Well, maybe have run into my first bad decoder.
Installed correctly, but I can’t get any reaction from the decoder, of any kind, whether on a program, test, or main track.
Is there a way to test a decoder to see if it is bad ?
It didn’t smell like ozone at anytime :), or can a decoder get fried without smelling/smoking ?
Using MRC Prodigy Advance system. Loco works fine in dc.
Frustrating.
Loy’s Toys (going out of business due to retirement), Tony’s Train Exchange, and I believe Litchfield Station all sell a decoder tester, but your experience already indicates that you have a bad decoder.
Substituting a known good decoder is the best and easiest way to find out for sure, and it doesn’t have to be a sound decoder.
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I inserted a Digitrax non-sound decoder in it, and it worked fine.
Not to happy at the moment; I have to wait two weeks to get the loco and decoder (I won’t be going back to that dealer…) and now this. At $65 a pop, troubles aren’t needed. And now I find out that this dealer won’t take decoder returns…
A bad MRC decoder. Imagine that.
Funny thing is, the first thing that caught my eye with it, is the copper motor contacts; they’re all discolored and almost oxidized looking, instead of the usual shinyness.
Check and see what MRC’s return policy is. I’m sure they’ve had enough returns lately from the sound of things.
Yep, in the process of doing so, thanks.
I purchased a lot of Digitrax decoders from several dealers and ran across one that did not work.
I did not know which dealer I got the bad one from so I contacted Digitrax direct, they told me to send it back to them and they replaced it for the cost of my shipping it to them.
Not to bad only one bad one out of 55[swg]
Yo Mailman,
Just bought one of those a month ago and placed in
my loco. It worked fine for about 10 min. and then the sound
faded away. The montion worked fine. I emailed MRC tech
support and after a few messages back and forth, they told me to send
it in. Got a new one back in about two weeks total time and it
has been running just fine since.
I have the contact name @ MRC if you want it.
Peter
Thanks, that would be great. PM it to me when you can. I’ve emailed MRC, but obviously won’t hear back until Monday at the soonest.
Yeah, first MRC I’ve bought, otherwise all Digitrax, which I haven’t had any problems with. Only reason I wanted to try this was for sound.
MRC decoders…they are just not worth the effort. Stay away from them…no…RUN AWAY. Keep your money in your pocket and buy something worth while.
David B
Yep, it would appear you are correct. I won’t be getting anymore, after this. Expensive lession [:(!]