Dear All I have gust started to change over my dc layout. I have purchased a number of dcc equipped locos (a mixed bunch) on my DCC++ system and controller 1 converted blue box works well, a Walthers dcc equipped works well and one of the Bachmann (quite old) accepts an adress and runs the other newer one will not read or write an address. I figured that it came from eBay just bad luck. MicroMark was having a sale on gp9's dcc on board at a very good price (yes I know cheep) . Yep you guessed it both the locos wouldn't read cv's or decoder numbers, I tried yhe locos that worked previously and the worked as expected. I tried all manner of things, cleand the wheels checked the decoder connections even built a new dcc++ package and reloaded the software all with the same results. I would appreciate any advice, experiences or solutions id did contacr Bachmann and received the suggestion to reset the decoder s to there factory settings not very helpful when you are shouting at the decoders and they aren't listening. Thanks for listening and kind regards. Ron
With DCC there are two types of communications. Base station to the decoder is handled through the DCC track signal. But decoder has no direct way to talk back to the base station. In order for the decoder to send data back to the base station, the decoder has to pulse the motor, and this creates a signal in the current draw. The base station reads the current draw to get any acknowledgement signals. This is why a engine will move a little bit forward when you are programming or trying to read a CV. DCC++ has a noise filter/smoother on the current signal to deal with system noise. With newer low current motors, sometimes the current draw is below the cut off. With Z scale I had to edit ACK_SAMPLE_THRESHOLD in PacketRegester.h to get it to read. I currently have it set to 15 from the default of 30. You could try playing with this setting. I’ve gone as low as 5 and had it work. JMRI seems to really hang up when it can't get an acknowledgement from a decoder. This seems to happen on the JMRI decoder basic setup / number assignment page frequently for me. It seems like when it tries to write so many CVs at once, if it misses one acknowledgment, it will freeze up. I usually have to go to the CV tab and manually write each of the address CVs (3, 17, 18, 29) to get it to take. Matt.
I am using DCC++ software. I am still trying to get my head around JMRI (may take some time in my case).
Thanks Matt My loco's are HO and Bachmann DCC equipped is this a general problem with all decoders or any particular gender. Ron
The above issue is one with smaller engines in N and Z that don't draw much current. I doubt it would be an issue in HO. I just tested this. I have an N scale Bachmann S4 and Alco 2-6-0. Both can be read and programmed in either DCC++ controller or JMRI. But CV8 appears to be locked. I cannot perform a factory reset. Does anyone know of another way to reset these decoders? Bachmann's documentation is lacking on this matter. Matt
Just a thought. The Bachmann HO DCC, non sound, GP7/9 have dual mode DCC decoders, meaning they should run on DC power too. What happens if you put them on DC? Will they run? Do the headlights come on? Its unlikely that you got 2 dead units, but not impossible. Matt.
Ron For getting your head around JMRI, there are many YouTube tutorials. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Matt & Marty You know what I am not sure it is having the time I really think that the wonderful people that provide us all free of charge for their knowledge and skill for which I am eternally grateful may be sometimes forget that for some of us the absorption of all of this is sometimes not possible in large chunks, but sill comes with my gratitude. Ron
The help folks give is pretty amazing. There are so many topics and so much to "getting started". The videos really help Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Before I discovered this thread and one other (that I can no longer find) about adding a resistor/resistors, I returned a little 0-2-0 Tank Switcher to Train World because I thought it was defective. This one had a remote radio control to run on straight DC as well as on DCC. DCC++ with JMRI wouldn't recognize it either on PROG or MAIN. They tested it on return and phoned me to say it worked perfectly on several DCC Systems in their shop. Made me feel like a fool! Wish I had seen both before I returned it. David
Matt, I have a Bachmann GP9 with sound that runs great on both DC and DC++ with JMRI. Every thing works. DC ability can be turned off in CV's. David
