Latest tests re power management and programming sound decoders

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
1

I just got an Atlas Gold Series Trainmaster, so now I have at least one sound loco from each of the major makes - QSI, Soundtraxx, ESU, and yes, an MRC. I have both a Tsunami loco and one with an old DSD-LC decoder.

I put the following locos on the same section controlled by my PM42 power manager, you know, the one that does not work with sound decoders due to inrush current:

Atlas Trainmaster - QSI; Stewart FT-B, Tsunami; Athearn RS-3, MRC; Stewart F7-B, Soundtraxx LC, Wathers FA, TCS T-1 motor only, Stewart FT-A, TCS T-1 motor only; Stewart F7-A, TCST T-1 motor only.

All headlights on, all were making noise, none were in shutdown or muted.

I shorted the track. The PM42 started clicking. I released the short. The PM42 stopped clicking and all the sounds restarted.

That’s right, no drama, no problems, no continued short, it all worked as advertised. I’ve done NOTHING special, I don’t have ‘cheater’ light bulbs bypassing the PM42 or anything of the sort. Booster to the PM42, PM42 to the track.

As for programming, after test running the Trainmaster on 3, I picked it up and set it on my program track connected to my Zephyr. I selected Pg for paged mode programming, selected 4-digit address, keyed in 802, the cab number, pressed enter. When prompted for AD4=on? I hit the Y for yes. I then hit Exit to quit program mode, picked up the loco and moved it back to my main track. No go on address 3, selected address 802 - and off it went. So the “You can’t program QSI without a booster” - more bunk. My Tsunami programmed too, but QSI was one I haven’t had an exampe of until now, so I wanted to hit that before pronouncing all is fine. And no, I did not cheat and use Blast Mode.

–Randy

2

That’s great news, Randy. I’ve been very happy with my Power Cab in that respect. With the slight additional “oomph” it has in programming mode, I’ve never had a problem programming locomotives with sound decoders.

Tom

3

Randy, never had an issue either with my Z or the PR3 and I have all the types as well. I have 2 or 3 locos with factory fitted QSI and a couple with aftermarket QSI decoders fitted. The only decoder that I was unable to program was a low cost Lenz LE1000 that required a 1K ohm resistor accross the track. However, I know of several folks that struggle with programming some of these with the Super Chief. I think that the program booster is needed for those situations. But if you are a Zephyr owner you for sure don’t need one.

Just noticed Tom’s post. I don’t think it is any coincidence that the most recent command stations from each company have the best performance with this issue.

4

Programming has always worked for me, I was more interested in the PM42 results. I also posted the same messgae tot he Digitrax Yahoo groupm becauseit never fails, someone comes in, says they are goign to break their layotu into multipel districts using the PM42, and there are a dozen replies tellign them what a piece of junk it is and that it can;t work with sound decoders etc etc. Not to mention the comparison article on Tony’s - coincidently they sell an alternate device that is rated ‘better’. But nneeded to be repalced with a different device supposedly to handle sound decoder inrush - yet reading the thread Mobileman started, looks like even the PSX can have issues. Meanwhile, my ‘old tech’ relay unit works flawlessly.

The PM42 certainly isn;t for everyone, it’s utterly useless on a non-Digitrax layout because you can’t adjust the settings. But at least on my layout, with Digitrax, it is completely reliable, and the added advatnage of monitoring it via Loconet makes it a gret solution for Digitrax users. The idea of relays being old fashioned is silly. Communications equipment still uses relays to make and break the line, and it wasn;t all that long ago when people still had modems for inernet connections, the dialing was done by a relay. Not a solid state relay, an actually magnetic coil relay…

–Randy

5

Randy,

Our club has 16 PM42’s(64 power districts). We did have problems at the power district where the roundhouse was located and had to make adjustments with the power districts limits(two power districts for that end of the yard now). Too many BLI/QSI engines in one place…

What we did find was that we set the power districts to the higher 7.5 amp setting, and quick detection of a short. The DCS200/DB200 booster are set to trip after a long delay(I think it is 1/2 second). This resolved most of the problems. We had somebody ‘short out’ the world in one of the power districts last Wednesday and three trains came to a stop. Everyone claimed ‘their’ train was not the problem, and the PM42 cleard up the power district about a minute later. The rest of the two level 27’ by 27’ layout just kept on running.

Most folks who complain about the PM42 just install it out of the box and do not really program it for the job. I have a PM42 with 4 power districts at home(4.5 amps) and really never have a problem. I plan to have 8 power districts on my new layout and will purchase another PM42. This is all driven by a DCS100 and a DB100a booster - More than enough power for a ‘home’ layout.

Jim

6

The only thing I did with mine was give it a board address, it’s still at the 3 amp setting and I think also at standard trip speed. I didn’t write it down when I set it up, so it might be on the ‘faster’ setting.

My feeling on most of the issues, as well as the programming issues, is probably insufficient wiring. I will retry my test on the far sideof the layout (which isn;t all that far, it’s only a 9x12 room) and see if there is too much drop fromt he bus to allow a reset under heavy inrush load. The Zephyr is definitely better at handling the program track than the DCS100, but my PR3 has also worked just fine with a PS14, no special 18V power supply. Haven’t tried it with the QSI yet so I didn’t say anythign about that, but I’ve done full reads on the Tsunami with no problem, and even was able to peck off CVs on one of the older “unreadable” MRCs.

–Randy

7

Randy, it has always been thus with my Super Empire Builder’s DB150, too, and you know it doesn’t have the low voltage output for programming tracks. As Digitrax asks its SEB owners to do, only the address changes need to be done in Paged Mode, and my DT400 throttles also prompt me with the “Do you want to modify CV29 for long address?”, at which I press “Y” as you did. That’s it…no fuss, no muss…I flip a toggle to power up the rest of the system and drive the newly addressed loco off to generate some revenue for me.

I have a Tsunami that, if it goes wonky, it doesn’t like Ops Mode resetting on Address “08”. I have to use the Address “00” for it to take a reset. I don’t know why that one does it, but…

Crandell