Zephyr has a fixed output voltage of about 12.5 volts.
You might want to check this, make sure address 00 is not in use and that it has been fully stopped. Use a meter to check DC voltage between the rail A and ground pins, and the rail B and ground pins., They should be almost identical. If way off, double check that address 00 is stopped and dispatched, and if the two voltages are still way off, you have a problem with the Zephyr.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Does the zephyr have a scale voltage setting? I have the Empire Builder which has different voltage settings on a toggle switch. I run my N scale loco's on the HO voltage setting and have been doing so for 5 years with no damage to decoders. I get a much higher speed on that voltage. Maybe your zephyr is on the N scale voltage setting if it has them?
Thanks for the tip. I tried both suggestions. I can't say I really notice any increase in speed. I will keep looking for an answer, and hopefully I will get it sorted out. Still open to any other suggestions if there are some.
The DC loco without a decoder, that's normal. Some run better than others.
COuple of things with the decoder, first, reset it to factory defaults (CV8 = 8) and then run it ont he default address of 3 with absolutel yno additional programming see how it runs then. Make sure F6 is off - F6 defaults on Digitrax decoders to 'switch speed' which cuts everythign in half - top speed, momentum, etc., so with F6 enganged, top speed will only be half of what it normally would be. If you played around witht he Zephyr's ability to limit the top speed even witht he throttle knob cranked all the way open. I'd do a reset of the Zephyr as well - neaar the back of the manual is a listing of Op Switch settings that set up the Zephyr itself. You want OpSw 39, which will completely reset the Zephyr to factory defaults.
Apologies if this is a newbie question. I did do a forum search, but can't seem to find a definitive answer.
Had a small DC set and am planning on building a much larger layout. I purchased a Digitrax Zephyr for when that day comes. I was content to run my older engines on my little oval as a way of entertaining my little boy. I have three or so that run really well. Decided one day to hook the zephyr up just to make sure it worked. I ran one engine through the zepher on DC, address 00. The engine ran maybe half the speed it would ran with my DC pack. I thought maybe this was just a function of running a DC loco through a DCC controller.
Finally got my first decoder, a Digitrax SDH164D, and installed it in an Athearn Genesis 2-8-2. This is a locomotive I had previously been running on DC. The install was easy for a newbie, since the decoder snaps together with an already installed plug. The train runs, but its only about half the speed it was on my old DC powerpack.
I have tried to manually change CVs to give it maximum voltage, and set the zephyr at SP99. Can't seem to change the top speed. I was expecting it to be a bit slower, but not not this slow.
What I am I missing?