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Tsunami Frustration - Help Needed

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  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Pittsburgh, PA
  • 1,796 posts
Posted by JoeinPA on Saturday, April 16, 2011 2:30 PM

I've had some success.  I was able to get back to the factory defaults by setting the address on the Zephyr to 0 then entering OPS mode and setting CV8 to 8.  Using this broadcast mode was suggested by David Bedard in an earlier post about setting the long address on a Stewart loco with a Tsunami decoder. Thanks David wherever you are! Once I got the loco to respond again I tried setting CV3 and 4 in OPS mode using address 3 and that worked.  However, I still haven't been able to set the address.  I'm going to try David's suggested method and set the three required CVs using the hex converted numbers.  More fun in the basement.

Jack and MMartian22: If I can't get the other method to work, I'll try setting Ops Sw 7 and see if that works. I hope that I won't need the PTB 100. Thanks for the suggestions.

Joe

 

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Trois-Rivieres Quebec Canada
  • 1,063 posts
Posted by jalajoie on Saturday, April 16, 2011 11:25 AM

Turn on blast mode on your Zephyr. Set Ops switch 7 from "T" to "C". There is no need to purchase a programming track booster.

Jack W.

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • 166 posts
Posted by mmartian22 on Saturday, April 16, 2011 10:45 AM

hi buy soundtraxx ptb 100 booster  it does makes life alot easier when programming i us mine all the time when  programming.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Pittsburgh, PA
  • 1,796 posts
Posted by JoeinPA on Saturday, April 16, 2011 9:51 AM

rrinker

 From the opposite view, my Zephyr programmed my Tsunami-equipped Bowser FT-B just fine on the program track, with no special accomodations. My program track is a piece of flex track with a length of 18 gauge speaker wire connecting it to the Zephyr.

                         --Randy

 

Randy:

My programming track is virtually identical to what you are using.  It is an 18 inch piece of flex track mounted on a board that I connect directly to the programming ports of the Zephyr with  2 short (1 foot) pieces of 18 G wire.  It has worked well in the past that's why this is so frustrating.

Joe

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Saturday, April 16, 2011 9:31 AM

 From the opposite view, my Zephyr programmed my Tsunami-equipped Bowser FT-B just fine on the program track, with no special accomodations. My program track is a piece of flex track with a length of 18 gauge speaker wire connecting it to the Zephyr.

                         --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
    July 2006
  • From: Pittsburgh, PA
  • 1,796 posts
Posted by JoeinPA on Saturday, April 16, 2011 7:37 AM

Thanks guys for the replies.

Mark:  I'll try your suggestion of more tries this afternoon.

Woodone:  I did remove the loco from the track after trying the reset CVs.

TA462:  I've had good luck programming Atlas OEM QSI decoders with this system.  I guess I was just lucky.  I wonder if a programmer booster is in order?

I'll keep trying and be back with my results.  After a morning of chores I'll get back at it and hope that I can make some progress.

Joe

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Phoenix, AZ
  • 693 posts
Posted by woodone on Friday, April 15, 2011 10:54 PM

After you did the factory reset, did you remove the power to the locomotive.

With Tsunami's, you must remove the power to make a reset complete. 

  • Member since
    January 2011
  • 3 posts
Posted by cpress station on Friday, April 15, 2011 10:24 PM

It seems to me that the Digitrax Zephyr (I have one) can be tricky with Tsunami sound decoders. Try programing in OPS mode and change the decoder address to a short address. When you program it you may have to hit the write button several times or repeat the process over and over. When the decoder accepts the change it should lurch or jump to let you know it received the command. It took me several attempts to make changes on my Genesis/Tsunami train before it was accepted.

Mark

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Pittsburgh, PA
  • 1,796 posts
Tsunami Frustration - Help Needed
Posted by JoeinPA on Friday, April 15, 2011 5:52 PM

Guys:

I recently bought an Athearn Genesis GP 15-1 with Tsunami sound.  It is a beautiful little loco and ran well on address 3.  I wanted to change the address and twaek a couple of the CVs so I put it on my program track attached to my Digitrax Zephyr.  It would not change or read CVs so I placed it on my main and set up my computer, Locobuffer USB and Decoder Pro.  I selected OPs mode programming in Decoder Pro, entered the long address and hit write changes on the sheet.  I then tried the new address and no response, Just the prime mover idle and no response to any commands,  After that I repeated the process again with no results.  I decided to go back to the original address of 3 so I changed the appropriate settings in Decoder Pro and again hit write changes on the sheet.  When I tried the loco again with address 3 I got no response.  I said OK time for a reset.  I tried setting CV8 to 8 and CV 32 to 2 on both the main and the program track directly with the Zephyr.  Again no change.  I am now left with an engine that sits on the track and idles and looks nice but won't do anything else.  What should I try next?  I've programmed several decoders with this system including two Atlas OEM QSIs with no difficulty so what is so different about Tsunami decoders?  What should I try next?  Your thoughts and help will be greatly appreciated.

Joe

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