QSI sound won't come on (Walthers E7)

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
1

Usually, it seems like a common problem is to have sound but the engine won’t move.

This one is the opposite.

I bought some used Walthers E7’s that are equipped with QSI sound decoders. As delivered, I couldn’t get the sound to come on. Engine ran fine.

I did a reset. Still no sound. I played with F6 and F8–nuthin’.

So I’m running out of things to do.

Anyone seen this problem before? And know how to get the sound working? And willing to reveal the secret?

Ed

2

Try hitting the F6 button.

3

Thanks, but I have done that. It didn’t work. Is there some special way to push it?

Ed

4

[Edited] Sorry…

Otherwise, you must do a full three-step reset for the QSI brand. BUT…do NOT forget to remove track power after you press “enter” to execute the final step. When you repower, acquire address “03” and see if the sound comes back.

If nothing, you have a damaged sound circuit, or a loose wire to a speaker, or a hooped speaker.

My PCM Y6-b’s LokSound gave up sound on me four years ago. The loco would move, but neither I nor my decoder friend could get it to make a peep. So, it has a Titan in it now.

5

I don’t know what a “full three-step reset” is.

I did do a reset on one. And the address went from the one I assigned it back to 3. So I know the/a reset happened. But maybe not a “full three-step”?

Just tried again. No sound. Engine goes. Lights work.

There’s two speakers, so it’s hard to believe BOTH would be out. BOTH would have a loose wire. BOTH would be “hooped” (a term I’m unfamiliar with)

I suppose the “sound circuit” could be damaged. I don’t recall hearing much about sound circuits being damaged.

Ed

PS:

I’ve got the other one opened up (the frame was badly warped, and I had to fix it). I do see, on the decoder, that the speakers are plugged into a two-pin jack. And, right next to that one, is a 4 pin jack with nothing plugged in. Now, not too many designers put in a 4 pin jack for decoration. I wonder why it’s there.

My decoder looks just like the one in the photo in this surprisingly familiar topic:

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/t/259256.aspx

(for some reason, this site won’t make the above clickable)

The four pin jack I’m talking about is on the lower right. The speakers plug in just above.

6

The speakers are either in series or parallel, so one wire COULD take out both speakers. If they are in series, if one is blown, the other will be dead as well.

The 4 pin connector is probably for additional functions not used in this loco. It might even be labeled.

Check the volume settings, it’s not on mute, is it?

If you set the address back to what is was, does it hold that address even after powering off, or does it revert to 3 all the time? If it keeps reverting - the reed switch is probably stuck. You can desolder it, or just cut it out, it just means future resets will need to follow the CV method in the manual.

In that linked picture fromt he old thread - I don;t think the reed switch is soldered to both those bend over wires going to the board alongside the main chip socket AND soldered across the top of the chip, right? But it looks like it would be VERY easy to it to be pushed down enough to make contact across the chip - which can’t be good for it. Maybe this is the cause of failure in many of these.

–Randy

7

I just checked the speakers in the one I’ve got disassembled. One’s blown. They’re in series, so that would take the sound out. I don’t feel like disassembling the other one yet, but I’m going to assume it’s out, too. For now, anyway.

I didn’t check the speakers because I haven’t heard that they fail that often. As someone once said: “Today’s the day!”

Thanks, all, for helping out. I appreciate it.

One last thing. IF anyone else has replaced these particular speakers, what did you use?

Ed

8

See if this works Ed, a little late,

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/t/259256.aspx

Mike.

9

Thanks, Mike.

I found that “episode” while I was poking around during this interchange.

Looks like I’ll be doing some speaker replacement.

Ed

10

Sorry to have missed the excitement in here…

If memory serves me proper, that’s a Q1A. I’ve got the manual for them on my home machine if you need it.

I may have a couple of the upgrade chips left too.

11

How much do you want for the upgrade chips?