(Solved): BLI Paragon 2 Runaway Engine Decoder Glitch?

[Trainman440]

I know right, another possible BLI manufacturer defect...

I have this paragon 2 engine I just got, and it seems to be glitching out when decelerating.

See, when you decelerate too quickly with the throttle, it'll for some reason ACCELERATE, and drift for a period of time before stopping. This drifting duration seems to be dependent on how fast you start out with.

Note this ONLY happens when you bring the throttle to 0. If you drop from 40 to 1 itll slow down to speed step 1, but then if you drop down to 0, it'll do the weird thing again. 

It seems as if the engine is massively overcompensating for the momuntum when decelerating...maybe something is up with the encoder?

I tested out other engines including other paragon 2 engines on the same layout and none of them exhibit this kind of issue, so I doubt it's the controller...

Here's a video showing it:

https://youtu.be/2Nim0afDy5w

Any suggestions? Any CVs I can program to fix this? Anyone else have this issue? 

Any help is appreciated,

Charles

[richhotrain]

I have that exact same locomotive, right down to the roadname - -  BLI Paragon 2 PRR 4-6-2. I operate an NCE PH-Pro 5 amp wireless system.

I went down to my layout and replicated what you did on the video. Mine does not do what yours does. It immediate accelerates and decelerates in response to the encoder. I bought mine new and the settings are factory default. 

Is your loco new? If used, perhaps the previous owner changed the CV settings.

Rich

[Trainman440]

Hi, as I already tried factory resetting the engines multiple times already to no avail. 

It's like-new bought from ebay so unfortunantly BLI wont be able to send me a new decoder or anything.

Charles

[richhotrain]

The BLI Paragon 2 switched from a QSI Quantum decoder to a BLI proprietary decoder. The reset is CV8=8.

There is also a manual reset on the main circuit board.

Rich

[richhotrain]

So, you tried the same operation on other Paragon 2 locomotives and they do not react like that one does? Do the other Paragon 2 locos stop without coasting like mine does? If so, I agree that it is not the NCE controller.

If the reset CV8=8 has no effect, try the manual reset on the circuit board. Here is the BLI instruction. 

Locate the manual reset button on the main circuit board. Place the model on unpowered track.  Press and hold the button.  While holding the button, apply power to the track.  After you hear confirmation that the reset was successful, you can release the button and re-assemble your model.  Loco address is now 03. 

There is also a "time out" feature on the Paragon 2 decoder. I am not really familiar with it, but that could be the problem. Maybe someone more knowledgeable can help with that issue.

[Trainman440]

Thanks, yea Ive been using the CV8=8 to reset this engine. I also turn off the controller/layout for 10 seconds after each reset to ensure it went through.

I'll try the physical reset switch later tonight, although I doubt it'll make a difference.

Rich is right this isnt Quantam sound but rather BLI's own decoders...this is the second of my 9 Paragon 2 engines decoders that has a quality control issue, the otherone having a bad sound file (bell sound file is missing and simply doesnt work). 

Thanks for the suggesions,

Charles

[Trainman440]

Update, the original owner told me the trick is to reset ONLY via programming on the main and NOT on the programming track, which was how I was previously doing it.

And it worked!

Guess I'll be only programming using POM from now on with this engine.

Charles

[selector]

AFAIK, that is the way you should be doing ALL programming EXCEPT for assigning the new address.  At least, this is what Digitrax's instruction is for their older systems...not sure about the newest ones.  Paged Mode, or broadcast mode, should only be for assignment of the address.

[richhotrain]

Trainman440

Update, the original owner told me the trick is to reset ONLY via programming on the main and NOT on the programming track, which was how I was previously doing it.

And it worked!

Guess I'll be only programming using POM from now on with this engine.

Charles 

Not surprised that it needed a reset to factory default. Did the original owner say that he had changed CVs to make the loco coast to a stop?

Resets to factory default can be touchy. Sometimes they need to be done POM. Other times, they need to be done of the Programming Track. Still other times a hard reset is required. Pressing the manual reset button on the main circuit board probably would have worked as well. 

Rich

[maxman]

richhotrain

Resets to factory default can be touchy.

Although not the case here, it should probably be noted that in some cases it is not possible to reset to the factory default.  For example, with a loksound decoder it is possible to re-map functions, sounds, and who knows what else.  Then these can be set as the new default.  So if there is a total fubar the only way to get back to the original values is to re-download the decoder program.

[Trainman440]

richhotrain

 

 

Trainman440

Update, the original owner told me the trick is to reset ONLY via programming on the main and NOT on the programming track, which was how I was previously doing it.

And it worked!

Guess I'll be only programming using POM from now on with this engine.

Charles 

 

 

 

Not surprised that it needed a reset to factory default. Did the original owner say that he had changed CVs to make the loco coast to a stop?

 

Resets to factory default can be touchy. Sometimes they need to be done POM. Other times, they need to be done of the Programming Track. Still other times a hard reset is required. Pressing the manual reset button on the main circuit board probably would have worked as well. 

Rich

 

Indeed, I knew it had something to do with resetting the decoder, but using POM for some reason never came to my mind. Im so used to using only the pogramming track that I forget POM is even an option half the time. I enjoy being able to read CVs.

Charles