Andy,
The PS12 that came with the original PR3, and even the PS14 that comes with the PR3 Xtra, may not be up to the task for some of the more power-hungry sound decoders.
Try a power supply in the 16-18VDC range (it must be DC!) and you should be able to read/write reliably to any sound decoder out there without any kind of programming track booster.
I use an 18VDC regulated power supply with my PR3 and it'll read/write even the old Soundtraxx LC sound decoders with ease (as well as any other brand I've tried it with).
Hey Randy,
Thanks for the reply. To answer your questions; yes it has it's own power supply, it's in standalone mode. I had the powerpax (PP) connected becuase I could never get the Tsunami's to read or right without the PP, that's just my experience. Yes I had the PP disconnected when trying blast mode, programming on the main.
I emailed the DCC guy and he basically suggested the same thing as you, getting the PP out of the loop. I tried it and low and behold the decoder was read/written through decoder pro. I have been absent from the hobby for a few years and never thought of getting the PP out of the way with my past experiences. In fact in the new Tsunami2 manual actually calls out the PP and says to not use one.
One follow up though, I have a BLI RSD-15 that I could program no problems with Decoder Pro the PR3 and PP and now the bugger wont do anything. I tried the PR3 standalone without the PP and no luck, constantly getting 308 errors, everything else seems to work though.
Thanks again for your help.
Andy
Do you have a power supply for your PR3? Try it with the PR3 directly connectesd to the program track in standalone mode - the PR3 read and writes ANYTHING, at least mine does, with no boosters or other junk.
Did you have the PowerPax disconnected when trying Blast Mode?
Have you tried programming on the main? You should be able to reset the decoder that way. If you are not sure of the address, remove all other locos and select address 00 for ops mode, that's a broadcast and will affect all locos on the tracks, like blast mode does.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
All,
Just installed a Tsunami2 PnP in my SD9. Install went well and everything functioned perfectly before and after buttoning the loco up. Went to program the decoder with Decoder pro (Mac), PR3 interface, and a Powerpax booster to a programming track.
The decoder could not be identified by decoder pro (direct byte) which was not suprising. I selected the decoder from the list and started to create the roster entry. The only CV I could get to program was the address, nothing else would program. I have shut down and restarted the computer, the PR3, the Powerpax and reconnected everything numerous times. I restarted decoder pro at least a dozen times. Nothing will get through to the decoder (I even opened a throttle in decoder pro and was able to run the loco with that). I put it back on the main to test it and it responds to the address I set and it operates normally. I tried a blast mode reset with my Zephyr and that was unsuccessful. I tried to reset CV 8 with decoder pro no luck. I can't read CV 15 or 16 to see if it's locked, can't write to them either. Every time I try to write a CV I get a 308 error in decoder pro.
Occasionally the loco will startup then shutdown while the programmer is trying to read or write.
Does anyone have any ideas?
Thanks for your time.