The DA-SR point from Rich may go some way to answering the question just previous.
Your failure rate is way, way too high. You're obviously doing something wrong, but without knowing exactly how you're installing the decoders its hard to say what.
I've installed close to 100 decoders, both sound and non-sound, and have had only one failure, an MRC decoder (4 out of 5 were bad right out of the package, so I'll never install another one no matter what.)
My choices are NCE D13SRJ, TCS T1, TCS MC2, and LokSound Select if at all possible.
JOHN BRUCE III Let me ask this: I'm not sure how you can go wrong on, say, a DA-SR drop in on an Atlas Classic loco. Remove Atlas light board. Disconect truck power leads from board. Solder same to tabs on DA-SR board. Disconnect motor wires from Atlas board. Solder same to motor tabs on NCE board. (When needed, cut resistor loops on DA-SR for Atlas LEDs). Disconnect LED or bulb leads from Atlas board. Solder to bulb lead tabs on DA-SR. One in four typically has a problem. Is there something obvious I'm not doing right here?
Let me ask this: I'm not sure how you can go wrong on, say, a DA-SR drop in on an Atlas Classic loco. Remove Atlas light board. Disconect truck power leads from board. Solder same to tabs on DA-SR board. Disconnect motor wires from Atlas board. Solder same to motor tabs on NCE board. (When needed, cut resistor loops on DA-SR for Atlas LEDs). Disconnect LED or bulb leads from Atlas board. Solder to bulb lead tabs on DA-SR.
One in four typically has a problem. Is there something obvious I'm not doing right here?
Rich
Alton Junction
It is possible the manufacturer had a bad batch. Have most of your defective decoders been of the same type and brand? If so, did you purchase them all at the same time? If so I would contact the manufacturer to see if other customers have had the same problem.
With regard to the DA-SR are you sure you cut the correct traces? When you solder wires to the board what size tip are you using. Anything other than a pencil point or narrow chisel tip may overheat the contacts. Ditto if you are using a high wattage iron. With tinned wire, clean surfaces and a small dollop of rosin flux you shouldn't need more than a second or so of contact with the tip.
I don't have problems with Digitrax. However, the one I use mostly is the 5% you give.
I've only installed about thirty decoders but have found no defects. I recommend you use the decoder tester sold by Ulrich. Hook up your decoder to the tester before installation. If it works on the tester but not after your install...(need I say more?).
My average is quite lower, John
I just took inventory of decoders that I installed and the total defects is 1%. One out of a hundred. And that was an old Digitrax DH121 that a friend of mine had used and removed from one of his engines so I don't know what may have happened to it before I got it.
My manufacturer spread is about 60% Digitrax, 15% TCS, 10% Soundtraxx, 10% ESU and 5% NCE.
I would take a hard look at your installation methods OR at least test your installs on a programming track (a Sprogg is handy here) before applying track power.
Out of sixty factory installed decoders, most sound, I don't recall any defective ones there, either. Maybe I've just been lucky?
Ed
I've been doing a long-term DCC conversion for a lifetime collection of DC locos. As a result, I like to take advantage of the bulk packages from a well-known DCC vendor. However, over time, I'm beginning to notice as much as a 25% defect rate: I install a decoder, and maybe one time in 4, when I apply first-time power, I can't turn the headlights off (a typical problem). Resetting the decoder to default doesn't help.
Is this typical? Frankly, I hate to go to the time and effort of a hardwire install only to have to toss another decoder into a drawer until I get fed up and send a package back.
What are other people finding for a defect rate?