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psx-ar trouble

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  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Friday, December 24, 2010 10:29 PM

 DG - I saw the PM as well, and I have to say, I can't begin to say how BAD a design that is. The software setting should NEVER override a hard wired jumper. But if that's the way it works....

Others - there hae been plenty of feedback from the OP. Plus think of the time of the year - I haven't had a chance to do anything on my layout for a week now, and it will be a couple of days before I get back home.   

               --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
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Saturday, December 25, 2010 6:00 AM

rrinker

Others - there hae been plenty of feedback from the OP. Plus think of the time of the year - I haven't had a chance to do anything on my layout for a week now, and it will be a couple of days before I get back home.   

               --Randy

 

Randy,

I am one of those "others".  Sure, there has been plenty of feedback from the OP but mostly reports of things that he has tried and failed to resolve the problem.  If you go back and read through this thread, there have been several good suggestions that have never been tried by the OP. 

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Sunday, December 26, 2010 6:35 PM

 SO I am, but I have patience. Eventually we'll hear the latest results. Tomorrow I hope to have some time to work on my own layout.

 Methodically and one step at a time is defintiely the best way to troubleshoot a problem, he's getting there.

                              --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
    February 2010
  • 191 posts
Posted by bnsf0823 on Monday, December 27, 2010 9:41 AM

Yes, you guys i am a busy person i have three little girls 6,5,2 and it is the busy time of year.  I go on vacation starting next week and hope to do alot of model railroading.  I have tried some of the ideas you have suggested but your right my results keep coming up negative.  im going to wire up a three track experemental track to see if it is the psx or the wiring of my track.  and also i need to figure out if it's tripping my zephyr or psx first.  Also i do like the idea of a shorter reverse section can you explain randy one more time how to wire.  does the red segment get fed by the in or the out on psx and then the rest of the upper loop would be attached to the lower buss also and to the in on the psx.  because the psx must supply the power to the reversing section.  Big Jer might like suspense stories but this one is driving me crazy.  wish i had one more modeler to work through this with me i am having a hard time.  Merry Christmas

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: high desert so cal
  • 997 posts
Posted by BIG JERR on Friday, December 31, 2010 6:33 AM

Bump ,Bnsf hows it going going ,did you solve it?...Jerry

  • Member since
    February 2010
  • 191 posts
Posted by bnsf0823 on Tuesday, January 4, 2011 8:27 AM

I found out that my psx ar was bad and sent it back to dcc specialties they are sending me a new unit.  They seem to be a real good company.  I bought a db150 to add as a booster i feel i eventually was going to need more amps later anyway.  Will this help with me not having to change anything on the psx ar.  What is the best way to hook up the db150 to my zepher via my layout config.  Should i just have the zepher power a small portion of my layout and the db150 the rest or what?   If anyone has some good wiring ideas i would like to hear them.  Im on vacation all week and want to get some good railroading done.  The more detailed you can be the better for this is my weekest point of the hobby.  Thanks guys Scooter

 

JRP
  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: Upland, CA
  • 301 posts
Posted by JRP on Wednesday, January 5, 2011 1:07 AM
I'm going to jump in here as well as I also have the PSX-AR. When it would first not trip right, the factory also told me to solder a jumper wire on J6 pins 1&2 to lower the amps especially when using sound decoders. That worked well as I have the Zephyr too. But the problem I still have is the status LED stays on for a long time when I first turn the power on. The LED D6 flickers like it is trying to come on, and eventually does. If I purposely short the track, it will correct itself. Other times it takes 20 minutes to correct itself. I never adjusted CV49 and do not know what it reads. I don't think my PSX-AR is defective, but rather I may need to undo that jumper and just adjust the CV's instead. JRP
  • Member since
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  • From: Reading, PA
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Posted by rrinker on Wednesday, January 5, 2011 8:16 AM

 Depends on how many trains you intend to run at once. I have my Zephyr hooked tot he DB150 but the Zephyr does not supply any track power anywhere, all track power comes fromt eh DB150. The Zephyr track output I have run to all my accessory decoders to run them so the entire output of the DB150 is available to run trains. Plus there are no speed difference issues - the Zephyr's fixed output voltage is slightly higher than the DB150 on the N scale setting and lower than the DB150's HO setting. I use the N scale setting ont eh DB150 even for my HO trains because they all run plenty fast so as it is.

                       --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

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

JRP
  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: Upland, CA
  • 301 posts
Posted by JRP on Wednesday, January 5, 2011 11:51 AM
Randy, Do you recommend the DB150? Maybe that would eliminate the delays I'm having on the PSX-AR plus eliminate speed difference issues. Any idea on how much the DB150 costs? I'm willing to try anything at this point. JRP
  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Wednesday, January 5, 2011 9:33 PM

 It's not going to fix ANY of the problems you are having. If the Zephyr is not tripping out because of overloads - and it SHOULDN'T be unless you are trying to run more than 7 or 8 locos, or all your locos are odl Athearn ones witht eh black motor that draw 2 amps each.

 I am not convinced your wiring is solid - good heavy bus wire, with adequate feeds. If you truly need more amps then the DB150 is a good way to go. You also need a power suppyl for it. But if your wiring is inadequate, all that will happen by putting a DB150 in palce is that you will be more likely to actually damage somethign because of the higher current. You need to be able to set a quarter on the rails ANYWHERE and have the booster trip. And I mean SET a quarter on the track - NOT press it down.

                        --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

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

JRP
  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: Upland, CA
  • 301 posts
Posted by JRP on Wednesday, January 5, 2011 9:45 PM
I believe I have good wiring (14 AWG on the bus, 18 AWG feeders every 3 feet), and most locos are brand new (with a few older Athearns tossed in), but I will try that quarter test all around the layout and see what happens. Thanks. JRP
  • Member since
    February 2010
  • 191 posts
Posted by bnsf0823 on Saturday, January 8, 2011 9:00 AM

I just recieved my new psx ar unit in the mail yesterday hooked it up and ran my trains every different direction and it didn't even hesitate going through the reverser works so perfectly now im going to get one for my lower loop for my ar1 is not working properly.  Big Smile so happy it works must have been a bad psx ar the first time.  I only hope it keeps running well.  i did also upgrade to the db150 as a booster for now and that seems to be working great.  Thanks for all of your guys help.  Im sure i will need more in the future.  Dcc specialties is a great company to work with.  no hassles at all.

  • Member since
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  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Saturday, January 8, 2011 9:40 AM

bnsf0823

I just recieved my new psx ar unit in the mail yesterday hooked it up and ran my trains every different direction and it didn't even hesitate going through the reverser works so perfectly now im going to get one for my lower loop for my ar1 is not working properly.   so happy it works must have been a bad psx ar the first time. 

Back in December, you said your ar1 was working "just fine", so I suspect it is you and not the auto-reversers that are causing the problem.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    February 2010
  • 191 posts
Posted by bnsf0823 on Saturday, January 22, 2011 9:55 AM

i did nothing different when i changed the ar1 out with the psx ar on the bottom and it works flawlessly!  Same with the upper loop.  i would have to say it was my units not my wiring.  But thanks for all of your suggestions.

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