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Open circuit on my programming track?

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  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: Bellingham, WA
  • 160 posts
Open circuit on my programming track?
Posted by Swayin on Friday, June 18, 2010 12:39 PM

My Zephyr is giving me the open circuit "d n d" error message in programming mode - can someone help me understand how a single piece of wired track - I've tried a piece of flextrack with soldered connections and then even an old Tyco-style terminal track, too - can have an open circuit?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves
  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Friday, June 18, 2010 12:42 PM

Assuming the wires are attached at the terminals, could it be that you need a resistor for that decoder?

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: Bellingham, WA
  • 160 posts
Posted by Swayin on Friday, June 18, 2010 1:12 PM

The Zephyr instructions certainly don't call for a resistor - it's basically plug 'n' play...?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • 1,932 posts
Posted by Stevert on Friday, June 18, 2010 2:41 PM

Two suggestions:

1) Make sure you have your programming track connected to the correct programming track terminals.  It's amazing how often the obvious eludes us (speaking from experience here...)

2) You seem to have concentrated on the track to Zephyr connections, but the open circuit may lie elsewhere.  Are the programming track and wheels clean?  Are the pickups in good working order?  Is the decoder wired properly and known to be in working order? 

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Trois-Rivieres Quebec Canada
  • 1,063 posts
Posted by jalajoie on Friday, June 18, 2010 2:44 PM

1- Could be the contact between the decoder and the programming track is not good.

2- If it is a Lenz decoder a resistor across the rail may be required.

3- To read some sound decoders requires more power than the Zephyr provide. They program fine however.

Jack W.

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • 4,612 posts
Posted by Hamltnblue on Friday, June 18, 2010 3:03 PM

 How would it know there was an open circuit.  maybe there's just no loco on the tracks yet.

Springfield PA

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Friday, June 18, 2010 4:37 PM

 Don't forget the PGM A and PGM B program track connections are NOT adjacent to one another on the connector, there's a ground connection in between.

                                         --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Friday, June 18, 2010 5:32 PM

 I have the same problem with my Zephyr on some types of decoders. My fix was to attach a 1k resistor across the rails with alligator clips. That solved the problem.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

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