I just installed a Soundtraxx Tsunami 'Heavy Steam' decoder in my HO Rivarossi Big Boy. I made some changes and adjustments using Decoder Pro; mainly the address and start and stop momentum. It ran fine at first but then I noticed that it wouldn't start smoothly or slowly in forward, but does in reverse. I shut the system down and restarted it and it works OK again for a while and then goes back to starting with a 'jump'; no slow smooth start. I have had this same problem with my Spectrum 4-6-0 that has the Factory Equipped Tsunami. The Big Boy ran fine before installing the Tsunami decoder so I don't think it is any mechanical issue with linkages or drivers. What stumps me is that if I restart the system (Digitrax Zephyr) it works as it should for a few starts and stops. Any suggestions?
-Bob
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
Bob,
Check the track voltage at startup and after you have the problem. Might be a Zephyr board problem. I recently sent my Zephyr on a vacation in Florida to solve a voltage-regulation-on-the-board problem.
Regards,
Dave
From Mt Pleasant, Utah, the home of the Hill Valley and Thistle Railroad where the Buffalo still roam and a Droid runs the trains
Dave,
You might be on to something since I have this problem on two locos with Tsunami decoders, but none of my other engines do this. I will check it out.
thanks,
I checked the voltage across the rails when it is running OK and it reads 14.0 volts. When the engine starts to jump start the voltage is 13.9 to 14.0. I tried to reset the decoder to factory defaults (CV8 to 8) but couldn't get it to accept the programming. I used Decoder Pro to set it up originally and it won't let me write to CV8. I tried using the Zephyr in program mode and it didn't accept it either??
Now, it has a new problem: in both forward and reverse the engine starts moving until it gets to a slightly faster speed and the decoder keeps the sound chuffing rate increasing but the engine stops moving. If I wait a few moments (30 seconds?) it starts to creep and eventually builds up to full speed; but, if I turn the throttle down a little, it starts moving at the normal speed ( for that setting), buut if I advance the throttle again, the engine stops again and the sound keeps accelerating. I also noticed that there isn't any brake squeal sound and I have the volume set to max on it. This has never worked even from the very start, with default settings.
I have tried to reset the decoder using Decoder Pro and the Zephyr and neither works. Any suggestions? I am getting very frustrated with this especially after all the work to get the Tsunami installed in the Big Boy.
How many amps did the motor draw when stalled on DC. You might be over loading the decoder if this is an older locomotive. Decoder might be gitting hot and shutting down, going into a thermal shut down.
For programing I think the you are going to need a program booster to be able to work with the Tsunami decoder. Or program on the main.
I belive there is a blast mode to use with the Zephyr. Not being a Digitrax Zephyr user i am unsure of all of the features of the Zephyr
I would look at your motor wiring or check the brush springs in the motor. I had a simular problem with an N scale challenger even after the MRC decoder fried and I installed the replacement Tsunami designed for that loco. it gave me fits. it turned out the brush springs in the motor were weak. The way I found the problem was I was picking and poking while I hade it opened up on the track.
All the desciptions you have given " jerky starts, engine stops but still chuffing sound, will not program. Same thing my Challenger was doing.
Most decoders will not program unless you have a motor wired to it, even out of loco on the work bench. so if you set the loco on your program track it may be losing motor contact that may be why it wont program. you may want to open her up and check all your wiring before you consider your Zephur or decoder to be at fault.
Truck.
This is a newer model with the can motor and it is listed as drawing .49 amps. I don't think I am over heating the decoder though. It was running OK when first started and Decoder Pro worked to program all the adjustments I made to address, motor start and stop momentum and some of the sound volumes.
I tried programming on the main but it didn't seem to work both with Decoder Pro and the Zephyr in Ops mode; although I have never used the programming on the main; allways on the program track.
I will try to contact Soundtraxx on Monday and see if I can get anyone there to talk to me about it.
Read the Tsunami troubleshooting guides. They note that a motor must be connected during all programing. It is part of Tsunami's answer or "feedback" code scenario to its processor. Sometimes the motor jerks or makes a noise when a program command is sent.
I own a zephyr and even by changing the ops codes to blast mode, I couldn't re-program. I am now doing what is noted by Tsunami and getting a Tsunami program booster to link to the zephyr.
I am trying to work a Blackstone K-27's supplied Tsunami sound board to put a bit more end resonance to the bell sound. No luck yet. Gotta' wait for the Tsunami booster.
