I just received a new FA A & B unit Friday. I was surprised to see instructions included on installing a decoder in the A unit along with what one to use. What was not included was what todo with the B unit. I'm assuming it uses the same decoder with the LED removed or some how disabled. What really has me curious is the proper way to configure the decoder(s). Do I use just one and run wires to the B unit or use two. If two should I run them as a consist or just give them the same address? Thanks in advance Charlie
I am going to guess that you are working with N scale as you noted these were MT (Micro Train) units. Which decoder are you going to use? I would think that these units will always run together is that right? I would put a decoder into both units, and use the same address on each one. You might have to tweak them a bit so they will run the same at all speed steps. It will be a lot better that trying to run both units with one decoder with wires between them.
You are correct, this is N scale. The decoder they recommend is DIGITRAX {DN163MO}. The same address would make the most sense to me, less problems with the Power Cab and it's 2 address recall.
The problem with using the same address is that while you are trying to tweak them you'll have to keep taking one off the track so you don't give them both the same tweak. You could run them as a 'permanent' consist, which means they are controlled normally as one address, but you can still easily make adjustments to them individually.
I have three N scale Kato F3's that have Digitrax decoders in them. I used a different address in them when I first installed them. I run these units as a consist at all times. I had problems with the units with different addresses. While running for some reason or another one or two of the units would get lost while running in a consist mode. The units would not respond to commands and would not run. Gave me fits! I have now changed all three units to run on one address. No more problems. I speed matched each unit by running them on a large oval. The units were not coupled together but spaced about six inches apart. I first set up the A unit to run the way I wanted it to. Then one of the B units was set up with the CV's the same as the A unit. I did have to adjust a CV or two but I got them to run the same speed when they were running on the same speed setting from the throttle. I then did the third unit the same way. They now run together without problems. I am using a Power Cab from NCE for a DCC system. You have to tweak them one at a time no matter if you run them as differant numbers or the same number. At least that is worked for me.
B unit uses the same decoder. Just clip the led off close to the board. Save it to use elsewhere. That's what I did. I programmed my A and B units to unique short addresses. That let me speed match them on the main. Then I programmed them all to the same long address, changed CV29 to activate the long address and they run together. If any CV's need changing, I can either change Cv29 back to short address and reprogram them one at a time. Martin Myers
