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Help with DCC What a

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  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Pa.
  • 3,354 posts
Posted by DigitalGriffin on Wednesday, March 1, 2017 2:27 PM

If the forward headlight is on and you are going backwards, you need to change CV29 to indicate reverse direction.

You need to also inspect the engine itself.  Some RR ran them cab forwards, some ran them cab backwards.   Most railroads stuck a small "F" on the running board frame to indicate "Front"  When your switch is in forward, it should be moving in the direction of the front. (Obviously)

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!

  • Member since
    March 2015
  • 1,358 posts
Posted by SouthPenn on Wednesday, March 1, 2017 1:42 PM

CV29 is the one to change for direction. By changing CV29, your lights will work correctly to.

Check here and scroll down to page 34.

South Penn
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 1, 2017 11:06 AM

Or swap the motor leads.

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,321 posts
Posted by selector on Wednesday, March 1, 2017 10:32 AM

If it's running in reverse under DCC control, you won't be able to change its direction simply by reversing polarity/phase by swapping wires in the outputs.  You need to change a CV to alter the direction of travel.

  • Member since
    February 2017
  • 2 posts
Posted by DaveF7 on Tuesday, February 28, 2017 5:57 PM

Well I cleaned the track a bit.   It did seem to help some.  Now the coded Loco runs but still runs forward on the reverse position. That's not a big deal.  I can just switch the lead wire to the Zephyr unit.   Maybe a God project for the weekend 

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,706 posts
Posted by zstripe on Tuesday, February 28, 2017 5:07 AM

I believe this is the Manual, PDF, give it time to load:

If You need it.

http://www.digitrax.com/static/apps/products/starter-sets/zep/documents/ZephyrManual.pdf

Take Care! Big Smile

Frank

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Monday, February 27, 2017 1:12 PM

 Take a step back and go to the beginning of the instructions. If you bought the Zephyr sed and it didn't come with the instruction manual, you cna download it on the Digitrax site, for the original Zephyr it will be under the retired products section.

 FOlow it exactly. It tells you which wires to hook up where, and has you run a non-DCC loco (you can skip that if you converted all yours) and then has you operate a DCC loco. If you've already programmed an address then use it instead of 3. 

 You may want to try resetting everything. In the back of the Zephyr instructions there is information on how to set OpSw values. You want to close OpSw 39 to do a full reset on the Zephyr itself. To reset a decoder, it depends on what brand they are. For Digitrax decoders, you program CV8 to 8. The main thing this will do is reset the address to 3, so you can put it on the track and select address 3 and it should work normally.

                            --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
    September 2015
  • 34 posts
Posted by Pukka on Monday, February 27, 2017 10:15 AM

A Zephyr has two sets of terminals, one for the main track and the other set for programming on a programming track which is separate from the main track. Were the engines running on the main track when they were still set to "0" for the engine number. The programming track is where the engine road number is set for the engine such as "6798" or something. Read the booklets or find a local DCC nut to help you.

  • Member since
    February 2017
  • 2 posts
Help with DCC What a
Posted by DaveF7 on Sunday, February 26, 2017 11:50 AM

I finally jumped into the world of DCC.  I purchased a Digitrax Zephyr unit to get me started.  I'm having some major issues and I hope somebody can help.   I bought some decoders from Digitrax.   Not sure which ins now.  I've programmed the decoders but something I believe is wrong with the wiring.  I just weird a basic rail a of the track to rail a of Zephyr.   I've programmed my locos.   Now it gets strange.   One of my Locos only moves when the "brake" on the Zephyr is on but, it only moves at 1 speed and does not speed up or slow down with the throttle control.  When I switch to,forward or Backward th Loco,stops.   When I program mynsecond LOCO it won't move at all.   I do have steel wheels in my rolling stock but I have made sure the insulators are on the same side of the truck and when placed on the track all insulators face the same way.   I also,have some cars with steel wheels with plastic axles. Can somebody please tell me what I am doing wrong? 

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