John-NYBW BigDaddy John-NYBW I didn't use insulating tape to prevent contact with the metal housing of the motor. The problem with starting multiple threads on the same issue, is that some of us forgot exactly what you said in the first thread. You can always change the title of your thread to make it more up to date. I remember someone recommended Kapton tape. If the decoder is in direct contact with the frame, I wouldn't keep trying to make it run until that was fixed. I started a new thread because the original one hadn't gotten any replies for several days. I am about 90% certain the problem is not direct contact with the frame but with the metal housing of the motor which is in contact with the frame. The housing is part plastic and part metal. The metal strips which are used as contacts for the motor wrap against the plastic part giving them insulation. With the stiff wire, I belief these were pulled out of place and against the metal housing when I snapped the shell on. If I redo the installation when I get 30 AWG wire delivered, I will make sure those contact strips get pushed back into place and insulation tape placed around the metal housing to avoid unwanted electrical contact. This assumes of course that the decoder has not been permanently damaged.
BigDaddy John-NYBW I didn't use insulating tape to prevent contact with the metal housing of the motor. The problem with starting multiple threads on the same issue, is that some of us forgot exactly what you said in the first thread. You can always change the title of your thread to make it more up to date. I remember someone recommended Kapton tape. If the decoder is in direct contact with the frame, I wouldn't keep trying to make it run until that was fixed.
John-NYBW I didn't use insulating tape to prevent contact with the metal housing of the motor.
The problem with starting multiple threads on the same issue, is that some of us forgot exactly what you said in the first thread. You can always change the title of your thread to make it more up to date.
I remember someone recommended Kapton tape. If the decoder is in direct contact with the frame, I wouldn't keep trying to make it run until that was fixed.
I started a new thread because the original one hadn't gotten any replies for several days.
I am about 90% certain the problem is not direct contact with the frame but with the metal housing of the motor which is in contact with the frame. The housing is part plastic and part metal. The metal strips which are used as contacts for the motor wrap against the plastic part giving them insulation. With the stiff wire, I belief these were pulled out of place and against the metal housing when I snapped the shell on. If I redo the installation when I get 30 AWG wire delivered, I will make sure those contact strips get pushed back into place and insulation tape placed around the metal housing to avoid unwanted electrical contact. This assumes of course that the decoder has not been permanently damaged.
John,
It's always best to keep updates to a thread in the same thread. That way the responses are all together in ONE place. If there are two (or more) updates in totally separate threads then those can quickly become separated from one another and you might end up answering the EXACT same questions in each thread.
As Henry pointed out, all the information stays together for reference and folks can follow the progression from start-to-finish. If you have an update just add that at the end of your subject line - e.g. "Botched a decoder installation - UPDATE".
Thanks,
Tom
P.S. I just added clickable links at the end of the first thread and the beginning of this one for cross-reference purposes. The previous thread is now locked so that no one else can add to it.]
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Your DCC controller should tell you in the program track if there is an issue. My NCE Power Cab did that for me when I reversed the orange and red decoder leads because of poor lighting. The program track saved me. First thing I always do with a decoder install.
Since you seem to be new with DCC, be careful. Do not make assumptions.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Hello All,
If you are getting a signal to the decoder try a reset.
To do this you need to go into the programming mode of your system.
Go to CV 8 and put in a "value" of 8 and hit program. This is according to the ESU "Loksound Quick Start Guides" on the downloads page.
If all goes well this will reset the decoder to the factory parameters and an address of 3. All previous settings will be lost.
Then, test the loco under address 3. Hopefully this will work.
When the new wire arrives (and possibly a new solder station) clean up your installation and re-test under address 3.
Then address and test again.
Hopefully this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
It might have an internal circuit breaker or temperature sensor.
I would pull it and check all the connections carefully with an Optivisor or at least on the loco.
When I started with DCC, I built a decoder tester with an extra can motor that had a flywheel on it. About 200 ma current. Green LED and red LED with 1k resistors. I used flea clips to connect instead of alligator clips. Very little metal showing. Miniature clips. Sold online. Good to conect to IC's. Below is what they look like.
https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Test-Leads-Length-Mini/dp/B00MMJBZ6U
I hope you get a good soldering station.
All I and others use is #30 wire and Kapton
I detailed in another thread how I thought I had destroyed a new Loksound 5 58821 decoder due to a poor soldering job. I just discovered it is not completely dead as it appeared a few nights ago. With the shell off I put it back on the track and suddenly it lurched forward a few inches before quitting again. I tried this several more times, taking it off the track, putting it back on, and applying power. I could get it to run for several seconds before it would quit again.
What I am wondering is whether these decoders have an internal circuit breaker. If the short still exists, it might run for several seconds before the circuit breaker shut it down, if in fact there is such a circuit breaker. I'm wondering if I completely remove it and then apply the lessons I learned and resoldered it if it might still be serviceable. I used the wrong gauge wire, I got excess solder on the tabs, and I didn't use insulating tape to prevent contact with the metal housing of the motor. All of these combined evidently lead to a short. If I correct these errors and reinstall it, I'm hoping I can save this decoder. It will have to wait until the 30 AWG wire arrives from Amazon which is supposed to happen this week.
Can anyone who understands these decoders better than I weigh in on this?
[Previous thread on topic can be found here: http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/t/281831.aspx - Moderator]