Hello all. I received my Digitrax Zephyr this week and finally had a chance to hook it up. I have 2 analog locomotives (Proto 1000 Subway Set and G38 BNSF that came with my starter set)..ok so I know I cannot run locos separately until I install a decoder in the G38. Now my problem is after reading and hooking up everything as the book says, I switch to Forward and turn the throttle all the way up. The loco runs but not as fast when I was using the analog controller that came with the starter set. I read further and checked that the section on controlling the speed to the max is set on the box to SP99. Why is the Zephyr controller running the locos slower than the original throttle controller? Maybe I'm missing something. Please help. Thanks in advance
I'm not DCC expert however I don't think you should be running dc locomotives using the dcc setup. You can run dcc locomotives provided they are duel supply but you cant run dc locomotives on a dcc supply. I would advise you do not operate with the zephyr until someone here can confirm my theory
Paul is right, although a DC locomotive will run on a DCC system, it is advisable to limit this as much as possible due to the chance that you could burn out the motor. This can happen more often if the Locomotive is left idling on the track, at least that is the advice I have obtained. As far as running slower, that is a new one for me, I usually find they run about the same!!! And Welcome to Trainboard
An analog engine will run slower on DCC than it did on DC. Because of the nature of the the DCC signal on the track there will be less than full voltage available for analog engines. A simplified explanation: DCC sends a series of 0's amd 1's in the form of long pulses (0's) and short pulses (1's). These "packets" can be interpreted and acted on by a decoder. When address 00 is selected, the length of the Long pulses (0's) is extended. This longer pulse will make an analog engine move. However; to keep DCC on the track, the short pulses (1's) also have to be sent. The only way the engine can run as fast as without DCC, there could be no short pulses (no DCC). BTW, this is also referred to as "zero stretching". Martin Myers
What Martin said. Although I didn't know the reason, they do run slower, and those that were slow using DC will be so slow you won't want to run them at all. Others will run fast enough but the sound coming from them will tell you that you don't want to run them. Ben
Ok Martin that made sense to me, and the others that said, not to run the analog locos on the DCC track, I understand that part too. (I did notice the lights were brighter on both Powered locos and they have a nice little singing sound before I engage the throttle) But now I have this Zephyr box and a wire that came with it, in a plastic bag, its black saying something with LT1 (im so confused) what is that for? Yes I read the manuals and trying to understand all this, but it seems like the words are not coming thru to me to understand the setup. Another question is, now that I have this starter set locos, should I go and get the decoder/decoding chip thingy and install in each of them? Please point me to previous posting so I wont upset you guys typing the same explanations that you've probably done over and over to us "newbies"
I don't have one, but have been reading about it. The LT1 is a tester to make sure you wired everything up right if I recall correctly. See here for details
Andre, You can start on the following page if you want Digitrax decoders. And there are other makes if you don't find the right decoder here. http://www.digitrax.com/menu_mobiledecoders.php Ben
I try not to run any analog loco's on my DCC layout. I will only test an analog loco on the JJJ&E to make sure it's runs. Then I'll install a decoder in the loco. Stay cool and run steam.....
the LT1 is a "loconet Tester" and can be used as a decoder tester. Instructions for doing both should be in the bag with the tester. The wire is for using it as a decoder tester. If you don't have the instructions, they can be found here: http://www.digitrax.com/ftp/lt1inst.pdf Quite frankly, the LT1 is a great loconet tester. Plug it in an dthe lights light up. Until you add loconet devices and cables, there's not much use for it. LT1 is a lousy decoder tester and I can't help with it because I've never used it for this. You will definitely want to install decoders in at least a couple of engines. Until you have two or more decoders to run, DCC isn't really needed. Martin Myers
