Why won't it work?!

[CSXFan]

Okay...

I think I've calmed my self down enough to ask this dumb new guy question.

I have an Athearn SD60 that has a DCC plug N' play socket. I also purchased an MRC decoder that has an 8 pin plug. I unplugged the jumper board and then plugged in the decoder. When I placed the locomotive on a program track I couldn't make it respond to anything I did. No lights, no movement, nothing. [:(!] [banghead]
Did I do something wrong? I'm sure the problem isn't the DCC system or the locomotive.

Does anyone have any advice? I'm tempted to just forget the whole plug N' play thing and hardwire the decoder. Any help would be great.

JD

[ARTHILL]

Do you have power to the track? try the quarter trick.

Do you have the proper address? Has the address been programed in?

The plugs do go in backwards, but ussually they run, just backwards.

On the darkside, I had a bad decoder. When I exchanged it all was well. It would take the address sometimes, but not always. It would loose the address often.

[CSXFan]

I know I have power to the track because other locos are powered when they are placed on the track.

The address is factory set at 3 and I selected #3.

No matter what way I plug the decoder in it still doesn't respond.

Should I try hard wiring it or is this not recommended? How do you test to see if the decoder is bad?

JD

[ARTHILL]

I have digitax and I have to dial in 03. I finaly took my decoder to my LHS. Even there he got it to work,and then it died. At that time he suggested a new decoder. There are people who know WAY more than I. I hope one of them can add some. Do you have the ability to have the decoder read out its CV settings on the program track? I only half know what I asked, but if the decoder is shot it will not read back right, or it may tell you what you are doing wrong.

[CSXFan]

Thanks for the advice but to tell you the truth... I have no idea what you're talking about [:D]

I am pretty new to DCC and bought the cheapest system with the cheapest decoders. The last decoder I tried to install did the same thing (nothing) when I plugged it in so I ended up just bypassing the plugs and everything worked fine.

This decoder satisfied me for a while but now I decided it was time to upgrade. So I tried to install a better one using the plug N' play "technology" but the same thing happened. I'm thinking I should just hard wire the decoder unless I can find out whats wrong. Maybe it's athearn's factory board that doesn't work?

[twcenterprises]

Did you test run the loco first? Seems really trivial, but sometimes wires do work loose between the factory and your layout. Sometimes wires installed with friction fit plugs instead of soldering in place can be the weak link in an electrical system. Some of us have setups for programming and testing decoders before installation. This can be as simple as "the plug" with "track" wires going to the DCC system, and outputs for motor and lights going to 3 separate light bulbs. That way, you can test motor and front and rear headlight functions before installation. You can even rig this up temporarily if necessary. Tape the wires to prevent shorts or else (in case of a short) the decoder WILL get fried.

Brad

[simon1966]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CSXFan

When I placed the locomotive on a program track I couldn't make it respond to anything I did. No lights, no movement, nothing.
JD

Not knowing the brand of DCC system you are using, I wonder if your comment above indicates the reason for the problem. The program track is generally a low voltage location where a locomotive with a new decoder installation can be placed for programming the decoder. In my experience, this track does not have the power to do anything other than decoder programming and therefore the loco should not move or have its lights work in this location. In other words you may be seeing correct opperation.

Here is what I would do.

1. Remove the decoder and test the locomotive with a regular DC throttle and verify that it works in a non DCC environment. If it does not run here it will not run under DCC.

2. Check the documentation for the locomotive. Most that are "DCC Ready" will have some information about installing decoders. While there is an NMRA plug, there may be something else you have to do, like cut a track on the circuit board. The documentation would also indicate the orientation of the decoder plug so that you can ensure it is correct. One thing that I have learned is that Plug and play is not always as simple as just pluggin in the decoder.

3. When you are sure that the decoder is installed per the loco instructions place it back on your program track and get the documentation for your DCC system and find the section on using the prgram track. Assuming that the decoder is set to the usual default address of 03 you will want to see if you can "read back" this address on the program track. If you can read this address, then you have confidence that the installation is good.

4. Then it is time to get it onto the main track and see if you can select and run the locomotive.

5. Once it is running, then you can return it to the program track and change address etc.

[Anonymous]

Reset the decoder. This should set it to default address 3 and all other functions to factory defaults.

[cacole]

Get a better brand of decoder. My experience with MRC has been 8 out of 10 bad ones right out of the package -- I'll NEVER buy another MRC decoder.

[CSXFan]

The DCC system I have is the MRC Prodigy. I know it isn't the greatest system BY FAR, but it gives me what I want.

The locomotive runs great on DC and all athearn says about converting to DCC is "Unplug the DCC jumper board, (Done) and then plug in a decoder with either a 9-pin plug or an 8-pin plug. If an 8-pin plug is to be used it will have to be soldered into the adapter board" I shouldn't have to solder it just to see if it works, just applying some pressure and moving it around should get some response correct?

My DCC system says a locomotive will be able to fully function just not at full speed. (I know this works because I have done it before with a different engine) I know I'm selecting the right address too. My only guess is that something is wrong with the DCC adapter board.

JD

[ARTHILL]

When I got to this place I got a new decoder from my LHS and that did it. I hope you can find someone who will try a different decoder to see if that fixes it. Keep at it. This seems to be the darkside of DCC.

[Tim_Seawel]

CSXFan, I think you answered your own question. Use a 9 pin decoder. 8 pin decoders must be hard wired i.e. solderd in.

Tim

[CSXFan]

Okay, I just bit the bullet and soldered the decoder directly to the adapter board and guess what...

It works great!! [:D] I just gritted my teeth, snipped off the 8-pin plug and soldered it right on to the adapter board. I don't feel too bad about cutting the decoder wires because after all it only cost me $14.99. (Dutch pride [:D])

Thanks for all the input.

JD