I've put together a 'true' Arduino Uno and motor shield and loaded the sketch for that and also JMRI. JMRI turns the main track and program track power on and off and seems to be running fine. I have two two loco's that I bought with decoders installed. When I try and add them to the rooster I'm having problems. It can't read the decoders and I get the 308 error message. The loco does move and inch or so while it is trying to read the decoder. I know the decoder model number and when I select them the same thing. Any reads and I get the 308 error. I've looked that up and it could be a power issue. I have a 12 v power supply running the motor shield and see 12 v AC to the two tracks at just under 12 volts. The program track is old track I had from the 70's but I've cleaned it well and the power to it is soldered to the rail ends. I see 12 volts on the track rails but wonder if it is a current issue. I've read about connecting the two rails with a 1K resistor but haven't tried that. I might have one some place if I look hard. I have new track coming but it probably won't show until Tuesday with the holiday. I'll try it when it arrives but in the meanwhile any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks, Sumner
If you are using HO try PS of between 14 to18 v DC. DCC with HO doesn't like power around 12 v or slightly lower very much. With DCC++ you can only program on the programming track and won't allow running on programming track. There is also only a few power shields that works with DCC++ with out problems, especially proggramming.
Thanks, N scale. I'm using a power supply that I've seen recommended for the Arduino DCC++ build. I'm programming with the program track. I tried a third loco that is new that I just bought. An E9A Kato unit that was DCC equiped. Sometimes JMRI can read the decoder in it and appear to write to it as I can then read the changes (just the road number). While it is reading it, sometimes the loco will creep forward an inch or so. Also if I toggle the power on and off via JMRI the lights will light up. Still can't get the loco to move with the throttle and can't get the lights to toggle on/off with the throttle. Nothing works with the throttle and it is set to the loco's address. I've tried with the factory 3 address and the new address and the results are the same. I'll try with new track when it gets here. At least this loco did a little better than the others. Maybe the wheels are dirty on the older ones. How do you clean those? I still think it is a current problem and might try the 1k resistor if I can find one, Sumner
My track came in and I used a 20 inch piece of the new ME code 55 as a program track and same thing. Turn power on to track and headlight lights. Use decoderpro to look for decoder installed and it finds the decoder and engine inches forward an inch or so during that. Add engine to roster and turn throttle on. No response. I can't find anything on line that seems to help, Sumner
You need to be on the MAIN for a loco to respond to the throttle commands. I setup my program track withe DPDT switch so I can switch that track between PROG and MAIN, so I can verify that the programming worked.
Lastest MRH mag have an article on track cleaning, how it starts and how to 'stop' it. Didn't expect gasoline, petrol or diesel to be one of the best for cleaning. Recheck your pin connections for Uno on the power shield as well as the cuttiing of the necessary pin connection. (http://www.locoduino.org/spip.php?article187) Also you PS need to put out 1 to 2 amps for your scale. Power shield is 2 amp max in any case. Or you could be stuck with a 'stuffed' power shield. Could also be that the JMRI version you are using could be faulty. Recently had to try diffrent versions to get it to work with all of my decoders.
Thanks, I finally found that searching last night. I took the first track I had and used it as the main and the second as the program track. I have about 19 inches of track on two pieces of 3/4 x 1 1/2 inch pieces of wood that I can have in the house next to the computer. Later this will be on the layout when it is built in part of the shop area. I'm still having problems programming the Backmann GE 44 Ton that is suppose to have a decoder in it (decoder pro doesn't see it) and also another loco that was used that has a dixitrax decoder installed (also having a hard time reading it), but finally feel I'm getting somewhere. On a related problem I can't get Engine Driver to connect to the computer at this point. Disabled the firewall and still no luck....more google searches, Sumner
Those 44 tonners are notoriously hard to read and program so I would test others out first before and make sure they work before becoming to frustrated and indeed other tiny bachmann one. Engine driver should work fine if you connect tothe right server which should put up. Make sure you have WiThrottle up and properly going http://jmri.org/help/en/package/jmri/jmrit/withrottle/UserInterface.shtml
Thanks Keith, I got engine driver up. It was something stupid on my part. I got the GE 44 running on the main track but only after cleaning the wheels and they still need more cleaning as it will stall at times still. Still can't change CV's using DecoderPro on the GE and another older engine but want to clean the wheels more and just got a 14 volt power supply so want to see if I still have problems after implementing both of those things, Sumner
You will need a power booster. I run the ops track out through a Bachmann 5 amp booster. I have no issues. There is also a line of code in the sketch where you can increase the power output from the base station. The author of the DCC++ sketch kept the power output low because he was running 'N' scale. If you are not using a clone motor shield, and do not wish to go through the expense of a booster, I would recommend increasing the output of your base station. Check out this PDF presentation: https://gregstrainyard.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/dcc_pp.pdf
Also, I run a 12v supply into the Mega and a 15v supply into the motor shield. I also cut the trace on the vin on the back of the motor shield.
Update: I hooked up the new 14 volt power supply to the motor shield and was able to program the road number into the GE 44 Ton. Still seems a little flaky as it stalls every so often at really low speeds. I think cleaning the wheels more will help that. I really want to thank Richard M ( Onizukachan ) for suggesting looking into JMRI and DCC++ when I first joined the group in April and the others that have helped me get it up and running. For the time being I have it setup in the house next to my computer and will move it out to the layout once I start building it. I've used a Raspberry Pi for a couple years on our boat as a chartplotter so was somewhat familiar with it. I wanted to keep it devoted to that so ordered a second one and mounted it next to the Arduino Uno and shield. The total install of both went pretty smoothly. Downloading Steve Todd's pre-configured image to the Pi's SD card really made it simple..... https://mstevetodd.com/jmri-raspberrypi-access-point .... Thanks Steve for doing this. Once it is downloaded put the SD card in the Pi and power it up and it is running. You don't need the mouse, keyboard and monitor but I had those and now it is really easy to also see JMRI running and build the roster and all the other things it does. This was way easier than my first go around with a Pi. Sumner
