DCC Decoder problem

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
1

I am just beginning a small layout and have an NCE Power Cab DCC system, and right now only two locos.

A few days ago as I began to operate, one loco ran fine. When I hit the Recall button to opeate the second it did not even show up on the screen.

I decided to re-program that loco, however even though its number shows up on the screen it will not move. I tried programing it to a different number, but still nothing happens.

Have I likely burned out the decoder? I keep the entire system unplugged between sessions, so it could not have been a power surge. The last time I was operating it worked fine and then nothing.

Is there anything I can try to get it going again?

2

Can you read back the engine number after you program it? Can you turn the headlights off and on?

3

Try a factory reset of the offending engine.

4

I have had the Power Cab for sometime. If a decoder does not respond I just do a factory reset. CV8 enter 8 for my decoders. Cycle track power.

Rich

5

Weird stuff sometimes happens in DCC. There is no logical explanation.

You take a normally fuctioning loco, take it off the tracks and park it for 3 weeks. Next time you put it on the tracks, the horn or bell won’t work or it won’t go faster than tortoise speed step 1. None of this is volatile memory that disappears over time and there are no power surges, lack of snubbing or reflected waves that affect the loco sitting on the shelf.

Don’t forget to cycle the power after the reset.

6

wblock,
To me, it sounds like a recall stack problem with the PowerCab. I know little about NCE (I’m a Digitrax guy), but perhaps try using the regular DCC address select feature rather than the recall and see if that works.

Can you read the 2nd loco decoder? If it can be read, it’s probably not dead. I don’t know if the PowerCab can read decoders or not.

If you still have trouble, try programming your decoder’s CV08 to a value of 08. This will do a factory reset of your decoder and reprogram the address back to 03.

BTW, what kind of decoders are you using? It can make a difference on possible solutions.

7

I missed this. I’m pretty sure it ought to recall a loco, even if it’s not on the tracks. It’s possible to reprogram the Powercab to change the number of recall positions. Maybe you can reprogram it to only 1?

Powercabs can read decoders on the programming track.

You can “select loco” and type in any number and the Powercab will show that number, even if there is no corresponding loco.

In Powercab the loco number 3 is a short address. 003 is a long address.