I give up, tell me what I am doing wrong.

[RR_Mel]

 

Last year I spent several hours over about a week or so working with Digitrax Customer Support programming both decoders.  As normal when working over the phone I can’t remember even half of what I did but nothing changed.  Both decoders are DH165IP and in factory default mode now.

 

After talking with TCS Customer Service this morning I’ve decided to run my Athearn E7s on DC.  They run perfect on DC so I’ll move the decoders to my Model Power E7s.  The only loss is lighting control and I can use a magnet with a latching reed switch for that.

 

Thanks guys for your input.  A lot of great responses.    

 

 

Mel

 

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

[dinwitty]

I reccomend you get the digitrax 4 amp decoder and compare doing the same exact thing with your heavy diesels. they just won't get the current on your grade with your other decoders. Your dcc system has enough current to run them. When IC chips work harder they heat up reducing capabilities and potential frying them. You can play with the BEMF ideas and see what but I don't expect any changes in results much until you up the current capability of the decoder.

[Mark R.]

dinwitty

I reccomend you get the digitrax 4 amp decoder and compare doing the same exact thing with your heavy diesels. they just won't get the current on your grade with your other decoders. Your dcc system has enough current to run them. When IC chips work harder they heat up reducing capabilities and potential frying them. You can play with the BEMF ideas and see what but I don't expect any changes in results much until you up the current capability of the decoder.

 

You've got that all twisted around. If he's not frying decoders now, a higher amp decoder isn't going to make any difference. The motor is going to draw a given amount of current based on its requirements. The OP hasn't destroyed any decoders, so what he is using will supply the current required - a higher amp decoder isn't going to do anything different.

It's not a matter of the decoder supplying enough current, it's a matter of whether the decoder can handle the current demand.

Mark.

[wjstix]

Well the Athearn SD-40-2 was designed to power an engine using a lightweight plastic body shell, not  very heavy Cary metal one. If these are the only engines causing a problem, then I think it narrows down to those engines needing a motor that draws less current, or a more powerful decoder designed for the higher-drawing Athearn. Or just retire them and buy Proto or BLI E-units? IMHO at some point trying to bring 1960's technology up to today's standards just isn't worth it.

[RR_Mel]

Stix

 

That is my plan, remove the decoders and run them in DC mode.  If I find the need to run my Daylight passenger cars in DCC mode I’ll tow them with a pair of my Model Power E7s (Canon EN22D motors).  Four of my Model Powers have Hobbytown of Boston metal shells, they are much lighter than a Cary body.  A Model Power/Hobbytown weighs 1 pound 12 ounces, 12 ounces less than a Athearn/Cary and the Canon motor is a true workhorse.  The Digitrax DH165IP works great in the Model Power frame.

 

I had a large Proto fleet of E7s, 8s & 9s but I always found that my Athearn/Cary and Model Power/Hobbytown E7s did much better so the Protos are gone.  I still have one Proto SD9 and one F7B snail, but I prefer my stock Athearns over the Protos.

 

My thing is restoring older locomotives to like new condition.  I find that with new rare Earth motors most older locomotives do better than new technology locomotives.

 

As one model railroader said in another post his “Bowser Big Boy would pull the paint of the walls”.  My Athearn SD40-2/Cary E7s fall into the same category as his Big Boy.

 

 

Mel

 

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[dinwitty]

Proto87 has them replacement magnets for them older pittman like motors, a strong magnet will beat anything. Digitrax has these "SoundBugs" that are sound only and should run on DC to sound up your diesels if you want. I have some cary bodies to heavyize some diesels and do some comparing here but that won't happen soon as other pressing matters modeling is at stake. But the concepts of current use is no differrent, a thin single strand wire can cary 12 volts as a mutli-strand wire can carry 12 volts. Lets say run that Bowser Big Boy thru that little wire strand, watch the fireworks go up as glows red and busts. This is how fuses work. Its still no differrent in electronics. I am amazed anyways the small size of the components on these decoders and "thats 1 amp"? or "thats 4 amps?" If you want to avoid blowing any decoder throw heat sinks on them. The older blue box Athearn motors are not your can motors and draw more current, add a cary metal body and everything else...I better rethink my decoder and/or motor. 8-D

[RR_Mel]

dinwitty

Proto87 has them replacement magnets for them older pittman like motors, a strong magnet will beat anything. Digitrax has these "SoundBugs" that are sound only and should run on DC to sound up your diesels if you want. I have some cary bodies to heavyize some diesels and do some comparing here but that won't happen soon as other pressing matters modeling is at stake. But the concepts of current use is no differrent, a thin single strand wire can cary 12 volts as a mutli-strand wire can carry 12 volts. Lets say run that Bowser Big Boy thru that little wire strand, watch the fireworks go up as glows red and busts. This is how fuses work. Its still no differrent in electronics. I am amazed anyways the small size of the components on these decoders and "thats 1 amp"? or "thats 4 amps?" If you want to avoid blowing any decoder throw heat sinks on them. The older blue box Athearn motors are not your can motors and draw more current, add a cary metal body and everything else...I better rethink my decoder and/or motor. 8-D

 

 

I’m happy without sound in my diesels, the Athearn motors and gearing work for me.  I only wanted DCC decoders in my E7 diesels for the accessory function needed to control my passenger car light on/off function.  One thing I like to do is park my Daylight passenger train for long periods of time with the lights on at my passenger station.

 

Before DCC I used block control to drop power from my diesel locomotives leaving the lights on in the cars.  When I rewired for DCC to get my Fantastic Cab Forward Sound I lost that feature.

 

I’m not a big fan of DCC operation and I have returned to Block Control for my non mainline tracks.  I can park my passenger cars at my station towed by my super heavy DC mode Athearn SD40-2/Cary E7s with the lights on and still operate in DCC mode for running a Cab Forward freight on my mainline.

 

If it wasn’t for the fantastic sound from the Soundtraxx DCC Sound Decoders in my steam locomotives I wouldn’t even use DCC.  The DCC functions are neat and the decoders work OK in my lighter and less powerful locomotives.  My can motor diesels work fine on DCC and I do run them but basically down deep I’m a “Home Improvement Tim Taylor” type of guy and a wimpy E7 just doesn’t cut the mustard for me.     

 

I do intend to keep several special diesel locomotives operating on DCC for controlling my two video camera units.  I use DCC functions to turn on and off the cameras as well as extra LED lighting for night operation.  I use one Model Power E7A dummy with a camera pushed by a Model Power E7A with a metal Hobbytown shell using a Canon EN22D motor for power and second camera in an Athearn PA-1 dummy pushed by a Athearn PA-1 also using a metal Hobbytown shell.  Both powered A units have Digitrax DH165 DCC decoders and work well (no real power needed to push a dummy).

 

I also have a large fleet of Model Power E7As & Bs all with metal Hobbytown shells and Canon motors for working freight configured as A-B-A or A-B-B-A, three of my Model Power E7s stacked together are pretty powerful but can’t hold a candle to my biggies for total power.

 

Mel

 

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.