bachmann decoder help - GP30

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  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Eastern Shore Virginia
  • 3,290 posts
Need Bachmann decoder help - GP30
Posted by gandydancer19 on Saturday, July 10, 2010 12:08 PM

 I just bought a Bachmann GP30 with a non sound decoder per-installed by the factory.

I can't seem to be able to find any information on what decoder it is.  It won't read back on the programming track.  (It does work and can be programmed on the main as I changed the address.)

If anyone knows what decoder it is or where I can find a CV listing, I would appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.

Elmer.

The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.

(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Saturday, July 10, 2010 1:05 PM

 It is an el-cheapo ultra-low end decoder made for Bachmann by Lenz. VERY limited in what it can do. It has the basic required CVs from the NMRA standards and little else. The definition should be in JMRI - you can use it to configure CVs even if you don't have an interface to your system. Configure the program for the Loconet Simulator, and you can open the programmer and make all the changes based on the screens. There is an additional page that shows all CV values - the ones highlighted in red are the ones that would need to be changed by your choice of settings. Proceed to program those CVs to the listed values using your system.

                                --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Saturday, July 10, 2010 1:37 PM

 It's a stripped down Lenz decoder and has next to zilch in functions. To get it to read on your program track you will need to attach a 1k resister to the rails of the program track. After that is done you'll be able to read it without a problem. I have two of the Bachmann GP30's and set them up on the program track to run tail to tail.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

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  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada
  • 252 posts
Posted by CNR378 on Saturday, July 10, 2010 6:13 PM

These cheap decoders sometimes don't put out enough current on the track for readback. Putting a 1k resistor across the programming track should fix that and allow readback.

Peter

 

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