Decoder sat for a long time

I have an engine that sat for a good while. When I put it on the track it would not respond to my base station. Is there a limited shelf life for decoders before they lose their programming? Is this just a simple reset to get it going again?

 

This seems to be a re-occuring problem. I have mostly Digitrax decoders and what you describe is not unusal. I just put the offending loco back on the program track and re-program. The down side is if you have programed several CV's. I keep a log for each engine I have programed with the various CV's. Saves pulling out what is left of my hair.
Doc

 

I assume it was a digitrax as it is the standard Atlas N scale decoder.

I never programmed anything so it should be fine with reset correct?

 

I had an HO scale Atlas loco with factory DCC (programed on an NCE procab system) sit for a year and a half with out being run. Took it to a LHS last week to try to trade it for some N scale stuff. The LHS guy put it on his HO Lenze DCC layout and it responded just fine without having to be reprogrammed.

IMHO, I think if a programmed loco is carefully stored, than it should retain its programming. I would think something had to happen to it during storage that caused it to loose its programming.

 

Check the motor contacts. Does it run on analog DC? Atlas factory supplied decoder is most likely made by Lenz although there were some Digitrax decoders way back when.

 

Many times a decoder will have to be re-programmed if the loco hasn't been run in quite some time. It happens with all brands of decoders.

Stay cool and run steam......

 

I would check your wheels first for proper cleanliness and contact. Decoders are basically minitaure PLCs. They don't just happen to conveniently lose their program.

 

I was playing around with it. I Couldn't get it to respond, so I took my good engine and set it on the pragram track. DOH. It seems I had something wrong with my program track leads.

So the end result is that one engine came with a decoder set for ch3 and the other was set for ch1. I have reassigned numbers based on cab numbers and now everything works.

I have to say one negative thing about the Zephyr. The manual is impossible to understand. well, for me the grammar and terms were confusing. It seems page numbers in the index do not match actual page numbers, I found this to be true more than once. Instructions are explained very poorly. I'm one of those visual people. Show me diagrams and simple descriptions.

 

Get a Prodigy Advanced and all will be right with the world my son...

 

I think a lot of problems regarding decoders losing their "mind" can be attributed to static electricity.

If you touch the rails of your layout especially when power is off you may just be electrocuting your decoders.

When ever you enter the layout area it is wise to temporarily ground your self to dissipate any charge you may have built up by sliding your feet or sliding off a chair prior to touching your layout.

A good place to ground yourself is by having a metal plate on one of your wall switches. If your house wiring is up to national code these metal plate switch covers should provide an earth ground.

I have never experienced a decoder losing it's programing. And I always ground myself briefly before touching my layout.

 

My situation was a complete operator error. The decoder was perfectly fine.