EZ Command system has been doing fine, but I’ve got a problem with either the system or decoders or both now … hooked up an old power pack to power my accessories - in this case a signal I was going to hook up to a switch so I could turn it green or red. Had one slot open on an Atlas Connector (the first two slots went to my main line and yard from my EZ Command system) and thought “hmm, I’ll use this last slot to send power (or not) to the signal switch.” Connected it. In retrospect, there was DC power heading into the Connector from the left, AC from the right, and, subsequently, the smell of burnt toast in my garage … now all my EZ Command system does is send a loco screaming forward at 100% power. If I hook up my old DC powerpack, the engines chug along merrily at whatever speed is set for them, but the EZ Command is 100% or nothing - to stop the engines I have to unplug it.
Well, I guess everybody has their first big boneheaded wiring move. The question is, what went kablooey? EZ Command or the loco decoders?
It sounds to me like the system has indeed gone to the big roundhouse in the sky. Perhaps Fate is telling you that you’ve outgrown your EZ Command, and it’s time to upgrade.
You’ve learned two things avout the Atlas Connector, the hard way. One, all the switches are connected together, and two, one side is actually common and not switched at all (bottom terminal is connected to all the right-hand terminals at each posiiton without going through the switch contacts - I think, don’t have one handy to check)
If the loco still runs on DC, that means that enough of it is functioning to recognize it’s not getting a DCC signal and switch into analog conversion mode, so it’s probably not fried. The EZ though is almost surely toast.
Let this be a lesson for all those who insist on a DC/DCC scheme where both are present on the rails at the same time. It doesnt take much to fry a system.
Insightful choice of words - “the smell of burnt toast in my garage” Your EZ Command system is now, as you described it - ‘toast’. Mixing AC and DC power is BAD; mixing DCC and DC is BAD. You’ve more than likely fried the voltage regulator inside. Throw it out and start over. I refer you to the website I suggested in a previous post.
Thanks all. Yes, it would seem that I have truly screwed the pooch on this one. All things considered, of course, I’d rather fry the EZ Command than the decoders. i’m not sure what possessed me to run the AC stuff into the connector that was already piping DC to the rails, but … oh well, lesson learned, and I’m sure it won’t be my first.
Experience is the best education you can get. Costly sometimes but worth every Penney.
I’m not going to get on your case. We have all done things that looked good on paper but when the third dimension is added it all goes wrong. Just be glad it was not some $600 system that went poof.
Don’t let the wife read your posts. If she finds out you were asking about upgrading a few days ago she’d never believe you . Oh and I’m cheap to keep quiet. [:D]
