My Zephyr seems to be having problems and I am wondering if anyone has run into this or knows if it can be fixed. Sometimes when I power on the Zephyr, it forgets stuff like my MU's and sets the speed steps to Stri. I have had the Zephyr for a couple of years but I haven't used it to much until recently because i now have a basement!! I have always had problems with programing and such but I had always blamed the decoders. But now that i have the space and am using it for more than back and forth, I am learning that it was the Zephyr giving me the hickups all along. I don't like the thought of having to reset the switch and setting the speed steps and redoing the mu's everytime I decide to have a relaxing session with the trains. I hope someone has some good answers to this problem. there is also an annoying video on youtube that seems to be of the same problem. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoGucgSjztE
I read the manual and on page 12 Section 11 it implies that things will restore where you left off when you restore power. 11.00 Shutting Down the System When you are finished with your session, you should shut down the DCS50 by turning off power to the system. 1. Bring all locomotives on the layout to a stop by setting set the Throttle Knob for each loco to STOP. 2. Turn track power off: Press the POWER key, the DCS50’s Track Status Indicator Dot will go off. The display will briefly display “Po” followed by two characters, the Po means power off, the two characters indicate which software version is installed in the unit. The display will automatically revert to showing the last loco address selected on the throttle but since track power is now off, it will not run the layout until you turn on track power again. 3. Unplug the PS315 power supply from the wall outlet. When power is restored to the DCS50, it will “wake up” with all of the settings as they were left when powered down. The power to the command station can be left on all the time if desired. In order to do what you are referring, The data has to be stored and saved into memory. That can be either hard written to a memory location or stored electrically (Like what a CMOS battery does). I don't think the DCS50 has a CMOS battery like the DSC 100,150 and 200. In the resume section 12 it states "The DCS50 display will show the last locomotive address you were running and be ready to begin right where you left off." The last running address may be all that is saved. Not much more info on storing memory. Not sure if it worked before and could be a memory buffer issue. Try to reset it to factory default and see. Digitrax Knowledge Base Inobu
thanks for the reply, I have reset option 36 numerous times. At the moment I have 3 locos on the track. After I power down, power up, the locos speed steps on the zephyr are reset to stri or s 28 and only one kept the s 128. It seems that the zephyr isn't keeping a clean record of the locos on power up/down. I am not for sure if this is a common problem as stated on the youtube video link and if i can have digitrax fix the problem. I didnt see the zephyr listed on their list of repair cost page. I am puzzled why it would change the speed steps and loose stored info. It must have battery problem unless some of the version 12 zephyrs are prone to just not remember the settings????
I believe the Zephyr uses flash memory (like a thumb drive). No battery required. Still a puzzling situation.
I have Version 12 on my unit too and have no problem. This rules out firmware which point to hardware. There are a few IC chips on the board. I'm guessing that there may be a bad solder on one of the legs of the chip. The chip is nothing but a processor that carries out instructions if it were bad you would have major issues or it would be non operable. I would venture to say that it is a soldering issue and Digitrax is pretty good about servicing their product. I would send it back to them. That video is compelling in that he was having the same problem (same time frame that you purchased yours) which could be related. Send it in for repairs, it will be back in no time. Inobu
