HEy Guys well I was a new owner to a soundtrax 820041 decoder last week from the train show in Springfield. I was all happy to get it home and play. Well I did after I installed it in my SD70M UP. I did everything right I might add. I got it home and ran it on my layout and it was running choppy but I figured it was because it was brand new and the loco was too. So i had it on the layout for a few days trying to get a smooth run. What I was experiencing was this
I would start the loco speed up and it would start to move and then stop and start to move and stop a few times. So I thought nAturally a dirty track and got to cleaning.
Then When I got to a section on my layout behind Burger King I have a reverse loop module there because the trains heads in the opposite direction. So I have the tracks isolated. Once it hits the isolation section It ALWAYS shorted out. ALWAYS. SO After I gave it a push passed that point and it was in a isolated section where my Reverse lop module does it job. I would hit the stop button on my Lenz throttle to reset it and start the lco back up. After doing so It was on. I then gave it some power to go and as soon as I di The Reverse loop module under neather would be making that sound like the guy from the computer commercial “LIKE A YETTY” It was clicking as fast as the motor I made go. Then it would get to the next isolated section and ZAP! Short curciut and shut off again. I had this problem over and over again. WOuld not go away with all I tried.
I check and cleaned track. Checked all my wiring to the loco over and over. I even went far as to remove the decoder and install in another loco think I had a Loco problem. Nope didnt work. In fact once in the new loco it would do the same thing, in which that loco ran fine an hour before I removed the Digitrax decoder from it. So it defintely was not the loco. I finally had to call Soundtraxx and he said I did a great job trouble shooting and he could not offer anymore so send it
It’s good that you’ve posted this as many of us are getting into DCC. Very beneficial to know what kind of strange problems we may encounter. Let us know what Soundtraxx tells you.
Hopefully our favorite DCC Guru, Joe Fugate, will browse this thread sooner or later. He might have an idea as to what could be going on in your situation.
Did you try swapping the other way - known good decoder int he new loco? Make sure it’s not an issue witht his particular loco. There’s definitely a short in the system somewhere, that’s why the auto-reverse keeps clicking - it sees the short and tries to reverse, still sees a short, tries to revers, over and over. Also tr y test running the loco on DC, and if you have one, use an analog meter to motor current draw - a digital meter won’t respond fast enough to show an intermittant short in the motor, but an analog one, you would see the needle flutter.
Since you indicate that you can turn on track power and the sound comes up, but it fails as soon as you try to move the loco - the fault lies somewhere in the motor circuit. Either the drive int he Soundtraxx decoder, or the motor of the Athearn. A bad winding, or a speck of copper in the wrong place on the motor commutator can cause things like this. Is it a fully enclosed motor, or is the commutator visible like older Athearn motors? If it’s visible - carefully inspect it for anything shorting between the segments of the commutator. It doesn’t take much to cause a short, and the way you describe things happening, this is a CLASSIC example of a fault like this.
I have tried all that. I replaced the decoder from loco to the other and still had the same problem. So I am sure it is the decoder. Soundtraxx just is having me ship it to them. I did today so it will be to them in a matter of days and they will contact me on this further. They will have to replace it and I will be happy.
I SUSPECT your problem is your Reverse Loop or how it is wired - or both - and ANY decorder used will have similar results,
START at the beginning: Remove the module and wire using the usual DPDT switch.
NOW if everything works (for a $4 switch) we know what is causing the problem.
IF NOT, run a different engine.
THE PROBLEM is either ENGINE related, WIRING related, or MODULE related - and the probadbility is the ‘wiring’.
In the meantime, YOU need to isolate the problem.
Well just to update you on this. I have had the wiring done on the layout more than 9 months. The module and wiring is perfect. It is definitely the Decoder because my other 17 engines run through the module perfectly. No problems with any of them except that darn Sountraxx one.
I understand that the decoder is on the way to Soundtraxx , but I’ll like to add.
Have you tried the decoder without the engine lights connected?
Because:
You must be sure that the combined current draw of each lamp and the Locomotive’s stall current does not exceed the decoder’s current rating.
YOU I am impressed with your question. MAkes much sense. To answer that, No I did not. LOL Anyway you may be heading somewhere and we will find out. I should have done that. Modeloldtimer I actually had four resisters on the front part of the board for the headlights and the ditchlights. I need to ad a resister for every light to work properly. 1K 1/4 watt is what I use. They work great on all the other decoders. I also had two resisters for the rear lights. Do you think that this may have been a factor in the problem? I hope not, because I sent it away without trying to remove the lights and then do it. I thought about it for a minute at first but thought, “No that cant be the problem” Now lets say for example that is the issue. What will I have to do for the lights to be able to be connected and operating? Thanks alot and great questions.
Sountraxx DSD decorers & Lights
The lamps may be wired for one of two modes of operation full-wave and half wave.
Full wave operation is the perfered. Each lamp is powered vie the common blue wire.
The advanage of the full wave wiring scheme is that the lamps brighteness will be unaffected when the layout is operating another locomotive in analog mode.
The half-wave wiring has the advantage that the BLUE common wire is not used.
Meaning one less wire to use in small locos. The drawback is that the lamp brightness will change when operating another engine in the analog mode.
The DSD lighting outputs may be used with 12-16 volt incandescent lamps, 1.5 volt microlamps or LED’s.
If using 12-16 volt lamps, each bulb can be directly wired to the function output. If the lamps draw more than 50mA, wire a 22 ohm, 1/4 W resistor in series with each lamp to prevent the lamp start-up currents from overloading the decoder outputs.
If using 1.5 volt microbulbs, it will be necessary to wire a small current resistor in series with each of the lamps to prevent them from burning out. A 560 ohm, 1/4W resistor is recomened for use with Soundtraxx P.N. 810022 or P.N. 810024 microbulbs.
However, you may need to adjust this value to get the desired brightness of the lamp.
LED’s require a resistor, typically about 680 ohms, 1/4W.
Note: The LED’s are sensitive to polarity. The minus( cathode) end of the LED is connected to the function output and the plus (anode) end is wired to the decoder’s BLUE or common wire.
Note: LED’s are not recommended for use with Mars Hyperlight effects.
To wire the Headlight, connect one end of the bulb (or cathode of an LED) to the decoder’s WHITE wire. Wire the other bulb lead to the decoder’s BLUE wire for full-wave operation. for half-wave operation connect the other lead to the left or right hand rail pickup as convenient.
To wire the Backup light, connect one end of the bulb (or cathode end of an LED) to the decode
Biggie, I feel for you. I’d be mad to if I bought something that didn’t work the way it was supposed to. Just remember the old saying “On everyone’s parade, a little rain must fall.”