I have a couple of TM's with Digitrax decoders. One of the decoders died after 3 months, and is out of warranty. NCE makes a PnP for the Tm, and I was wondering if anyone has used this decoder, and what to watch out for. They have a special deal - $12 and your old decoder and they will send you one of thiers.. Looks like a good deal - if decoder is good. Thanks Jim
Jim: NCE decoders are okay. I don't have a TM. It's too bad about your Digitrax decoder. Why don't you call Digitrax up and tell them to replace your decoder. I don't consider three months use appropriate for a decoder. That's why I like Lenz decoders. They replace decoders no questions asked. Stay cool and run steam....
Are you sure the motor contacts didn't slip off the contact pads on the decoder board? I have 4 TM's and the contacts and pads did not line up well on any of them without some bending. "Vibration migration" may have gotten you.
I had issues with my first NCE installs--after the first TM run came out, I installed an NCE decoder. Not being one to solder well, and the fit of the decoder into the frame 'clips' being too loose, I found a quick solution. Take the phosphor-bronze metal tabs that come with the earlier TM's, (the ones in the shall, behind the pilot) and cut in half. Take each piece and bend in half, to a Vee-shape. Install decoder--ensure you add a wrap of Kapton tape to the frame near where the motor contact and motor touch, so the contact will not touch the frame. With tweezers, patience and a little luck, you can slide these under the clips in the frame, pointy-side toward the loco's center. They hold in place just fine, in my experience. If the fit is loose, remove, bend open a bit, and re-install. Fit shell back on, test decoder at address 3. Enjoy! Note, if you don't have any tabs behind the pilot, generally your other loco fleet had them. Most Atlas units have these tabs to spring the rapido couplers back . Find a buddy, or check the scrapbox, you should be able to source them easily. The other alternative, if you can solder well, is to build up a tiny blob of solder on the pads of the decoder, where it fits in the frame. Trial & error should work. Just be careful! [ February 16, 2006, 01:32 PM: Message edited by: HemiAdda2d ]
The actual problem with the decoder was that the head/tail lights became inoperative. Everything else seems OK - tried resetting it to defaults with no results. Front LED is 20%, Back LED is dead. I can still run the engine, just to head or tail lights. I did call Digitrax about replacinhg it under warranty and groveled - but they said 60 days - no fudging. This will be the last DIgitrax I ever buy!! I was considering getting a Zeypher - NOT!! Thanks for the help. I think that I will take advantage of the NCE offer.
Jim: Unfortunately that's the typical Digitrax response. Lenz would have replaced it no questions asked. Take a look at a Lenz 90 system. You can get a good deal at Tony's Trains on the Lenz 90 system. Stay cool and run steam.....
Due to their suboptimal warranty, I am also of a mind to pass on most Digitrax decoders. Basically, all of my PnP and wired decoders in the future will be TCS, Lenz or NCE. Drop-Ins will be Digitrax only if they are the only source. I haven't had any problems with my Zephyr. I did have a similar situation occur to with a DN163K1b last night, the front light simply stopped working. I had it consisted at the time, rear light worked. I ended up doing a factory reset then re-entered the CVs, voila, happy loco, happy moi.
Reprogramming a decoder to factory defaults often cures a myriad of undiagnosable problems. Stay cool and run steam....
I have an RDC with the Digitrax in it and I constantly have to reset it to factory defaults. It will be running along just fine, then stop flash the lights and take off like a bat out of hell. It automatically resets itself to address 03 - so now, the first thing I do when I operate is to go to add 03 and make sure the throttle is set to minimum. It's really odd because all of the CV's stay put - only the address changes. I have several locomotives with Lenz decoders and never have problems with them - period!!! I just wish they would have a little wider selection of PnP decoders. Bob, I will probably get the Lenz 90 in a couple of weeks. I have several small projects to complete first, and the Commander runs trains just fine for now. Jim
If it is indeed broken and out of warranty, Digitrax charges a flat fee of $17 for a decoder repair/replace. Not far from the $12 NCE deal.
