Any hints/tips/tricks for getting an EM-13 to work in a Kato N-scale GS-4?

I just got my Kato N scale GS-4 back today from Kato. I had sent it in to have the drawbar replaced. They also, per my request, checked the spacers since I have a 1st generation GS-4 that needs the isolation for DCC.

Well, they tested it and it ran fine with its stock DC board. I ran it as well DC and it ran just fine. Then I put it on my Digitrax test track and ran it as Loco "00" and it ran just fine.

Then I broke out the EM-13 decoder, and hooked it up to my LT-1 tester to make sure it was going to be fine. It's a little tricky to do this since there aren't wires to clip to, but I got it. It worked according to plan.

So then I grabbed Kato's instructions and followed them to the letter for swapping out the DC board for the EM-13. I placed the loco back on the track with the power off and the Zephyr unplugged, and then I powered everything up, selected Loco "03" and nothing happened. I checked all the wheels to be sure they were on the track, checked to be sure nothing was shorting out, and nothing happened still.

I took the tender apart again, gently pushed down a little on the EM-13 to be sure it was making contact, and nothing happened. I then popped the EM-13 out and thought I would place it in again. Nothing happened.

I took the loco and put it on my programming track. The decoder did not respond (dna message). I took a resistor and bridged the track (trick I had to use for the Galloping Goose) and still nothing happened.

I then though I would just pop the decoder out and try programming it using test leads. I was finally able to get it to read after laying a resistor in parallel with it. I read the loco address, and it returned '03.' Oh, good! I then reprogrammed it to be '4449' and the command station indicated that that had gone through. Oh goody.

I placed in back in the loco, but was unable to read it.

I tried gently applying pressure here and there on the tender and finally got it to read the address as '03' but not '4449.'

I put it back on the running track, and tried to get it to go. No go. I popped out the EM-13 and put the DC board back in. I had to push it down firmly, but once it took I had no problem running it as '00.'

I put the EM-13 back in, set the command station to '4449', turned up the throttle a bit, gently pushed down, and got nothing. Fine. I set it to '03', turned up the throttle a little on forward, and pushed down gently on the decoder and it started moving forward. I thought I would stop it using the reverser key, and it stopped, and then I turned it to reverse, but instead of going in reverse it went forward again. I tried that a few more times.

I checked to be sure that the contacts were all contacting correctly and that nothing was crossing where it shouldn't be. I checked the running track with my Galloping Goose (also DCC) to be sure that it wasn't the Zephyr (nope). I finally gave up and put the DC board back in, wondering if my $18 or so on the Em-13 was money wasted.

I am at a loss. Perhaps someone out there has an idea of what I need to do.

Thanks,
Adam

 

Sounds simply like a faulty decoder.. that always happens from time to time. I have a DZ123 that shuts all the lights off exactly 14 seconds after I turn the train on no mater what the actual light function is set to.

Sounds like you're just hitting every problem in the book on this GS-4. :-(

 

The first problem I had, the bent out drawbar, was entirely my fault. The decoder issue is the first real issue I have had.

I think I will try clipping in a DZ143 (I have one laying around) and see if that works. I will just have to figure out what wire to clip to what.

Of course, I bought the decoder back when the "fix" came out, and then I had the drawbar problem (my fault), so I tried to wait for Kato to stock the parts, and I got impatient and wanted to see the loco run again before I die, so I called and they told me to send it in. They fixed it, and checked the isolators for me and went easy on me for the repair cost. Of course, I have now had this decoder nearly a year so it's probably way out of warranty now.

Maybe this is God's way of telling me to just save up for the Tsunami and do it right.

 

If you get a response from the decoder when you push down on it or the tender and also when it's connected up to the tester, that suggests to me an electrical contact problem in the tender somewhere. But then, other things you mention do seem to point to the decoder.

I finally got around to installing a Tsunami in my GS4, its definitely worth it.

 

For some reason, I can get the DC card to sit correctly under the weight on the first attempt about 80% of the time, and the times it doesn't work I apply a bit of gentle pressure and away we go.

The EM-13 will not work no matter what I do with the weight. There is the temptation to beat the EM-13 to smithereens with the corner of the weight.

I compared the thicknesses of the two decoders and saw no problem there. If there is a difference I can't tell. Maybe I should get out my micrometer and check it.

I put it in with the large transistor up as they say. I noticed that the board is cut in such a way that you couldn't flip it over even if you wanted to.

If I had another GS-4 I would try the chip in it, too. At this point, I think I may try clipping in something I know will work, like my spare DZ 143.

 

I will try that. I have noticed that the DC board slides in there more easily than the EM-13. I would love to train a dust mite to crawl down in there and see if I am making good electrical contact with the wipers beneath the board. I can't see in there to see if I am making contact. Maybe I will have to test for continuity.