I have a new BLI N scale EMD E9B locomotive. The locomotive is DCC, with sound, and has a Paragon4 decoder. I am running on a Digitrax system.
When I reprogrammed the locomotive address from 03 to a 4-digit address, the locomotive immediately bolted down the programming track (I grabbed it before it ran off the rails). I have powered on and off, but whenever I put the locomotive on the programming track, it immediately bolts like a rabbit. I unsuccessfully tried to set CV8 to 8. The Paragon4 manual says CV8 cannot be reset while the locomotive is moving.
Any ideas on how to fix this issue? Thanks for any and all suggestions!
Thanks for your quick reply! I cannot tell if the decoder address is the new 4-digit or still 03 â it does not respond to commands to either address. On the mainline it behaves just like on the programming track â once the track is powered up it takes off.
Are you able to read CV29 with your DCC system from your programming track? What is its value?
Try setting CV29 to a value of â34â. That will enable 128 & higher addresses and 28/128 speed steps. That will also assure that analog (DC) mode is disabled and eliminate the runaway issue.
I think Tom has the right idea, my first thought was that the decoder is misreading the AC power on the track for DC power.
As Richhotrains asked, Iâd like to know if it worked OK on ID 03?
Also, how did you program the long address? With Digitrax, you can do the long address without having to access the two separate CVs (17 and 18). Did you do it that way, or set the two CVs separately? I assume youâre using Page mode on the programming track?
The early BLI engines may have had a manual reset button, like in early QSI days maybe? The ones Iâve bought in the last few years donât.
setting CV8 to 254 if âlockedâ
donât know how it would be locked, but something if messed up
a high value for Vstart, CV2 may explain why it runs immediately.
make sure CV29 Bit 2 is zero to disable DC mode which apparently uses CV252 for the start voltage when operating in DC mode. try setting CV29 to 2, see if it runs normal using address 3 and then et a 4 digit address
According to the Paragon 4 Diesel Technical Reference Manual, the factory default value for CV29 is 6 which sets the speed steps at 28/128 and allows DC operation. Long loco address is not activated under a factory reset.
The question is, can you program CV29 with the loco misbehaving as you describe?
Peter, my command station, a Digitrax DB150, does not have separate outputs for a programming track. The programming track is wired per the diagram in the manual (see attached photo). It has not caused issues previously. The programming track is a completely separate track from the rest of the layout.
I think Tom is onto something concerning CV29. Please see the other attached photo, which is also from the DB150 manual. Step 9 of address programming relates to 4 digit addresses and is supposed to set CV29 to a value of 38. When I performed this step, the locomotive took off and will no longer respond to attempts to reprogram CV8 to 8. Tom, I tried your suggestion to set CV29 to 34, but the locomotive did not respond and kept running fast the moment the programming track was activated. I will never run the locomotive in analog mode, but CV29 and CV8 both appear to be stuck.
richotrain and wjstix, the locomotive worked fine on ID 03 before I messed with the address. I reprogrammed the address per the Digitrax DT400 throttle manual, which does not involve separately accessing CVs 17 and 18. I am using Page mode on the programming track. I have done address programming on other locomotives using the same approach, without issue.
Any other ideas on this? Many thanks for your patience with my lack of DCC knowledge. I am an old guy trying to catch up on technology.
That DB150 programming track setup seems rather risky:
If you forget to open the âswitchâ and you program a loco address then ALL your locos on the layout track are going to get that address.
Itâs pumping the full DCC 15? volts onto the programming track will can/will fry a decoder if something isnât wired properly.
I have a DCS-100 command station you can have to use with (or without) your DB150 if you are interested. I have subsequently upgraded my layout controller to a DCS240+ so the DCS100 is just gathering dust. The DCS100 has a true programming track setup (and can be hooked to computer to use JMRI for decoder programming which is 100X better than using a throttle to program decoders).
Would you be willing to remove the shell and check for a reset button on the end of the decoder?
wjstix mentions that later versions of BLI engines may not have a manual reset button, but the BLI FAQ section says that Paragon 2, 3 and 4 decoders do have a reset button.
This is most curious, that is, that the locomotive took off and will no longer respond to attempts to reset the decoder.
Step 7 says to program a 4 digit address, simply enter it . . . to dial in the 4 digit address you want to program. Press the ENTER Key to program the decoder.
Step 8 says that when the ENTER Key is pressed, the throttle will beep. Did it?
why? how could it possibly be wired to fry a decoder?
are you saying you needed to set CV29 and set ti? I would think the programmer would set that extended address bit in CV29 as well as the 2 other CVs holding the 4 digit address
Step 9 of address programming relates to 4 digit addresses and is supposed to set CV29 to a value of 38. When I performed this step, the locomotive took off and will no longer respond to attempts to reprogram CV8 to 8.
Paul,
If you can, try reading CV29 and confirm that the address was actually changed to â38â. That will confirm that your Digitrax DB150 is actually writing to the decoder.
He has tried that already and he cannot get the loco to sit still to read CV29.
Thatâs why I am encouraging him to check for a manual reset button on the decoder.
If, in fact, there is a manual reset button on the decoder, which BLI says that there is, I wonder if a wire or some other obstruction is holding down the button.
