NCE Powercab acting up

Stephane Savard Apr 3, 2022

  1. Stephane Savard

    Stephane Savard TrainBoard Member

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    Has anyone seen this before?

    I've had this NCE powercab since I started the hobby some 4 years ago. Randomly, the LCD starts showing some random garbage characters...

    IMG_20220401_170557388.jpg

    Used to happen only after using the cab for a long time, but recently it's got much worse. The characters start appearing rather almost immediately, and it gets progressively worse until it stops working completely (even emergency stop does nothing). Then when I cycle the power, often the screen stays blank.

    I figure I must be out of warranty on this thing, and gonna have to send it across the border (ouch on tracked/insured shipping).

    Just posting here with the (far fetched) hope that someone has had this problem and there's a super simple solution!

    In the mean time, I do have a DCC++EX setup ready to take it's place.
     
  2. sidney

    sidney TrainBoard Member

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    check the connections. those RJ what every they are connections can be bad. ive had to get in there with a sharp blade or dull blade and pry them up so the make better connections. i hate those RJ what every they are on that flat cable...on mine the cable part was ok but what they plugged into was bad those gold fingers get bent down to far and short things out.......
     
  3. Mike C

    Mike C TrainBoard Member

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    Open it up and make sure the chip is seated properly . It sometimes becomes loose ......Mike
     
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  4. CSX Robert

    CSX Robert TrainBoard Member

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    It sounds like it gets worse as it heats up, that could definitely happen with a loose chip. Another thing I would check is the power supply voltage and make sure it's not dropping as it heats up.
     
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  5. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    You might try the NCE user group on groups.io. There's a lot of NCE expertise over there.

    As for RJ style (ethernet, land-line phones, etc.) connectors, they are very reliable, but they are not designed for many, many mate/de-mate cycles or rough handling. Perhaps a poor choice for this environment/application. Mass termination makes them "good 'n' cheap" in the right applications (network/computer racks, etc. where they are not repeatedly un/plugged.)
     
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  6. in2tech

    in2tech TrainBoard Member

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    I know this is NOT the problem you are having, just thought video might help? I own a NCE Powercab and although I bought it used for a great price a few month's back here on Trainboard! This appears interesting, maybe it needs cleaning, reseating chip, etc... Had no idea how to open it before watching this video!

    Good luck, let us know!

     
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  7. Stephane Savard

    Stephane Savard TrainBoard Member

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    I don't think the connectors are the problem, I rarely if ever plug/unplug the thing, and my layout is small, but not movable. I mostly take the cab from its cradle on the fascia, play with trains, put it back.

    I'll try opening it up and check if everything is seated properly. Worth a try!
     
  8. Stephane Savard

    Stephane Savard TrainBoard Member

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    So I opened the powercab up today, and as far as I can tell, the large chip (just to the right of the thumb wheel) is solidly in place. But something else caught my eye...

    IMG_20220404_162640277.jpg

    I'm not an electronics guy, but, umm, shouldn't those pins be soldered??? The entire board holding the LCD is only held on by a single soldered pin, every other pin is just sitting through the hole. I tried looking online for examples of of opened power cabs to compare, but pictures are too low resolution to see clear enough.

    For now, I just put the powercab back together, without touching much, but it's no longer working (eek!) shows only a blank screen. Kinda makes me think that the bad pin connections are to blame.

    If anyone can confirm whether these should be soldered, please let me, I can fix that right up if needed. Though if this is the cause, well, I wonder how I got it working for four years.
     
  9. CSX Robert

    CSX Robert TrainBoard Member

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    I would say that's your problem! It is possible that the pins were soldered to the LCD from the other side and then attached to the main board, but even in that case you usually get some solder that draws through the though hole to the other side, so even if they are soldered on the other side there's likely cold solder joints.

    If you pause the video @in2tech posted at the 2:00 mark and view it full screen you can see those pins soldered.
     
