I have a new ZW with four Powerhouses powering two tracks, two blocks each, in TMCC. I hooked it up by the book: first Powerhouse to the AU circuit, the next to B and so on. Track wires are correct, one set of blocks on the left side of the ZW, the other set on the right. PROBLEM: No response to the remote. A loco (which has been programmed and has been running fine on TMCC) now sits, Railsounds idling and lights on, but doesn’t respond to programmed commands. No whistle, bell, or boost, no crewtalk, etc. ============== There’s more…When we power up the digital ZW before turning on the Command Base, a voltmeter indicates normal, even output at all four circuits–AU, BU, CU, DU. When we power up with the Command Base already on (obviously a no-no), we get no power at AU and DU. Yet either way, the F-3 ABBA will not respond to the remote no matter which we turn on first, and it is not derailed. It just sits there and idles. Any ideas?
The ZW when used in a TMCC environment needs to be programmed and you need to review the basic operating principals (pages 9-12). Callibration is on page 14, page 15 starts dealing with more advanced techniques.
Definitely review the manual for the ZW. When the new ZWs start up and detect a command environment A-U and D-U will go to 0 volts. If you have done nothing else to the ZW (it is programmed as from the factory) you should be able to address TR then 1 on the CAB (either 1 or 2) and bring the voltage up with the knob on the CAB.
You can also stop this start up behavior by reprogramming the ZW to TR-0. The A and D posts will then come up at the voltage the handles are set to.
I believe you do want the Command Base powered up BEFORE the PoHos are turned on. That way the ZW will detect the command environment.
The new ZWs offer a lot of functionality in the command environment. I had to go over the manual a couple of times to get everything set up / figured out.
I hope you get things working as expected.
- Luther
Thanks–programming did it…