After waiting over 3 months for word about this return.....I find out that my DCC System, Digitrax, dosen't always "play well" with Bachmann decoders. I was given CV changes to be made when it's returned. Has anyone else had this problem? I've searched every forum that I belong to and have seen no mention of this.
Was a little upset to say the least......BI didn't even offer to change the CV's while they had it. I've had other items returned to BI and have always had very good service.
Oh....for those that may encounter a "balky" Climax, the CV changes are:
CV30 change to 2
CV8 change to 8
Those are CV's to reset the decoder.
Try putting a 1k resistor across the tracks.
Peter
I wasn't paying too much attention when I was given this over the phone......not much use to clear up the problem. The engine ran like crap right out of the box. Never fooled with reprogramming just packed it up and sent it off. $325.00 ummmmmmmm.....screwed?????
It,s not your DCC system that's at fault here. It is the Bachmann decoder. The best solution I have found is to swap out the decoder. Even after taking out the capasitor the Bachmann decoders make the motors have a grouling noise. And slow speed is unbearable. Once a decent decoder like a TCS is installed the grouling goes away and operation at slower speeds is like night and day compared to a Bachmann decoder. It is unfortunate they make nice locomotives with such crappy electronics in them. Unless of course it is a sound version they run pretty good.
Truck.
Unfortunatly I have the DCC/Sound unit. It's hard to believe that with a MSRP of $500+ they can't seem to get their electronics operating. Not sure I will buy another BI product........This purchase was just for fun. My layout is a mid 50's switching point to point. Even getting this @ a pre-order price of $270 I still feel screwed.
The Bachmann on board DCC is a well know issue. Right now the Climax with Tsunami sound, a much better decoder is $299.95. Bachmann sells with the low end Lenz non-sound and much better Tsunami.
You have to improve your search capabilities. Many do not take enough time searching. Do a Google search for spectrum on board DCC.
Do a search for spectrum climax tsunami sound. Micro Mark has them.
There is also a Bachmann forum.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Two things to do with Bachmann DCC On-Board locos:
One, remove the decoder and repalce with a decoder made in this century. Yes, the cheap low end Lenz decoder they use (so low end Lenz themselves won't even sell it under their name any more) is something that feature-wise might have been acceptable int he early days of DCC but it is hopelessly outdated by todays standard. And Bachmann has the gall to charge I think $19.95 for one if you want to use one in a loco that came with no decoder. A $12 NCE D13SRJ is superior to that Bachmann thing in every way.
Two, remove the useless capacitors they put parallel to the motor. Supposedly this is for RF supression, but I've never had a problem with my trains interfering with my TV or radio. What it DOES accomplish quite well is that it interferes with the decoder's motor drive signal, resulting in rough running. Some higher end DC control systems also use a similar pulse width modulation motor drive and the Bachmann locos run horribly on those systems as well until the capacitors are removed. The design varies form loco to loco but they are always parallel across the motor leads.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
richg1998 The Bachmann on board DCC is a well know issue. Right now the Climax with Tsunami sound, a much better decoder is $299.95. Bachmann sells with the low end Lenz non-sound and much better Tsunami. You have to improve your search capabilities. Many do not take enough time searching. Do a Google search for spectrum on board DCC. Do a search for spectrum climax tsunami sound. Micro Mark has them. There is also a Bachmann forum. Rich
My original post said nothing about wanting to replace this, just what I was told by BI's customer service about the engine I returned to them for warranty repair..
I have the latest unit. I pre-ordered it from HOGTRAINZ last year. It is BI model # 82391 and I paid $269.00. MSRP is $535. It has the Soundtraxx/Tsunami decoder.
I did do a Google search, found 2540 replies. Not one of these mentioned anything about the engine having problems with a Digitrax DCC system as reported by customer service at BI on this past Friday.
Yes I have been on the BI forum. That's where I was told to return the engine by the forum moderator.
Some of us actually know how to use the internet.
OK, my message got posted just after your previous message so did not see the full information. Did not have time to check the thread.
Next time, post ALL the info in the first message as it helps people here to have all the correct info th help diagnose your issue.
I have a new Spectrum 4-6-0 with Tsunami and a very good sound loco.
Patience is required when learning and running DCC.
They may be telling you to do a reset when you get it to clear any issues from shipping. Packages can be x-rayed or other for security reasons. It can scramble the decoder. A good reset is always a good thing on something new.
Springfield PA
Hamltnblue They may be telling you to do a reset when you get it to clear any issues from shipping. Packages can be x-rayed or other for security reasons. It can scramble the decoder. A good reset is always a good thing on something new.
So...from what your saying.....every DCC equipped engine should be reset after it has been received? I have 27 DCC/Sound engines and in 45 years of MR have never heard that one.....
What CS told me about the CV/operating issues is what the Tech told her as we were on the phone discussing what had happened in the 3+ months that my engine sat in their shop LOST.
