I have about 20 locomotives and all have decoders. They are Lenz, Digitrax and NCE. Those are all pretty straight forward for 4 digit loco address programming. This is my first TCS decoder.
I am trying to program the 4 digit loco address and it does not want to take... or maybe it is taking and I'm just not properly enabling the decoder? Outside of programming the loco addresses, I have not yet played with CV'S, so its like a foreign language to me.
Can anyone help me program this decoder...?
N Scale
TCS ASD4 decoder
Programming 4 digit address to #3100
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
-John Collins
DOes it run on address 3? Common issue with N scale decoders it seems is that the motor tabs do not make proper contact when folded over - also make sure the motor tabs are not touching the frame, this will cause a short and possibly blow the decoder. Usually the instuctions mentions using a small piece of kapton ape on the frame at the point the motor tabs fold over to insulate it. If the problem is bad motor contact, it wont program, and probably won't run on address 3, but if address 3 is selected, you will have control of the headlights. If it's shorted, it won't run and you won't be able to control the headlights.
Another issue is that the tabs, or rather solder blobs on the circuit board do not make contact with the frame, thus the decoder gets no power from the track. In that case, it won't run on address 3 and you won't even get the headlights to come on.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Two questions...
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
tstageWhat DCC system are you using?
From the OP's April thread: I use a Digitrax Super Empire Builder with a DB 150 command station.
I'm an NCE guy so, I'm not going to guess how digitax does it.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
If the asker is using a DT series of throttle, and programming in Paged Mode (Digitrax's stated preferred method per their instructions when doing address changes), he should be prompted to programme a short or a long address as soon as he enters Paged Mode. He has to turn the left encoder knob to get long address, then dial up the digit higher than 126, then press 'enter'. When he presses enter, the system should beep, and he should see a prompt on the display for long address 'y or no', or something like that. He presses 'y', the system beeps, the locomotive shudders, and the TRACK GOES DEAD. This is a critical step.
He must then restore track power using the proper technique for the DT throttles, acquire the new address on his display and assign it to a throttle encoder, and when he clicks the encoder he should get the newly-addressed decoder responding.
Hello, I use a Digitrax system. Yes, the locomotive operates on factory default 03... with lights, direction and everything. I have programmed all of my other locos to 4 digit addresses, so yes, I am in paged mode and activate for all addresses over 126. I ask about CV's because the decoder manual says I have to enable it in CV 29. (See Below)
20190826_165843 by John Collins, on Flickr
This is where I get lost. none of the other brands of decoders ask for thisand I yet do not really speak the programming language of CV. I have tried with no success. I preformed a factory reset to get everything back to the default address of 03, where it operates just fine, but I would like it to have the properly assigned road number. Does anyone know how to decipher these instructions? What values do I have to assign to what CV's to give this loco an address of #3100?
Thanks again for any assistance in advance.
irishRR I ask about CV's because the decoder manual says I have to enable it in CV 29. (See Below) This is where I get lost. none of the other brands of decoders ask for this and I yet do not really speak the programming language of CV
Remember when you could buy a car and having a radio was an option as was AC. Think of CV 29 is the option package. You pick what you want, add it all up and that is the value you need to program for the CV.
You probably want 28/128 speed steps ( add 2) and a 4 digit address (add 32)
2+32 = 32 that's what you need to program CV 29.
Page 83-84 of the manual describes how to change to a long address. It looks like, as in the NCE Power Cab, that you tell it to what long address to use, but you don't have to actually monkey with CV 29
http://www.digitrax.com/media/apps/products/starter-sets/sebx/documents/SuperEmpireBuilderXtra_2.pdf
What address are you trying to make it? Digitrax programs CV29 for you automatically, you don't have to calculate or do anything special.
If the address is 128 or higher, the throttle will prompt AD4=?, press Y. If the address is 127 or less, press N.
BigDaddyYou probably want 28/128 speed steps ( add 2) and a 4 digit address (add 32) 2+32 = 32 that's what you need to program CV 29.
Hmmmmm...Maybe you're using the new math, Henry...but I get "34".
Yeah new math. Home schooling isn't all it's cracked up to be.
No big deal, Henry. We knew what you meant.
Thank you all. You were correct. CV as a value of 34 made everything work with the 4 digit loco address. I look forward to playing with the CV values to increase the realistic operation of the engines... but it's pretty intimidating. Thanks again for all the help everyone.