Possible to set the NCE Powercab to factory settings?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

My brand new engine does not run, not the other engines either. I know that the problem is my NE Powercab. I have not used it for a while so I have simply forgot how to program it. I wonder how I can set my NCE Powercab to the default factory settings? I think that will help me.

2

Electro,

So, neither your new or other locomotive even runs on address 03? Did you check the manual to see if it mentions anything about a factory reset option? I’ll have to check when I get home tonight…

Tom

3

I just got the message, can’t read CV

But I don’t know why I can’t read it.

I’m unsure how to set long and short adresses on the powercab, maybe someone can tell me?

4

Electro,

Did you plug your Power Cab into the LEFT socket of your PCP panel. The LEFT one is powered; the RIGHT one is unpowered and for an extra throttle.

Tom

5

Electro,

Update: I haven’t been able to find a “reset” sequence for the Power Cab yet. I don’t know if there is one…

Tom

6

Electro,

The following is quoted from the Power Pro System Reference Manual, page 13, under the topic of Battery Connect Jumper:

“With the jumper installed the battery is on. Should the operator want to reset the Command Station to FACTORY SETTINGS remove the jumper, cycle the power to the Command Station OFF, then ON. All changes have now been cleared. Now re-install the jumper. If you leave the jumper off the command station will not remember any of the setings after you turn the power off.”

I believe the Command Station of your system and the Power Pro are the same. You’ll need to read your manual on how to open up the Command Station to get access to the battery and the jumper.

Before doing this, however, I think you need to insure that your Command Station and Booster are properly connected and that you have power to your track. In my manual, it states under the topic of TRACK LIGHT that the “Indicator light glows yellow to show normal system operation. A red or green glow indicates a problem with the Command Station”; and under STATUS LIGHT, “This light is always off.” I also suggest that you use an AC Voltmeter to check track power, if you haven’t already done so. You may just have a loose wire between the booster and track.

Good luck –

7

Chuck,

With the Power Cab, the command station, booster, and throttle are all rolled-up-into-one, so there is no battery to get to. The handheld Power Cab itself supplies the power needed to the track.

In order to supply power to the track, the Power Cab has to be properly connected to the LEFT connector socket of the PCP panel ONLY. (The RIGHT connector socket is the extra throttle socket.) The PCP panel is what is connected to the track and is powered by the wall transformer.

There is a red status light on the front of the PCP panel that indicates whether power is on or not. Like the Power Pro, the LCD screen on the Power Cab is lighted to show that it is working.

Tom

8

Electro,

Did you, by chance, run any of your locomotives in a consist? If so, you will need to clear them of their consist #s before they will run properly. (Page 28 of your Power Cab manual will have that info.) If you are getting a “Can’t read CV” from your new (I’m assuming new = never been run) locomotive, then you aren’t connected to the correct (LEFT) socket of your PCP panel.

Also, programming short and long addresses is located on pg. 2-3 of your Power Cab manual. In order to get to Programming track menu, you need to do the following:

  1. Press the PROG button four (4) times.

  2. Press ENTER to use the programming track.

  3. Press 1 for STD programming.

  4. Once the manuafacturer’s ID number is displayed (ex. MANUFACTURER: 049), press ENTER gives you the decoder version.

  5. Press ENTER again for activating the short address.

  6. Enter a 3-digit number (ex. 004 for 4, 059 for 59, etc.) that you want for your short address, or press ENTER to keep the short address at 003

  7. Press 1 to activate the short address (or ENTER to skip this activating it) and to move on to activating the long address

  8. Enter a 4-digit number (ex. 0059 for 59, 0123 for 123, 5101 for 5101, etc.) that you want for your long address.

  9. Press 1 to activate the long address.

  10. Press the PROG/ESC button to exit programming mode.
    To access your locomotives 4-digit address:

  11. Press the SELECT LOCO button.

  12. Enter in your 4-digit long address number.

  13. Press ENTER.

9

Guys,

I found the problem yesterday. I used the wrong cable. I used the curled one instead of the flat one between the panel and the Cab. That was the only problem. After I changed the cable everything worked. I will never forget that mistake. The Atlas engine sounds amazing.

Thanks for helping me out.

10

Electro,

I’m just glad to hear that it was an easy fix. Yea, the coily cord is a 4-conductor cable and the flat, a 6-conductor cable. The two that you were missing were for track power/communication.

Tom