Serves me Right - Bachmann DCC loco dead


Well it serves me right, but I got intrigued about some differences in DCC systems and how many more buttons need to be pushed with the Zephyr.

Attempted address change on a Bachmann DCC on Board loco using OPS mode.

Said loco is now dead, using the programming track with Zephyr, I get the response "d nd" which means open circuit.

No response to programming or any address including 00.

Any hints - even to use EZ command considered :)

take care ,,, ken
 
Thanks Nucular, I suppose something could have come loose but it would be quite a coincidence.

Loco ran and programmed perfectly before my fooling around.

Other locos are fine.

take care ,,ken
 
Consider it a blessing in disguise!
The quality of the Bachmann "DCC on board" decoders are at best questionable.....
Install a better decoder and see how the loco behaves like it was at least twice as expensive! :)
 
Impressions on operation & replacement

Consider it a blessing in disguise!
The quality of the Bachmann "DCC on board" decoders are at best questionable.....
Install a better decoder and see how the loco behaves like it was at least twice as expensive! :)

Thanks Graff, but the unit prior to my screwing around ran like a loco worth 4 or 5 times as much :)

Replacing the decoder or whole unit might be considered a solution but isn't an answer to what happened or fixing it.

take care ,,,, ken
 
Fixed & this might help someone else

Fixed & this might help someone else.

Although trying loco ID 00 (DC with Digitrax) did nothing, trying a DC power pack restored functioning after a couple of direction changes at a high throttle setting.

Loco operates on DCC as if it had a successful restart.

take care ,,, ken
 
agreed with Graff. the only DCC-on-board bachman i got had semi defective decoder in it. it would work but so inconsistent, would "forget" settings and addresses and such. i was new to the topic and the fact engine was somehow running led me to believe the problems were due to my ineptness. only later when i replaced with good digitrax decoder i realized i played with poo all that time. from then on i always factor in the decoder cost



I'm not saying your decoder is bad however. )
 
Fixed & this might help someone else.

Although trying loco ID 00 (DC with Digitrax) did nothing, trying a DC power pack restored functioning after a couple of direction changes at a high throttle setting.

Loco operates on DCC as if it had a successful restart.

take care ,,, ken

I am going to keep that in mind in case something like that happens to me. Thanks for sharing that.
 
Now you'll have to hope it doesn't happen again. Bottom line the best solution is still to take the factory decoder and intorduce it to Mr. Trashcan. I have had my share of grief from these things and I always replace them first chance I get. Less hassle, better performance, easier programming.

My experiences. Your choice. ;)
 
[YOUTUBE]http://youtu.be/TCJE7rqGDmE[/YOUTUBE]
http://youtu.be/TCJE7rqGDmE
This is a comparison I made with the standard DCC onboard decoder and a good after market one from Lenz.
The onboard ones ARE more or less crap......
 
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Bachmann

are you using a 1kohm resistor across the programming track terminals? You have to to program the Bachmann decoders with the zephyr.

http://kb.digitrax.com/index.php?a=801

Thanks, yes , I have a resistor in place - quite a coincidence if it suffered a loose connection at the same time.

And yes Alan, ops mode(main) does work with the Zephyr ( just confirmed) - just not the address change as far as I know.

take care ,, ken
 



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