I ordered a DCS51 for the NG portion of our club layout. We had been running the layout with a DCS50 but wanted the extra features supplied by the DCS51. Our other intention was to connect the DCS50 as a booster to the DCS51 on the loconet and run our stationery decoders that operate our tortoise switch machines. That way, the turnouts are isolated from short circuits on the track. Everything went well until I did the “quarter” test on the track to make sure the booster held up the stationery decoders. As it turns out, the short circuit test only recovers properly about 40% of the time.
I removed the booster and tested again with the same results. I removed the DCS51 from the track and retested with two 12" pieces of 14 gauge wires, attached to the track connections on the rear connector. I had the same result. I moved the unit to another house outlet and still had the same problem. I even took the test scenario to a friends house to make sure it wasn’t an incoming power issue. Same results.
When I short the screw terminals directly at the connector, it works correctly every time. I have sent the DCS51 back to Digitrax 3 times with no luck. In fact, they sent a brand new unit back the second time and the new unit does the same thing. They claim they don’t see any problem with the overload circuit. I asked them if they used the same method I described
I would reset the DCS51 to factory defaults by closing Option Switch 39. Procedure is in the manual under DCS51 Option Switches.
Would also check the terminal to see if the screws or wire contacts are intact. Also check the power supply. Unlike the DCS50, it needs a DC supply and should measure at least 13.8 volts. possible that the power supply may be drooping. Center pin on plug is positive.
You can swap the seven pin connector from your old DCS50 but do not swap the DCS50 power supply. It is AC and will not work with a DCS51.
When I would have something like your problem I always start at my DB150 and work from it. I have to agree with Dave’s thinking that it not your DCS51 that is the problem. That’s the reason Digitrax could find nothing wrong with it
I have reset to factory defaults several times and the outcome is the same. I’ve tried two different connectors and the wire connections were good on both. I used the power supply supplied with the first DCS-51 and the power supply supplied with the second one. I checked the output of the power supply and it was 14.07 VDC. In all cases, the result is the same, The “walking 0” pattern only passes about 40% of the time. I have tested two DCS-50’s in the same test setup and they both pass the test 100% of the time.
So here is my request. If you have a DCS-51 and have it connected to a layout or test track, place a screwdriver or quarter across the rails. The display should show the “walking 0” pattern until you remove the short circuit. The DCS-51 should recover back to normal with the track power light on and it should be orange. If you have to press the power button to turn the track power back on, then the quarter test they refer to in the instruction manual has failed. Repeat the test 10 times to see how many times it failed to pass the test.
What I’m trying to find out is how many other folks have DCS-51’s that may have the same problem mine has. It could simply be that Digitrax received a bad batch of FET’s and multiple units shipped with bad parts. Your help would be most appreciated.
I just did the quarter test on my Zephyr Extra and it failed 3 out of 10 times! I wonder if that has anything to do with the 5% failure rate I’m seeing in my 2 AR-1’s
How does one install the firmware update after downloading it? I’ve searched the Digitrax site and the DCS51 manual and can’t seem to find the procedure. I’m probably overlooking something obvious but would appreciate a little enlightenment. Thanks
You need the DigiIPL program from the Digitrax site and a PR3 or MS100. Some have gotten it to work with a Locobugger USB but ohers have bricked devices, mainly UR92’s.
Thanks for your help with the experiment. I suspected that mine wasn’t the only one having problems. In my application is crucial that it pass 100% of the time because I’m using a booster and when it fails, it also shuts down my booster which defeats the reason for having a booster.
I would like to hear from anyone else that is having the same issue.
I checked the revision of firmware on my DCS51. It is revision 2.0 and the latest release of firmware is also 2.0 Since the unit is brand new, I suspected that they wouldn’t have sent me a new unit with old firmware. But checking it made sure that was the case. I think the problem stems from a bias issue with the FET’s in the overload circuit. That would explain why it works sometimes and fails at other times. This would also point to a hardware problem and not a firmware problem.
It you have a DCS-51 connected to a run track or test loop, could you run the experiment to see if you have issues with the “quarter” test?
July 9, 2011 (version R2) - Routine Update. We recommend that all Zephyr Xtra’s be updated with this code.
