Discussion related to everything about model railroading, from layout design and planning, to reviews of related model tools and equipment. Discussion includes O, S, HO, N and Z, as well as narrow gauge topics. Also includes discussion of traditional "toy train" and "collector" topics such as Lionel, American Flyer, Marx, and others. Also includes discussion of outdoor garden railways and live steamers.
Discussion related to everything about model railroading, from layout design and planning, to reviews of related model tools and equipment. Discussion includes O, S, HO, N and Z, as well as narrow gauge topics. Also includes discussion of traditional "toy train" and "collector" topics such as Lionel, American Flyer, Marx, and others. Also includes discussion of outdoor garden railways and live steamers.
My Power Cab will not program locomotives. I've tried two locomotives and 3 different decoders (all Digitrax DH123A) with no change. Track has power and works with DC locos. All I get is a "cannot find CV" error. Under the suggestion at the dealer it was a bad Power Cab I sent it back to NCE who gave it a clean bill of health. Any ideas? I've tried joining the NCE group on Yahoo but they've yet to approve me.
Just trying to help you troubleshoot so I sincerely apologize for some of the basic questions below:
What kind of locomotive is it? I know that the Atlas AEM7 has a factory wiring error on the light board which prevents it from being programmed on a program track (using a drop in decoder). This is the same phenomenon that causes the number boards to stay lit when you turn on DCC power to the track. As a result, all programming has to be done on the main.
Have you made sure that you wired the program track correctly?
Is the program track clean as well as the locomotive wheels?
Did you hard-wire the decoder or was it a drop-in (If you hardwired, it's possible that there's a short occurring which burns out the decoder and if this is the case, in most cases, the CV is unreadable at that point).
You may also want to see if you can program the locomtoive on the main and run it on address 3 (default). If it works on address 3, it may narrow your issue down to the wiring of the program track.
Given my past experience, one of these would usually be the culprit when a CV can not be read.
Have you made sure that you wired the program track correctly?
Yes. However, it will not program on the program track OR the main
Is the program track clean as well as the locomotive wheels?
Yes.Both were cleaned immediately before trying to program.
Did you hard-wire the decoder or was it a drop-in (If you hardwired, it's possible that there's a short occurring which burns out the decoder and if this is the case, in most cases, the CV is unreadable at that point).
both are drop in Digitrax DH123AT's into Athean locos with the plug and play slot.
You may also want to see if you can program the locomtoive on the main and run it on address 3 (default). If it works on address 3, it may narrow your issue down to the wiring of the program track.
As said above. Nothing on the program track or the main.
What wiring issue with AEM-7s? I have programed every one of mine with the drop in decoder no problem with both my power cab and the clubs Powerhouse NCE system.
Question if your saying DC locos run just fine, are you DISCONNECTING your DC power supply before connecting your power cab to the track? Also does the decoder operate on address 3 when you put in a new decoder fresh to an engine? If you cannot run a decoder on address 3 then you need to start there. You have an issue with your wiring in either your power cab to the track or to the decoder to the track on your DCC locomotive. Also keep in mind your decoder will NOT read back CVs without a motor that works connected to it! IF your motor is not connected properly to the decoder it can not read back the CVs.
Cadet57 wrote:Have you made sure that you wired the program track correctly?
Yes. However, it will not program on the program track OR the main
Is the program track clean as well as the locomotive wheels?
Yes.Both were cleaned immediately before trying to program.
Did you hard-wire the decoder or was it a drop-in (If you hardwired, it's possible that there's a short occurring which burns out the decoder and if this is the case, in most cases, the CV is unreadable at that point).
both are drop in Digitrax DH123AT's into Athean locos with the plug and play slot.
You may also want to see if you can program the locomtoive on the main and run it on address 3 (default). If it works on address 3, it may narrow your issue down to the wiring of the program track.
As said above. Nothing on the program track or the main.
Ok
If you used the DH123AT decoder with the Athearn harness, it's possible that the decoders you are using were not adequately isolated from the motor. This has happened to me several times. The result is a burned out decoder in which case NCE won't be able to read the CV. Check the decoder for burn marks. When mounting the decoder on top of the motor you should use double-sided tape with adequate insulation.
That's what it sounds like to me. Hope this helps!
ApproachMedium wrote:What wiring issue with AEM-7s? I have programed every one of mine with the drop in decoder no problem with both my power cab and the clubs Powerhouse NCE system.
You can program the AEM7s on the main but not the program track. The wiring issue is that the bulbs for the number boards are directly wired to the tracks on the PC board. I think this was an oversight by Atlas. Notice how the lights will stay on under DCC when it is on a track with power. There's no way to turn them off. That same wiring issues prevents the locomotive from being programmed on the program track.
Yea, I have programmed on the program track with my AEM-7s, I only use TCS decoders in them. Never had a problem programming them with the number board lights on. I have worked with a handfull of them as well, The NJT and Amtrak models. Even my modified 10 function ones which still have constant lit LED numberboards do not have an issue with being programmed on the program track with either NCE system.
ApproachMedium wrote:Yea, I have programmed on the program track with my AEM-7s, I only use TCS decoders in them. Never had a problem programming them with the number board lights on. I have worked with a handfull of them as well, The NJT and Amtrak models. Even my modified 10 function ones which still have constant lit LED numberboards do not have an issue with being programmed on the program track with either NCE system.
Are you using he DP2x or the DH150DP? The latter didn't have the issue of programming on the program track.
Thanks everyone for the replies. After a couple days of troubleshooting. It turns out I have a bad Power Panel. One of the pins inside the plug is loose/bent so it wasn't making full contact with the Power Cab. Panel is on its way to NCE, should have a new one next week.