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  10. drbnc

    drbnc TrainBoard Member

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    I’ll open up one of mine tomorrow morning, if you can wait that long. I’ll bet what you see is the issue, and should not have passed QC.
     
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  11. drbnc

    drbnc TrainBoard Member

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    Sample of one - soldered. Looks like there's a zener diode thrown in for good measure. The addition of a diode may be due to screen production batches, not all may need it...?

    20220405_045334.jpg
     
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  12. Stephane Savard

    Stephane Savard TrainBoard Member

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    Thank you for the photo, super helpful!

    Okay then, tonight I'm going to solder the pins in place. The cab was working mostly without the diode so I'll leave that out for now. I guess I was just lucky the cab worked at all.
     
  13. drbnc

    drbnc TrainBoard Member

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    Here's a screen grab from a video on the 'tubes. Soldered, no diode. Remember to clean off the flux after you solder those pins...

    Screenshot 2022-04-05 054721.jpg
     
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  14. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    After looking more closely at Stephane's picture, those holes look like they are fitted with press-fit, in-hole sockets (four contacts surrounding each pin).

    That would greatly reduce production touch labor, and thus production costs.

    Now, if those sockets are failing electrically, perhaps reseating the board on the pins might help, at least temporarily.

    A closer view would help confirm (or deny) my assumption.
     
  15. Stephane Savard

    Stephane Savard TrainBoard Member

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    The mistake is simple, the person that assembled the cab just forgot a step.

    Last night I did send NCE support a question regarding this, with my picture. They replied real quick this morning and confirmed the repair I'll do tonight...

    "Yes, those should all be soldered normally. I am VERY sorry that your Power Cab arrived like that. If you want to solder those yourself, feel free to do so or send it to me for repair.

    I can also send you the thumbwheel encoder if you want to replace that yourself. I will need your shipping information please."
    Yep, my thumbwheel stopped working sometime last year, but I tend to use the + and - buttons anyway, so never bothered fixing it. Apparently a common problem that I knew the fix is to replace the encoder. They've since sent me a new email with a shipping notification and tracking number.

    Nice to see NCE taking care of this real quick!
     
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  16. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    Well, that disproves my assumption!
     
  17. in2tech

    in2tech TrainBoard Member

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    It's amazing it worked for 4 years. And also amazing they are willing to help you, even though it was obviously a quality control issue on their part. Good for you and good for them too. Surely in this case they would pay shipping both ways for them to repair it, since it was their fault. They got lucky in that you don't mind soldering it yourself. What if you solder it and it doesn't work for some strange reason? I truly hope it does. Anyway best of luck to you. What exactly is a thumbwheel encoder?

    Like I said I bought mine used and the Scroll well is extremely sensitive on mine, although apparently you can change that in the settings somewhere? I also just use the -/+ buttons and the times 10/4 plus or minus buttons also. I just like it better.

    Good luck! Keep us up to date.
     
  18. Stephane Savard

    Stephane Savard TrainBoard Member

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    On my cab, the throttle just randomly jumps to different throttle settings as the wheel is turned. The encoder is a blue doodad that the wheel connects to. It's magical and transforms the wheel position to throttle settings. That's the extent of my knowledge on it :D

    Here's a YouTube video showing the replacement of the encoder, here

    NCE was quick to respond, surprised me really.
     
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  19. sidney

    sidney TrainBoard Member

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    wow thats a screw up from somebody. and wow great customer service from NCE....i just love top notch service. makes ya go back for more stuff.....
     
  20. Stephane Savard

    Stephane Savard TrainBoard Member

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    It worked, just not well. The junk characters would take time to appear, but would always eventually appear. It's only in the last week or so that it got really bad. I realize now that it was always when switching that it got worse - makes sense, I would often hit the DIR button, which is right up there near those pins.

    Anyway, good news! It's working fine now after I soldered those silly pins (and yes, cleaned up the flux with 99% isopropyl alcohol :D)

    Guess now I just have to wait for the encoder for replacement.

    A big thank you to everyone for helping out (whether the idea was correct or not!)
     
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