Digitrax Decoder overheating-motor slowing down

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I recently installed a Digitrax DH123P decoder in a new Athearn AMD103 that has the newer motor and the DCC quick plug (don’t think it is considered Genisis). The engine ran fine for about 2-3 hrs use, speed was almost identical to a twin I have. I noticed it was slowing down considerably compared to the other one I have. When I popped off the shell to investigate, I noticed the motor was pretty warm and the decoder was hot. I opened the shell to its twin and both the motor and decoder were cool to the touch. They were MU’d together at the time so one would expect them to be the same. Like I said it was going slower that it’s twin (uncoupled them to compare speeds). Is this a motor problem or a decoder problem?

Thanks,

Mike in Tulsa

2

there is an easy way to tell if it is the motor or the decoder. Swap the decoder from the other engine into that one. If it still runs slow, its the motor. If it runs fine, its a decoder problem.

3

Keep your sales slip for the decoder. Digitrax has replaced decoders for me under warrenty. Tom [:)]