Click on DigiIPL (version 1.09) and use the unzip program to install it in the file of your choice. Also download
Zephy Xtra R2 Firmware and unzip it to the same file. There will be instructions with the DigiIPL file. Make sure you connect the DCS51 loconet and the computer to the PR3. When you execute the DigiIPL software, you should be able to “Find Devices” which will show the PR3 and the loconet port. “Select” the device and “Select File” allows you to select the firmware you downloaded. If the application finds your PR3, a green dot will show in the Ready box. Start the application. If your resident firmware is older than the one you downloaded, the application will automatically upgrade to the latest revision (Rev 2). If not, it will error out, indicating that no upgrade was necessary.
I don’t have an Xtra, I have an original Zephyr. It works fine, has for 9 years or so now, but is only connected to my stationary decoders, my track power comes from a DB150 through a PM42.
I have the same problem with a new Zephyr Xtra it works exactly the same as yours out of 30 tests i carried out with it connected to a spare piece of track it worked fine for 18 times 0000 and reset then the 12 times it cut power with 8888 showing then CS and shut down track power, and if you take a look on the Yahoo Digitrax users forum you will find many more with the same fault but some getting a constant 8888 and track power shut down every time, i think it points to a fault in cut out nothing to do do with software update , i live in the UK so it is not so easy to return to Digitrax very costly plus the time , i believe Digitrax have a major problem with some of the new Zephyr Xtras.
Basically what appears to be happening is that on a short, the entire microcontroller is resetting rather than the short protection tripping. One would HOPE Digitrax is aware of the exact indications people are reporting - but the fact that you see all 8’s AND then the C5 (really it’s CS for Command Station - since the Zephyr is in Command Station mode, not Booster mode) indicates to me that the whole processor is resetting, which is further indicated by the fact that you need to hit the Power button to turn track power back on.
Digitrax finally managed to track down and solve the duplex radio issues, thanks to some users who were able to supply detailed Loconet traces of what happened when they couldn;t connect. Same sort of thing needs to be done with the Zephyr Xtra to track these problems down as well, although it appears this is more random and not a problem every Xtra owner has by a long shot.
A possible workaround is to Close OpSw 34 to enable the unit to power up with track power on. That way at least you might not have to hit Power after it resets. But to me what is clearly happening is that the whole unit resets when the rails are shorted, instead of the short protection tripping. Another possible workaround is an 1156 or equivalent bulb in series witht he track, so on a short the bulb will light up and limit current to around 3 amps, which may mean the breaker will not trip, so it will never shut down. Or even break the layout into multiple power districts with a different bulbs rated at say 2.1 amps each. NCE has a 6 zone protection device like this that uses light bulbs.
Somehow I missed this thread when it was originally posted. Glad to see I’m not the only one who has had this problem. I have sent my Xtra back 3 times for repair, this last time they replaced the entire motherboard, so basically I have a new DCS 51.
Last month, my PS314 crapped out (no green light). Guess what, that is the only thing that will power the command station and you can only get it from Digitrax. There aren’t any other power packs with that type plug for the command station.
What’s really scary - when I called Digitrax and spoke with “repairs”, I explained what had happened: I am rebuilding my layout and I am testing the power as I install track, spurs, turnouts, bus lines, feeder lines, etc. I attempted to do a “quarter test” and the CS went blank. While attempting to troubleshoot, I noticed the “green light” on the PS314 was out (non-illuminated). Her response nearly floored me, she said “I’m not familiar with the quarter test”. As I was explaining what a quarter test is, I thought to myself “and this person is repairing our devices”???
The PS314 is scheduled to arrive in a few days, hopefully the CS is still working. Won’t know until I have power. Guess I shoulda just sent the CS in along with the power pack.
The PS314 is just a common sourced laptop sort of power supply. The plug is also one of the standard types that can be found many places, radio shack probably has the correct one. The actual power supply can probably be found on eBay for less than $20, it’s remarkably simliar to one I picked up to power extra things around my layout, the one I got was meant for some sort of LCD monitor. Basically a 13.8VDC power supply of about 3.5 amps. Even one without a connector is useful - just lop the wires off the dead PS314 and splice them to the new power supply.
They like to make you think these things are proprietary - but NCE has done this too, gone to a generic laptop switching power supply instead of the old hefty transformer types. Much cheaper, there are Chinese companies making these power supplys by the millions, the old style ones are hadly used anywhere else. Plus the switching supplies are more consistent in voltage and generally more efficient.