As for momentum, I use the Zephyr's Ops code settings to force the various momentum/brake options at the zephyr level and not the Tsunami's. It works for me.
What about that 100+ page Tsunami manual!!! Well documented but, you have to work to get that sound right. There are almost too many options.
Richard
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed
My Zephyr has no problems with Tsunmais, even WITHOUT Blast Mode. With Blast Mode on, there's more pwoer than even the PTB-100 will put out, so if it doesn;t work there, somethign else is wrong. Where did you have the loco when using Blast Mode? Blast Mode puts the full program power on the TRACK outputs, not the program track outputs. Which is why you need to make sure no other locos are on the track, they WILL get programmed too.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Question... When you program on the track output and not the program output, what mode are you in for programing. I would like to query the Tsunami, first, and see what value is already written in the QV#. According to the Zephyr manual that is program track mode only.
Just blowing in a value to a QV and hoping for the best without knowing what was there before is scary. You can't effectively return to where you were if you make things worse. When changing a bit (1,0) this is no problem, but when a number between 1 and 256 is needed...well...What was there originally?
Note: I have a separate 3 foot length of track on a board I use for programing. (totally isolated)
Sorry I haven't been responding to the latest comments, had some other issues to deal with. I have not contacted Soundtraxx yet and haven't done much with the Big Boy. It still runs and the sounds are good but it still has the stopping issue just above the slow speed movement. It still runs at full power after that hesitation. What is 'Blast mode' that some of you have mentioned?.
I only tried to do programming on the main once and got no response. I used the Zephyr in Ops mode and then went back to the programming track ( a 30" track on a seperate board, not connected to the layout, physically or electrically.) and used Decoder Pro and it still doesn't respond anymore. I got a 306 error message in Decoder Pro, but don't know what that means. I haven't had the time to spend on this problem for a while, so I am reviewing what I did and will have try to contact Soundtraxx in the next few days. Thanks for all your support and I will report back when I have some possitive data.
Report on the DigiTrax zephyr and my K-27 programming success.
I turned on "blast mode", (ops code change in the zephyr - back of manual), hooked my program track to the normal "rails" connection and not program. I programmed in "OPS" mode. Programming of the Blackstone K-27 Tsunami Steam decoder-sound card went OK, but at times, vexing as I lost my old code, whatever it was, that was OK, but not ideal, often, for a much worse sound that I had just logged in. Hunt and peck got me to where I wanted to be in the world of my personal K-27 sound preferences.
Note: Every time I hit CV-WR key to write in the CV data, the engine jerked, which is supposed to happen and is a sign that you logged the variable to internal memory.
It works, but it ain't pretty, though you get used to the tedium and get the results you ultimately need. I did create a log of my loco number and my ultimate CV settings which pleased me. Over all, I farted with about 30 different CVs out of the hundred or so available.
I could never have done this without the 100+ page Tsunami steam card manual and my Zephyr manual. A learning experience that took a full evening.
I would suggest tip-toeing into programming by changing an obvious and easy variable like whistle volume first to test your first programing punch-in effort.
If you use Ops Mode you wouldn't need to set the Zephyr in Blast Mode.
This is a million times easier with a computer interface and JMRI. Ir even just JMRI, set to simulator mode. You cna make the desired changes for the sound and motor control settings, then it shows you in red all the CVs that have changed and the values you need to set to achieve the selected results. Without the computer interfce you just have to scroll throught he complete CV list and any red ones, program them to the value shown.
For the simple stuff, liek address and making the headlights not be directional, I don;t bother with JMRI. I use all the same brand of decoders, so they all use the saem settings. But ot adjust the equalizer adn reverb in a Tsunami? forget manual entry and looking it up in the manual, JMRI is much easier.
Bob I get the 306 message sometimes when using Decoder Pro. Means it is not getting any feed back from the decoder. Trying cleaning the engine wheels and the track you are using. Sometimes moving the engine backwards and forwards by hand will clean up the contact issue as well.
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
You know Bob, something else happened with my PR 3. Are you using the same USB port all the time?
When I first got my PR 3 I could program none sound decoders but not sound decoders. Turns out I had started using a different USB port and that was causing the problem.
My sound decoders are Loksound and QSI's. Do not need any power boosters to change there CV's. I know you cannot change the CV's on the layout either, but just a thought.
If you can get Decoder Pro to read the CV's then more than likely the folks here can help you sort out the problem.