Well Finally have gone through all of the decoders. Still have two locomotives I have to pull apart to see whats up. In the end the casualties were 2 DZ123, 2 DZ125 and a DN163AO. All of these were new (purchased while I was in Iraq and recently installed) except for one. First lesson is to immediately install them as they are no longer under any warranty. Not sure what was up with the DZ125s. Got them installed and programed. As soon as the engine started turning they shorted out. The DZ123s are just plain dead and the DN163A) will not transfer power to the engine. (lights work but will not move. Other than drop in decoders I think I am going to change to TCS or another brand since I am fed up. Not so much the money, although I have about $130 worth of dead decoders. It is more the effort of installing.
I'm not a Digitrax fan, but your conclusion seems harsh. That many duff units out of the box and of several different types seems fairly unlikely, unless you've been fitting about 200. You should always test decoders before installing (and preferably before the warranty expires ). You can buy posh testers, or can more cheaply lash up a version with a few lamps and wires. There are so many points for error or failure, such as a short circuit, once the thing is inside the engine that knowing it was good beforehand is really useful, as well as saving you a lot of wasted effort, as you intimate.
BUMMER Wow! That is a bummer. That is a large amount of decoders to fail. I would think that the QC at Digitrax would be better than that. As Mike suggested, test befor install. Although I have tester I seldom test decoders any longer. The QC from most the suppliers seems to get out a working product. I am not so sure that I would not contact Digitrax, about your problems, you may have gotten some bad units. Be sure to make note that you have served our country in Iraq and were slow to install.
Loose contact? Tony, After looking at the Digitrax web site and looking at the instructions about mounting the DN163AO decoders I have something that you might want to look at. I have never trusted the contact point from the motor to the decoder. This is where you might be having a problem on your DN163AO decoders. You said you have lights but unit will not drive. I solder a short wire to the motor contacts and then run that wire to the decoder and solder the wire to the decoder. I do that on both motor leads. I have had too many problems with the locos not running when you rely on the friction contact between the motor and the PCB. There for solder them. Hope this might help.
The decoders that are officially not working I would send back to Digitrax as for the A0 if they are the new style with the slots that the motor tabs can slide up and through I would highly recommend doing it that way. I actually replaced all my old A0 and A1 boards when Digitrax did this for reliablity. If the decoders don't then I'd go with woodone's suggestion.
I actually tested the 125s before install. Not sure what the problem was because there was no short until the motor started rotating. As for the AO. I installed it, programmed it and immediate smoke once the engine started moving also. I'll send them back, not sure if they will do anything but it is worth a try.
With the A0 did you wrap the frame with kapton tape where the instructions told you to. If you didn't what might have happened is the motor contact touched the frame and the board causing a short. The other thing I've had happen is on the frames where it contacts the decoder on the under side can be a sharp edge that when you install it cuts through the green coating and shorts to another trace on the board so with all my frames I check for that sharp edge and file down as needed.
Tony: I have already switched from Digitrax to TCS decoders for the same reason. My DZ123s were installed professionally and have died a quick death. The TCS M-1s are doing just fine. Tim
Tony, contact Digitrax with your story. I doubt you will find them to be unreasonable in trying to help you get things resolved. Outside of that, I will second making sure the Kapton tape is applied correctly. One little piece accidentally folded under or crinkled could leave a spot uncovered and cause a short. I had that happen on an SD90 once and it wasn't until I put the shell on and put it back on the track (after testing without the shell) that it went poof. Probably the shell pushed down just enough on the board, or moved the tape, or whatever.
Not sure if it was a tape issue. Both motor contacts had tape on the outside. I do not usually tape the entire top of the frame though. The DZ125s are what really confuses me. I tested them with the actual Kato motor and then installed them. As soon as the motor started to turn after installation they went up in smoke. I'll email digitrax and see what is up. I have about 2 more frames that are milled and need decoders. Will put TCSs in all future locomotives that do not need a drop in.
See that leads me to believe that there was short created once the motor was installed. What type of engines where they installed in and do you have pics cause that might allow us to see what might have happened.
WOW! I've installed a dozen DZ125's and haven't lost one yet and I have most of them in big heavy Athearn BB units with big power hungry motors. Two in a pair of SDP40F's, one in an SD40, two in a pair of SW's, two in a pair of F7's, two in a pair of Proto 2000 E's, two in a pair of Athearn PA-2's and one in a Proto 2000 PA-1. If any of them were gonna blow they would have done it by now as each unit has over 50 running hours at this point. Seems to me you have a short someplace, either the motor is contacting the frame or there's a short in the motor itself that's driving the amp draw up.
Yep. If it was OK with the motor out of the frame, or in the frame but the decoder powered direct (not via the wheel pickups), I'd look for one or both of the motor brushes being connected to the frame/wheels. Could be by design, like Athearn BBs, or could be accidental.
Don't think the short is in the motor. It works fine on address 00. Must have had a wire contacting the frame somewhere around the motor.
Call digitrax Tony I wouldn't email digitrax I'd call them they have a toll free number now. I've found you get better service talking right to them then through email .With email there not talking to a real person just a machine.
Sorry about your luck Tony but I appreciate the heads up about warranty, I have around 20 uninstalled Digitrax at home, looks like I will be busy this weekend.
I have had only one DOA Digitrax decoder out of more than 50. I installed it EXACTLY ONE YEAR from the purchase date, so luckily I still had the bill of sale. They sent a new one, no questions asked. It was a new DN163K1B, one of the roHs ones. I must say I hate this "evolution" as soldering/desoldering is much less forgiving and difficult, if you are using the extra function pads or trying to change LEDs. I have been told by someone who was at the Milwaukee Train Fest recently that TCS is coming out with a line of PNP decoders which will have function resistors right on the board, making addition of extra lights, like ditch lights MUCH easier. No more long wire loops and trying to find room for resistors. That is something I look forward to, as TCS makes great decoders. Competition is a wonderful thing...
I am having this exact problem with the DZ125. I am trying to put a decoder in and n scale Arnold S2 with a cast body and frame. The decoders worked perfectly upon testing with the LT1 tester, but once the whole package was put together, the loco ran for about two minutes, then the command station beeped indicating a short. The loco wouldn't move, so I unsoldered the decoder and retested with the LT1. Now it only shows one dim light that is not affected by the throttle. I think I have a short somewhere. But would this kill the decoder so quickly?
Going Crazy I have had problems with the Drop-In Digitrax decoder for the Kato P42 Genesis loco (I think it's the 163Ka03, but I'm not sure). I've 'let the magic smoke out' twice because of bad connections, both times on the same engine. I even went back and swapped for a new engine and a THIRD decoder and it did it again! And yet I have an identical Kato and I dropped the thing in WITH NO TAPE and it runs like crazy! Perfect obedience, does EXACTLY what I tell it to do! One suggestion I finally got was to solder a SMALL piece of solder onto the motor contact strip where it comes up over the top of the decoder; just enough to provide a solid contact point to the decoder, and to MAKE SURE the power transfer bars are kapton wrapped properly underneath the decoder. The main problem, at least on the P42, seems to be the plastic hold-down clip for the decoder and motor contacts. It either presses too firmly, or not firmly enough. Adding the solder allows just the right amount of pressure for electrical contact without shorting anything out.
