We did find that glitch with the Paragon 2 decoders where certain addresses messed up the 128 speed step packet and the locomotive would only run in the reverse direction.
I really don;t see how this can be the decoder's fault. I don't have any Paragon 2 or 3 locos, but we have a whole fleet of them at the club - following the run of Reading T-1's. I already had 2 of the PCM ones with Loksound decoders so I didn;t buy any of the new ones (don't need smoke, which is about all the new one did that my old one didn't) and we run Digitrax at the club. Digitrax ALWAYS sends 128 speed steps unless you specifically configure a loco address to use 28 - ie, no button presses, you get 128. Some button presses and you can get 28). They've all worked, everyone's that I've seen running. That it actually resets to 28 and goes to 128 when you press the button is still telling me the system itself is resetting because there is no CV in the decoder related to this. I would try a cab reset and a command station reset.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
7j43k rrinker Pushing the 28/128 button (or status editing on Digitrax) doesn't send anything to the decoder. Then how does the decoder know whether to operate with 28 steps or 128? Ed
rrinker Pushing the 28/128 button (or status editing on Digitrax) doesn't send anything to the decoder.
Pushing the 28/128 button (or status editing on Digitrax) doesn't send anything to the decoder.
Then how does the decoder know whether to operate with 28 steps or 128?
Ed
It's a completely different DCC packet that gets sent by the command station. See some of the posts by passenger1955 who has been delving into the NMRA DCC standards.
Just tested the Bachman with the NCE decoder. I turned the system on from the power supply, selected the loco and pressed the 28/128 button on the controller and the loco was in 128 speed step mode. I selected a different loco which removed the Bachman from the controller. Then I shut the power supply. Turned it back on and selected the Bachman loco. When I started to increase throttle it was STILL in 128 mode.
I need to check my other BLI locomotives and the Proto 2000 to see what happens. The NCE Tec was not fond of Quantum decoders either.
Gary
It's definitely not a 0 probability that the battery could be dead afte rjust 6 months - the question is, how long was the battery in NCE's inventory before it got installed int he command station Gary eventually purchased? And it is still possible to get a brand new battery, open it up, and find it is dead or nearly so. Especially if you buy lots of 100 or so as a manufacturer like NCE probably does.
Selector, your DB150 does not have a battery. Only the DCS100 has a backup battery (and the rather rare DCS200, 8 amp version). DB150/200, Zephyrs, and the new command stations and boosters do not have batteries.
And dang it, the NCE tech is even perpetuating the idea that there is somethign in the decoder that changes for 28 and 128 steps. No. Pushing the 28/128 button (or status editing on Digitrax) doesn't send anything to the decoder. Most decoders default to the 28/128 setting in CV29, so if the BLI locos would 'forget' something it would be if you programmed it to 14 steps, it would revert back to 28.
I never leave it on. When I'm done I shut the system power off.
selector I have never used a battery in my system (Digitrax), but could it be the case that one forgets to power off something, even for a few days, and drains the battery?
I have never used a battery in my system (Digitrax), but could it be the case that one forgets to power off something, even for a few days, and drains the battery?
With NCE the purpose of the battery is to retain info stored in the cab (i.e. consist addresses) when the power is off, so I would suspect that battery drain is minimal when the power is on.
rrinker Now I'm wondering if it is stored in the command station or in the cab with NCE.
I'm not an expert, but I'm pretty sure the info is not stored in the cab. When we have our club open houses we have to pass trains along from one operator to another. When I get a train I routinely change the loco's 128 setting to 28 as I pass it along to the next guy.
gdelmoroCould the battery be bad?
It's not a high probability scenario, but it is not a zero probability event either.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Geez, I certainly wouldn't think the battery if it's only 6 months old. I've had issues with my 4 BLI locomotives not retaining momentum settings. I'm sure others have examples too. Let us know what happens with the NCE decoder.
