Anybody else experienced issues with Digitrax 165 series decoders randomly losing programming? They work fine when restored to default settings on the programming track and reprogrammed, but I can’t depend on them staying that way. Sometimes they lose their addresses, sometimes I will see a change to 14 speed step mode (detectable when the lights will only work on even speed steps on 28-step mode).
I stopped buying new Digitrax decoders entirely, and while I would prefer not to have to replace all the old ones if they still function, the current plan is to eliminate all 165 series decoders as I can afford it.
I’m using an NCE 5-amp radio system, with the required firmware revisions. No problems with other brands of decoders, or Digitrax versions other than 165. I’m curious if anybody else is seeing the problem before I end up having to send my command station back to NCE or start tearing into things.
Rob, I am not going to be of any help to you here because I don’t have any DH165 series decoders.
But I do have the exact same operating system as you, and I do have a bunch of DH163 series decoders that perform just fine, so I am interested in what the problem is with your DH165 series decoders.
How many do you have ?
What types of locos?
I cannot imagine that the problem is with your command station. Do you have the most recent EPROM update chip?
No idea, the only Digitrax decoders I have are some older DH163L0 in Proto locos, which I repalced, but they had been in storage for 6 years and still ran properly on the addresses they were assigned. Can’t say I’ve ever seen any decoder by any brand lose its mind like that, and as far as I know, no one at the club has had that issue on the club layout either.
The problem I had before was solved (or at least I think it was) and didn’t resurface (a bizarre situation where a decoder address was re-setting to @383, which could be read on the programming track but not usable otherwise). That was eventually traced to faulty electrical pickup in the locomotive due to a broken wire. What that situation did was to alert me to the sensitivity of the DH165, and I haven’t purchased any Digitrax decoders since. The affected decoder remains in use and was actually not affected by the random reset I observed yesterday - it still ran perfectly and remained in its consist.
I have a realtive few DH 163s. They are so far unaffected, as are three DH 123s.
They randomly lose their long address, change from 28/128 speed step mode to 14 speed step mode in CV 29 (easy to spot when the lights work on even speed steps only when otherwise using 28 speed steps), have the direction bit changed in CV 29, and/or lose their advanced consist address (CV 19 resets to 0).
About 20.
Remotored Athearn blue box of various types, Proto 2000 GP30s, Kato GP35s. Atlas GP40-2s. The older Blue box units have proper wiring and electrical isolation for DCC use, and were all formerly equipped with RailCommand decoders before I switched to DCC.
I have the EPROM that came with the radio Cab 06. It’s not the current version, but I have no hardware in use that is dated after the initial EPROM upgrade. The command station battery is four years old, and I plan on replacing it today. I can’t see the battery having an impact, as the information being lost in the decoders is decoder specific CV values. Other information stored in the command station, such as macros for accessory decoders and consisting for other decoder brands and types, is unaffected.
FYI I just spoke to Larry at NCE and he has not heard of this issue, but confirmed that the command station, EPROM and throttles wouldn’t be responsible.
So far I think all of them have been affected at least once. I have now contacted Digitrax to see what they will say, if anything. I was hoping to hear if anyone else had experienced the same issues before dealing with the manufacturer so they don’t just blow me off as having a problem I’ve caused for myself.
NCE did say that if Digitrax can determine if there’s something within the NCE system that could be messing with the DH 165s they do want to know about it so they can work out a fix. On other layouts where I have operated (using Digitrax, CVP and NCE systems) I have seen Digitrax decoders losing programming here and there, but don’t know specifics of what could be happening with them.
I have seen issuers with decoders getting messed up in ‘BB’ engines. I have a friend with a number of them with DH123 decoders and some of the issues are the same. The same decoders have no issues with his older Atlas engines.
I took one of the ‘problem’ engines(F45) and did a complete ‘re-wire’ of the engine(he had used the old DHAT adapter kit). I ‘polished’ the frame area where the trucks swivel, as well as the metal plate on the trucks. I have also cleaned up the ‘Jet’ motor and hard wired everything to the JST connector. I ‘reset’ the decoder and reprogrammed it on my computer - We will see what happens.
I have seen the older DH120/121 decoders lose their address just sitting in the box, and I suspect static or a short causing the decoders to get messed up. Those decoders seem to be very sensitive to ‘noisy’ track(surplus phone wire wiring) I have lots of the DH163/164LO decoders in P2K GP’s and have had no issues, Most of my current non-sound installs have been using the DN135 decoder - very small and rock solid. Everything else has been sound installs, I am converting 6 of those P2K GP9’s to sound decoders when the new decoders arrive.
A lot of guys have been using TCS decoders at the club - The price is good ‘in bulk’ and they have been pretty reliable.
I use all TCS, but I’d think if there was an epidemic of DH165 series decoders all losing their minds on a regular basis, it would be all over the Digitrax Yahoo group.
You’d think it would show up SOMEWHERE. The only thing I can think of is these decoders are “sensitive” to some combination of electronic noise factors, and my train room and house have them in just the wrong environment. I have ruled out common stuff like track or decoder wiring practices and specific types of mechanisms. If I had the slightest clue what could be doing this I’d turn it off, replace it, or otherwise correct it.
I would rule out the locos, such as Athearn BB’s, because it is happening on a variety of different loco brands.
The NCE system doesn’t seem to be the problem either.
It sure does seem like it is the DH165 series of decoders, but why?
The fact that it has happened at one time or another with each and every DH165 decoder seems to rule out a bad batch or bad production run.
You mentioned that you contacted Digitrax, presumably by email. If so, I wouldn’t wait for an email response. You ought to call Digitrax and ask to speak to a technician. What could cause this? Have you heard of this problem before. Speculate, Mr. Technician. What could be going on here?
I searched in vain for a contact phone number on the Digitrax site earlier. Now I just found it on the “about us” portion of their site (it’s not listed under support or “contact us”). I have had good luck receiving e-mail responses from them in the past, but if I get nothing I will try to find somebody to call.
It varies. As more locos have been added to the layout (all with other brands of decoders), incidence has increased. I have had one or more such issues in four of the last five months, but last night affected over twice as many decoders as anything previous. The earlier record was three or four, last night was 10. Nothing consistent ties to when the problem occurs (short, particular throttle in use, specific engine, etc.).
The telephone number, as you now know, is 850-872-9890. The reason that I suggest calling and asking for Technical Support is due to the nature of the problem. This is not a run of the mill issue with a single decoder. This is going to require someone at Digitrax to take the problem under consideration when you are dealing with 20 decoders with the same issue.
Given that recent frequency, ten times in one night, that at least gives you the advantage of being able to undertake some trial and error testing that might not be possible if the problem only manifested itself once or twice a month.
I assume that you have a large number of locos on your layout. What might be helpful would be to temporarily install some kill switches to deaden large parts of the layout so that you can place a test loco on the remaining section of live track to see if the problem occurs with only one loco live on the layout. I am wondering if there is some form of cross-talk going on among the locos equipped with DH165 series decoders.