Randy & Jeff,
On further thought, those numbers were prior to me switching the smoke unit to the OFF position. I did reprogram those CVs after switching the smoke unit off but I don’t remember what they were. I can pretty much guarantee that they a value other than "255.
Tom
Getting 255 means it’s failing to read back. That doesn;t always mean it’s failing to write them - and your changing of CV29 and it affecting the behavior of the loco pretty much proved that values ARE getting written.
–Randy
Congrats Tom!
And good going Randy!
I received a reply from Mark @ BLI earlier today. Mark commented that since “Not once did the Manufacturer or Software Version return the correct value”, he seems to be suspecting that it’s the Paragon2 decoder that’s the problem.
Mark also mentioned that since they (BLI) “are on short supply of the Paragon2 decoders…all decoder issues must come here for repair”. I’m not sure if that means just the Paragon2 decoder needs to go back…or the entire Dreyfuss. I suspect it’s the locomotive and decoder together.
So, I guess it’s back to the back shop for repair…[sigh]
Tom
Or if it does run, just hang on to it and run it until after the holidays when I suspect there won’t be such a short supply of Paragon II decoders.
–Randy
I had actually contemplated that already, Randy. I have another locomotive in their back shop for binding drivers and the lead time quoted to me 2 weeks ago on repairing it was 6 weeks.
Maybe I’ll ask Mark when he thinks the next shipment of Paragon2 decoders will arrive and mail it in then. Or…[^o)]…if they get enough of them in, whether he can just send me a replacement decoder to swap out for the defective one. I’d be willing to do that myself.
BLI sent me the replacement light board for my Niagara. Worth a try…
Tom
Thom.
Have you checked the tether between the loco and tender? Decoder read back requires good motor contact. The motor might get enough power to run but resistance could be too much for read back. BLI has been known for tether issues. Some of mine had plastic from the molding process in the holes for the pins. My I1sa worked great for awhile until one of the wires broke at the tether plug. Check both ends of the tether. One of my Blueline locos had it wire tied to a cap so tight it broke the wires. Actually crushed the harness.
Checking is cheaper and faster than sending it in.
Pete
Pete,
Thanks for the idea about checking the tethered harness. My guess is that the connection is still good but it would be worth checking anyhow.
I actually have another locomotive in the queue @ BLI for repair already. Mark told me that, if I send the Dreyfuss in, I can just put it under the same RA as the other locomotive and they’ll fix them both at the same time.
Tom