Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Withrottle Throttle goes to zero without operator’s input

1845 views
6 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    May 2018
  • 68 posts
Withrottle Throttle goes to zero without operator’s input
Posted by Paul Schulze on Friday, January 29, 2021 10:49 PM

I just obtained the complete version of Withrottle and it works fine except that an acquired train will suddenly stop when the throttle goes to zero without my doing anything. Has anyone had this experience, and if so, how did you solve the problem?

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Saturday, January 30, 2021 4:00 PM

 Sounds like you have the same loco address set on another throttle with the speed set to 0. What DCC system do you have? I thought a Digitrax Zephyr? If so, select the loco ont he Zephyr console and run it, then stop it and make sure the lever is in brake, then press Loco, and Exit. Now access it with the WiThrottle app - should be ok.

                                    --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
    May 2018
  • 68 posts
Posted by Paul Schulze on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 6:52 PM

Thanks Randy,  I do have the DCS50 command station.  I will check into you suggestion as it is very possible that I do have the loco address entered in two places and need to release it from the Zephyr.

 

Paul

  • Member since
    January 2012
  • From: Edgewood, WA
  • 54 posts
Posted by 2ManyHobbeez on Thursday, February 4, 2021 9:48 AM

Paul:

Does Randy's solution apply to your situation? I ask because I have seen this failure using a PiSprog and Engine Driver. So, not Digitrax and no competing throttle issues. I found it to be a timeout issue in WiThrottle but I still don't know the root cause. I'm investigating but it's difficult as it hasn't happened for a while.

George

  • Member since
    January 2012
  • From: Edgewood, WA
  • 54 posts
Posted by 2ManyHobbeez on Thursday, February 4, 2021 9:50 AM
Well that's interesting. I posted my earlier reply and as soon as I posted it your one day earlier reply showed up. Sorry for that but I think this board's mechanism is a little whacko sometimes.
  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Thursday, February 4, 2021 10:15 AM

 Sounds like a cache problem withthe browser, or your ISP is using a proxy.

As for WiThrottle, it's possible there is some sort of timeout you can set so that after a certain taime with no input to the loco being controlled (no speed change, no hitting a fucntion button) it stops the loco, assuming you are not controlling it any more. The easiest way to see if that is the issue is to select and start a loco and then just let it circle the layout and don;t touch the throttle, if it always stops after the same amount of time, repeat the same thing but hit a function every so often, more frequently than the tiem it took the loco to stop. Even if it's just turning the headlights on and off if it's not a sound decoder. If you can keep it running longer than the previous stop times, then it is some sort of throttle app/WiThrottle server setting that stops a loco when it thinks you are no longer providing control inputs. If it's a Digitrax throttle conflict, even frequently pressing function bottons won't keep it from stopping the loco - but it shoudl start up again, or at least it does when there are two actual Digitrax throttles controlling the same address - they will fight one another (only if they are potentiometers liek the Zephyr console or the UT4) if the two are set for differnet speeds and the loco will keep changing between the two speeds.

                                            --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
    January 2012
  • From: Edgewood, WA
  • 54 posts
Posted by 2ManyHobbeez on Friday, February 5, 2021 11:13 AM

Randy

The troubleshooting that I have done indicated that the WiThrottle 'estop' setting was being triggered, hence the Engine Driver throttle was commanded to zero. Looking at the logs it was apparent that WiThrottle was not seeing  a communication from ED prior to the estop timeout, even though ED was in fact sending at least one message that should have prevented that. I don't know why that is happening, it could be a wifi issue. So my investigation continues.

George

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!