MOAVBILLY Hamltnblue: They may be telling you to do a reset when you get it to clear any issues from shipping. Packages can be x-rayed or other for security reasons. It can scramble the decoder. A good reset is always a good thing on something new. So...from what your saying.....every DCC equipped engine should be reset after it has been received? I have 27 DCC/Sound engines and in 45 years of MR have never heard that one..... What CS told me about the CV/operating issues is what the Tech told her as we were on the phone discussing what had happened in the 3+ months that my engine sat in their shop LOST.
Hamltnblue: They may be telling you to do a reset when you get it to clear any issues from shipping. Packages can be x-rayed or other for security reasons. It can scramble the decoder. A good reset is always a good thing on something new.
I once had a problem with a Bachmann OEM Tsunami, it was in a 4-6-0. It was erratic and many functions wasn´t remapping as they should. I called the good people at Soundtraxx, and they told me to set CV30 to 0! I did and it was a totally different engine after that.
Sure, it still required the usual run-in time, but it was a big difference in the performance.
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I generally reset any new decoder isntalls as a matter of habit. Not every decoder is subject to a full test during the manufacturing process - statistical quality methods are used. If you happen to get one of the ones that was the test subject, it could very well be in some scrambled state. If it was onthe wrong side of the packing crate when it got xrayed, it could have a scrambled bit. If it was running fine but derailed and caused a short, it could have a scrambled bit.
SOP for a misbehaving decoder is to do a reset. If that doesn't cure it then there is a more serious problem and it should be sent in for repair or replacement. But at least try a reset first. It fixes many problems.
rrinker I generally reset any new decoder isntalls as a matter of habit. Not every decoder is subject to a full test during the manufacturing process - statistical quality methods are used. If you happen to get one of the ones that was the test subject, it could very well be in some scrambled state. If it was onthe wrong side of the packing crate when it got xrayed, it could have a scrambled bit. If it was running fine but derailed and caused a short, it could have a scrambled bit. SOP for a misbehaving decoder is to do a reset. If that doesn't cure it then there is a more serious problem and it should be sent in for repair or replacement. But at least try a reset first. It fixes many problems. --Randy
I returned this engine because of a mechanical problem not a decoder problem.....that's why I'm so upset with BI. They have given me all kinds of diagnoses.....even tried to swap this HO scale engine with an On3.....then tried to swap it with a non sound climax. After finally getting someone to actually communicate with me on the phone did I find out they had lost my engine. Then when they found it is when the comments about Digitrax not working with BI decoders although this is the latest DCC/Sound with SoundTraxx/Tsunami. This has not been a good experince.....I originally told CS to just send it back.....I now have requested them replace it with a new one. I'm still not 100% sure they are talking about the engine I sent back.
What sort of 'mechanical problems'? Rough motor operation isn;t necessarily a mechanical problem - it's the cheap junky decoder and the capacitors. If your problems are thigns liek poor slow speed oepration, or balky operation like it's loosing power yet the headlight doesn;t blink, menaing the power pickup is workign just fine - it;s the cheap junky decoder and the capacitors. Even sound versions with the Tsunami decoder have a problem with the capacitors, not only do they interfere with with signal TO the motor, the Tsunami also has BEMF for much better motor control, and the capcitors interfere with that as well, preventing the loco from living up to the potential of the components.
I'd be really surprised if Bachmann would tel you anythign about the capacitors. But the issue IS well known at least on boards other than Bachmann's own. They claim the capacitors are eeded for RF interference supression, so they themselves will never tell you to cut them out. Heck, the ones on my 44-tonner csued a dead short as soon as I placed it on DCC track before putting in a decoder - first loco I've had that did that. When I installed a decoder I clipped them off, no problem. Bachmann isn't completely alone - the first run (at least) of the Atlas Gensets have some large capacitor, too big to be used for RF supression, across the motor which has caused a lot of problems. I don;t think anyone ever supplied a definitive answer as to why they did something so silly.We all had guesses based on the circuit schematic, but that's about it.
UPDATE 4/28/11
Finally received a replacement engine from BI for the one I sent back in January.
Played with it a couple of hours last night. Tweaked a couple of CV's and now have a very sweet running locomotive. It still is a little "tight" but with a little more run time I hope to have a smooth runner at speed step 1, and yes I did a factory reset as suggested earlier before doing anything.
If it hadn't been for Laura at BI I'm not sure I would have ever gotten this straighten out. She went above and beyond the call of duty to track down my engine and then expedite getting it returned to me.
As far as the problem with Digitrax control systems, it seems that "some" of the Zephyr units have had an issue communicating with the new model of the 3 truck Climax. A note is now included with the loco that explains what to do.
I'm back being a Bachmann advocate.....
I am glad I came across your message and comment concerning the Bachmann 4-6-0. I just change cv 30 on this engine from 4 to 0. It totally change the engine from a jerky mess into a smooth running engine.
You would think this would come from the factory as the default. Thank you for forwarding the information. I would have never thought to talk to Soundtraxx, but would have assumed this was a electo-mechanical problem with the engine and tender pick ups.
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