Last year sometime I attempted to install a Soundtrax TSU-1000 sound decoder in my Athearn F59PH locomotive. The decoder was simply just too huge to fit properly but I tried it anyways and I messed up somewhere because I cooked the decoder ($100 plus up in smoke....ouch). Fast forward to present, I am again working on my locomotive roster installing non-sound decoders in locos currently with no DCC (will add sound to many of these sometime in the future) and I installed a brand new Digitrax DH163D using the 9 pin connection in the loco. I put the F59PH on the track and the lights worked, I could communicate with the decoder (change directions and control the lighting) but the locomotive would not move. Hmmm I thought myself, this paticular decoder had massived shrink wrap over flow over the connecter area and I peeled some back....perhaps I goofed again. So I decided to try again with another brand new Digitrax DH163D decoder.....same result. So to rule out defective decoders, I re-installed the DCC jumper (9 pin) and placed the loco back on the track and selected the loco via address "0" and the locomotive ran fine. At this point I was think I must have two DOA decoders. So I installed one the Digitrax DH163D decoders in an Atheran C44-9W and the loco performed fine. Well what the..... So this long winded story brings us to where I am now. The motor and locomotive runs five via DC. When I installed two DH163D decoders, the lighs worked but I could not get the locomotive to move. I have ruled out defective decoders as one of the decoders was installed into another locomotive and performs as desired. If this were a bad wire connection or mechanical issue, then I would think the issue would surface in DC as well. The only wild guess I have right now is that someting on the circuit board fried when I attempted the TSU-1000 install. Right now, it would appear that a drop in decoder is the next option to try. Does anyone have some words of wisdom for myself? Thanks Matt
Get your trusty multimeter out and check for any continuity between each motor contact and the frame of the loco. There should no no resistance. I never try any kind of DCC install in any loco without first checking with my meter. I have no idea what the motor looks like in the frame. I do not have any Athearn locos. Check and see how much DC current at 12 volts DC with drivers slipping. I would suspect less than 1 amp as it seems that the loco is DCC ready. Make sure all wires are insulated so when you put the shell on, nothing will short or pinch a wire against the frame. Is the frame connected to either the right or left rail? Rich
Yep I should try the multimeter ....if I can remeber where the heck I put it . I was doing some more reading on Digitrax's site and they state that their level 3 decoders are designed to cut off power to the motor if a short is detected. The lights will be operational (and controlable) but the loco will not move by design becuase of a detected short. So now I am really suspecting something is foul with the OEM lightboard (perhaps I damaged it when I tried cramming in the TSU-1000 decoder). I think the next purchase for this loco will be a SoundTrax replace board decoder but before I install it, yes I will probe with the multimeter.
