Nothing but static on Econami ECO-21P


KB02

KB02

Well-Known Member
While running my trains today, one of my locos running an Econami ECO-21P just started giving out static. I tried unplugging and replugging the decoder and the speaker, but no change. I reached out to Soundtraxx, but haven't gotten a response yet (on a Saturday afternoon, I'm not too surprised). I have not tried a full reset on the decoder - hoping to avoid that actually due to the labor involved in getting it back the way I had it - but that might be next.

Any suggestions before I try a reset?
 
Looks like only 2 options. Wait for the reply, or do the reset. That might be their advice anyway..
 
yeah... you're probably right.
I think this time, though, I might be smart and write down all the CV's I program, as I do them. I haven't done that previously and my DCC system is incapable of reading CV's (MRC Prodigy Express).
 
Have you considered using JMRI? You can build your locomotive profile and store it. When you have to do a reset on a loco you can go back to the file in JMRI and just reload it into your decoder.
 
I actually do, but since JMRI won't communicate with my programming track (downfall of MRC's Prodigy Express), any little change I do with the handheld cab doesn't get saved to the JMRI profile. Not to mention programming with the handheld is much easier, so I tend to do just that.

I might have some of the profile saved in JMRI; I'll have to check.
 
Good news and bad news. I decided to take a systematic approach to this, as I still had full motor and light control. So I pull the speaker out a tried it on another loco. Turns out I blew the speaker! The decoder works fine and sounds fine with another speaker.

It was an iPhone 4 speaker. Must have hit a short on the track or something. While I’m glad the decoder is fine, just wondering how it overpowered the speaker enough to blow it??
 
tootnkumin said:
Been blowin' yer own horn too much?
Click to expand...
Actually, that was meant as a semi-serious reply. The speaker 'mechanisms' in some of these cell phone speakers are pretty small and horn sounds in particular are pretty raucous. I've gone over to the iPhone 6s Plus 5.5", which is about the same length as the dogbone iP4s and is slimmer in height, a slip fit width wise in most diesel shells and has a larger opening in the end, instead of the side and what at least appears to be a larger sound producing part. This is the one to look for (My local ebay example), just clip off the bracket, flush with the side (opening end).
https://www.ebay.com.au/p/224678943...MIo-PSg-7H5wIVxamWCh0xaAoYEAQYAiABEgJGw_D_BwE
 
Here's a couple of pics of an install into an Athearn RTR SD40 with factory sound. The decoder was based on the early Tsunami and the board is clipped to the motor, as the older lighting board was/is. The motor is the 5 pole 'high speed' version with the exposed commutator. They also turned it upside down and reversed to keep it as low as possible. The rear weight the speaker is sitting on, I removed the factory speaker from (in hindsight that probably wasn't necessary). I also re-routed the pickup wires around the out side of the weight through grooves filed in it, to avoid holding the speaker up. The first pic is looking down on it and the second, side on, so you can see how it's formed in a step down at the opening end i.e. it's firing forward into the open space above the decoder.
IMG_0146.JPG
IMG_0147.JPG

I have just installed another one into the same loco model that was DC/DCC sound ready using an Econami decoder (no big caps), they fit a weight that fills the space that the stock speaker sits in, and also is raised above the top of it's opening about 1/16". Even with that extra height there is just enough room to get one of these iP6s+ speakers in under the shell.
 
Well, you posted this a day late, you know? I had just order 5 more iPhone 4 speakers. :) :) ;)
Seriously, though, thanks for the pictures. I had thought about the updated speaker, but have been pretty happy with the i4, so figured I’d stay with that.
I had the volume set to the default levels for this loco, so maybe it was just too much? Supposedly they’re an 8 ohm speaker, so I didn’t think it’d that big a deal. Oh well, for $6.50 USD, I’ll have 5 more speakers to play with next week.
 
I thought that sort of thing only happened to me, sorry about that. I had intended to but the SD card in my camera failed for some reason and I had to get another. Wasn't a particularly high quality one. Same with some of these replacement speakers, they're not all genuine OEM. With the iP4's opening on the side, remove the tiny gasket around the opening to improve it's ability to get the sound out and make sure it's fixed (double sided tape?) so it can't slip over and contact the shell's side.
 
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