Help, Randy, my lights went out!

[selector]

Anyone, really, but I know that Randy is familiar with the Super Empire Builder.

I received my BLI Hudson back from the repair lab, and it worked just fine until I tried to change its address. I had to use the 'end-run' technique when normal IDing won't work (modifying CV 49, 50, and 56, etc) It took the change that way, and now I don't have any lights. Come to think of it, neither does my Soundtrax-equipped LL 0-6-0. I tried the same technique to get its address to change, but I have had no luck on that loco. Still, something has changed on both locos. All other functions seem to work, and the motion control is as per normal.

What have I done?[8]

[rrinker]

Well, are you sure you ONLY keyed in the correct sequences for the address change? Because other options using those offset things changes the way the functions work. And I don't think the Soundtraxx decoders use the exact same index CV's.
If they both don't work, I'm going to assume it's not a loose wire - especially in the BLI since it was just repaired they could have easily forgotten to attach the connector for the headlight when reassembling the loco. That wouldn't explain the Soundtraxx unit though. Also check to see that the light doesn't flicker as you speed up and slow down - maybe you didn't put the correct value in CV29 and it's trying to run with the wrong speed steps. Easiest check - do a reset (you can do it with a CV< or just use the jumper in the tender) and try running it back on address 3 and see if the lights and everything work. If so - in at least one of my other posts I listed the exact programming steps to change the address, although I listed the Zephyr buttons, not the DT400, becauset he person had a Zephyr. Or just tell me what address you are trying to make it and I'll list the steps for you. You only every have to program CV49 once. 50, then 56, then 50 again and the second part of the number in 56. Then program CV29 directly.
I'm kind of suprised the SEB can;t program them directly, since there is no current limited programign track, it should have enough power to program normally. Or at least program the long address and CV29 directly without using the index CV's. If you don't have it, get the full QSI manual version 3 from te QSI website, and look on page 40. Reset the loco and verify it works on address 3, then use page 40 as a guide to calculate the values for CV17 and 18, and program those directly. Finally, program CV29 with 34 and see if it works on the new address (I'm assuming an address higher then 127).

--Randy

[selector]

Thanks, Randy, for getting back to me; I knew you'd come through for me. [:D]

I used Ops Mode on the main, and both locos had lights working before I programmed them. The BLI would not accept an address change the normal way; at least, it did not vocalize it as the QSI handbook said it would. So, I looked at the fine print beneath the normal programming directions and they gave steps for the CVs that I mentioned. When that didn't work, I went on to another fine print instruction that tells the user to Change CV 29 from bit 5 to '0'. (Oh boy, did I mistakenly write in '0' as if it were a setting? Maybe I did. I'll have to check.)

Confusing.

I'll try a hard reset and see if what you have advised works. (sigh).

Thanks, again.

-An ardent fan.

[rrinker]

The verbal feedback ONLY works with Ops Mode programming. It won't talk back when doing regular programming, because usually the programming track does not provide enough current to run the sound system. I've managed to program them on my Zephyr's program track by first turning off the sound under regualr operations, and also making sure I turned off the headlight. But the Ops Mode stuff has also worked fine. I'll bet from your description you have CV29 set wrong. It should be 34 unless you are doing anything with the speed tables - or unless the address you are trying to use is < 127. Bit 5 must be a 1, not 0, for a long address (for Digitrax, anything 128 or higher). Bit 1 is 1 for 28/128 speed steps, 0 for 14. What bit 1 actually controls is just what part of the DCC packet controls the headlights, which is why if it's wrong, the lights will blink on and off as you slowly increase speed - If you send 28/128 speed steps, as all curtrent Digitrax systems do by default, and the loco is set for 14, the lights will go on for one step, off for the next, back on, then off etc.
Then the confusing part - the 'bit' designation starts at 0, not 1, so CV29 is made up of bit 0 through 7, not 1-8. Quick explanation of binary, if anyone is interested. Normally we work in a base 10 number system. Way back when in elementary school we learned about 'place value' - we have 1's, 10's, 100's, etc. Binary is base 2, so the place values are powers of 2. Bit 0 is the 1's, bit 1 is the 2's, bit 2 is the 4's, bit 3 is the 8's, bit 4 is the 16's, bit 5 is the 32's, bit 6 is the 64's, and bit 7 is the 128's. Remember the 'higher' bit number is to the left: 76543210. So the 'easy' way to convert a binary number, or a string of bits, into a decimal number to program CV29 is to look at which bits have a 1 and simply add the values. In this case, bit 5 and bit 1 should be 1, the others 0. You can ignore the 0's. Bit 5 is the 32's, so you have 32. Bit 1 is the 2's, so you have 2. 32+2 = 34, there's your value.
Back to the topic at hand, since you can control the locos using the new address, I suspect it's merely a problem with CV29. Try setting it to 34 and seeig what happens.

--Randy