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Athearn Genesis ES44AC and SD70ACe short / decoder screws up

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  • Member since
    June 2018
  • 80 posts
Athearn Genesis ES44AC and SD70ACe short / decoder screws up
Posted by Pennsy_I1 on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 7:42 PM

Hello,

I own a pair of Athearn Genesis units, an ES44AC (5804) and an SD70ACe (9388), both BNSF. They have Tsunami decoders. For a couple years, both ran better than the prototype. However, after accidentally running through a switch during an operating session, they began to misbehave. (after this I learned my lesson about momentum!) Some days they act normally. Here are some of the issues I encounter, some overlap:

Engines seem to act as if they are on DC (preset horn signals, etc).

Stalling randomly, sometimes one unit and sometimes both.

Headlights flicker at the same time as they momentarily stop.

Idle normally, but short once I open the throttle.

Temporary loss of control (including in a yard, this causes derailments).

 

They act normally on test tracks. Only changes are momentum (now back to zero), speed matching, horn, and bell. I did factory resets several times. Any way to fix these problems without changing the decoder?

 

Thanks,

 

 

Victoria Cyunczyk

 

 

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 8:04 PM

Try a decoder reset.

Mike.

  • Member since
    June 2018
  • 80 posts
Posted by Pennsy_I1 on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 8:07 PM

mbinsewi

Try a decoder reset.

Mike.

 

Is this separate from a factory reset?

  • Member since
    January 2011
  • 893 posts
Posted by PennCentral99 on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 8:17 PM

Resetting the decoder will put it back to factory settings. After you do that, change CV's to disable analog and only run in DCC. I don't have my manual within arms reach, so I can't tell you exactly which one(s).

Terry

Inspired by Addiction

See more on my YouTube Channel

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 8:18 PM

The same, resetting a decoder sets it back to it's original defaults,  and settings.

Mike.

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