Mike
rrinker I keep trying to say that... There is no CV that controls 29 vs 128, it's all dependent on what the command station sends. All the oother NCE people are saying once they set a given loco address to 128 mode, it stays that way forever. For some reason, this setting is not sticking for Gary's. Now I'm wondering if it is stored in the command station or in the cab with NCE. If it's int he command station, gary may have a dead backup battery so the settings are loost every time he powers off. If it's in the cab - no idea, since a non-radio cab wouldn't have batteries and would turn off when the power is shut down, which should be no different than using the power off option on the radio cabs. That's why I also suggested the test of setting a loco to 128, verifying it was using 128 steps, then selecting a different locoo, leaving it at 28 steps, then going back to the first loco. If nothing was powered off, that first loco should still be using 128 steps. If it's not - there's something definitely goofed up somewhere. If that test works as expected, but then the 128 step setting is lost after the system is shut down - I suspect the battery. --Randy
I keep trying to say that... There is no CV that controls 29 vs 128, it's all dependent on what the command station sends. All the oother NCE people are saying once they set a given loco address to 128 mode, it stays that way forever. For some reason, this setting is not sticking for Gary's. Now I'm wondering if it is stored in the command station or in the cab with NCE. If it's int he command station, gary may have a dead backup battery so the settings are loost every time he powers off. If it's in the cab - no idea, since a non-radio cab wouldn't have batteries and would turn off when the power is shut down, which should be no different than using the power off option on the radio cabs. That's why I also suggested the test of setting a loco to 128, verifying it was using 128 steps, then selecting a different locoo, leaving it at 28 steps, then going back to the first loco. If nothing was powered off, that first loco should still be using 128 steps. If it's not - there's something definitely goofed up somewhere. If that test works as expected, but then the 128 step setting is lost after the system is shut down - I suspect the battery.
My system is NEW (November 2016). Could the battery be bad?
According to the NCE manual there is no setting you have to select 128 on the control. I just talked to Nick at NCE he first said what Randy said the battery or the memory in the command station. Then he said it may be that the loco decoder is too old and doesn't accept 128. When I told him that it was a new 2017 BLI loco he said "Well that doesn't suprise me, BLI is notorious for loosing memory settings." He suggested i try to reset the Control station and if that didn't work it could be a mamory problem in the control station or it's the BLI. When I askede if there was anything could do with the BLI locos (I have 6) he said "Yea, don't buy any more BLI".
I'll try it with my Bachmann that I just installed an NCE decoder in and see what happens.
How about a reset of the cab and command station?
https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/201251979-Reset-Power-Cab-to-factory-defaults
The command station has a back-up battery that needs replacement periodically. NCE suggests an average life span of 5 years, but that can vary depending on usage. Here's a link to their page describing replacement. Would be worth the couple bucks to try it.
https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/204516659-Replacing-the-backup-battery-in-PH-Pro-CS02
SouthPennCV29 does select what speed steps to use.
Not really. The choices are 14 or 28/128. There is nothing about 28 or 128.
This is the digitrax decoder manual. Scroll down to page 34 and you will find a chart that list all the settings for CV29. These settings should work on any decoder.
CV29 does select what speed steps to use.
Yes
gdelmoro Before that I (exp-1) the controller so it is shut off.
So this is a radio ProCab?
There is a battery in the command station to retain settings when the power is off - perhaps yours is dead.
What happens if you say select loco 1, switch to 128 steps. Then park it, select loco 2, run it, then go back to loco 1 - is it still in 128 or do you have to switch to 128 again? Basically, do they go back to 28 steps only when you shut off the system, or every time you select a different loco?
well it seems that everyone went to the train show. I called NCE TS about 6 times between 9a and 11a and they keep saying call back M-F btw 9a and 4p.
Mine doesn't hold the 128. I shut the power supply when I'm done. Before that I (exp-1) the controller so it is shut off. I guess I'll wait to see what they say.
It's the command station or cab. The decoder has no clue on 28 vs 128. It takes whatever packets get sent, either 28 or 128. It DOES have to be programmed to take 14 step packets.
I have the ProCab 5 amp NCE system. I just did a little experiment. I put 2 locos on the track and set them both to run at 128. Then I shut the system down and restarted. Both were still at 128.
Then I set them both at 28 steps and shut down the system and restarted. Both the locos were still at 28.
Then I set one loco at 28 and one at 128, shut down and restarted. The loco at 28 remained at 28, and the other remained at 128.
So far as I can tell either the command station remembers how it last set a particular loco, or the decoder remembers how it was last set.
I plan on calling them today.
tstage Thanks, Gary. I always set me decoders to 128 speed steps when I intially program it. And, IIRC, I only have to press the 28/128 button on the Power Cab once and it remembers it from then on. Tom
Thanks, Gary. I always set me decoders to 128 speed steps when I intially program it. And, IIRC, I only have to press the 28/128 button on the Power Cab once and it remembers it from then on.
Tom
I've got an NCE Power Pro.
It always goes to 128 steps all by itself. I don't have to push any buttons ever.
If I did anything to make that happen, it happened when I first set it up--years ago.
As mentioned above, Randy, once I program CV29 for 128 speed steps, I only have to press the 28/128 button once and not each time I operate the locomotive after I turn the Power Cab on.
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.