MTH loco

[rodney mcgiveron]

G'day....Bought a slightly used MTH HO SD70ACe loco...for DCC operation and not even a buzz...Tried it on analog and it runs beatifullwith basic sounds and directional lighting...but no go on DCC .....nothing....Does anyonee have any suggestions... Aware of function 3 start up issues but makes no difference... Do you reckon it'd do sound in analog if the fitted factory decoder is a dud or faulty...Cheers Rod..

 

[bob]

I'm no DCC expert, but I'd have to guess that if the decoder was on the fritz, you wouldn't have any sound at all.

Silly question, are you sure it's DCC compatible? Didn't somebody make some that were DC only, but had sound?

 

[bob]

Ok, some quick googling seems to indicate that while MTH did offer a "DCC ready" version, if you have sound, you have a proto sound decoder, and it should work in DCC.

Anyone have suggestions for trouble shooting this?

 

[Selector]

Might it have something to do with the address? Or maybe the DCS decoder needs a CV value that permits response to DCC commands.

 

[bnsf971]

I'd almost guarantee it's set to a different address than what you are selecting. It'll work great on DC, because you're not using the address. Try setting CV55 to 55, and try it on address 3. After you reset, let it sit for at least 5 seconds without power applied, so the keep alive capacitor will bleed off.

 

[rodney mcgiveron]

Will try

I'd almost guarantee it's set to a different address than what you are selecting. It'll work great on DC, because you're not using the address. Try setting CV55 to 55, and try it on address 3. After you reset, let it sit for at least 5 seconds without power applied, so the keep alive capacitor will bleed off.

G'day Bob , Terry and all....Thanks for further suggestions......Yes it is DCC.....Product code of MTH 80- 2003-1...suggests it is.. The previous owner bought it new to re-paint
but decided it was too beaut to chance buggering it up...so it's been in his workshop layout for a while...never used... It's in absolutely perfect condition....
He's a 40 year veteran modeller....lives in another state South Australia..(SA)...and has offered to take it back but if it's only a dud decoder...I'd try and fix myself...
Only problem there is that it has those fancy electric couplers and I'm terrified of stuffing them up to get access to the decoder/lightboard...Like you I'm more inclined to think
it's just a programming matter and that he's forgotten to tell me he's given it a new address...he has a big fleet...Seems to be away at present so I'll try to get him to confirm or otherwise that suggestion...I have two Athearn Genesis SD70ACe's too and can't decide which I prefer...These are brand new...only two weeks ago..
Will try the CV 55 suggestion etc today....bucketting down rainy Sunday...so good to try.....Cheers Rod..

 

[bnsf971]

I'll give you something else to ponder. This morning, I took my two week old MTH SD70ACe to my LHS to have the decoder updated with new software. The update is supposed to make it play nice with DCC, allowng it to have speed tables, advanced conssting, and a total of 109 CVs that can be accessed and adjusted. They started at ten this morning,and by the time they closed at 5:30 this evening, it still wasn't done. It would get about halfway through the process, and crash. The LHS will call MTH Tuesday when they open at lunch time to find out what went wrong.
In the meantime, and the reason I bring this up, is currently the locomotive will function on straight DC power, BUT WILL DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING on DCC. It has sounds and movement lie it should until trying DCC.
I hope this isn't what has happened to yours. I'll post back when we hear from MTH, and whether their solution fixed the problem.

 

[rodney mcgiveron]

exactly the same

I'll give you something else to ponder. This morning, I took my two week old MTH SD70ACe to my LHS to have the decoder updated with new software. The update is supposed to make it play nice with DCC, allowng it to have speed tables, advanced conssting, and a total of 109 CVs that can be accessed and adjusted. They started at ten this morning,and by the time they closed at 5:30 this evening, it still wasn't done. It would get about halfway through the process, and crash. The LHS will call MTH Tuesday when they open at lunch time to find out what went wrong.
In the meantime, and the reason I bring this up, is currently the locomotive will function on straight DC power, BUT WILL DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING on DCC. It has sounds and movement lie it should until trying DCC.
I hope this isn't what has happened to yours. I'll post back when we hear from MTH, and whether their solution fixed the problem.

G'day Terry....IT IS EXACTLY THE SAME....EXACTLY......Except that I didn't get anything updated..It runs perfectly on DC....sounds matching speed and lighting great.Ditch lights operate muted fans , turbo....all that but no way of doing bell , horn....couplers etc.......will be fascinated to see what you find out through your store and from MTH.
Sorry to hear another person is having trouble...hope you get an answer...me too.... Cheers Rod...

 

[bigB]

The LHS will call MTH Tuesday when they open at lunch time to find out what went wrong. QUOTE]

Terry,

I wish you the best of luck, but I'd be shocked if you are able to get anyone on the phone at MTH within 3 months. And that's only after leaving half a dozen messages, sending 5 emails, and skyrocketing your blood pressure 3 times.

Brad

 

[bnsf971]

The LHS will call MTH Tuesday when they open at lunch time to find out what went wrong. QUOTE]

Terry,

I wish you the best of luck, but I'd be shocked if you are able to get anyone on the phone at MTH within 3 months. And that's only after leaving half a dozen messages, sending 5 emails, and skyrocketing your blood pressure 3 times.

Brad

Yes, Brad, I politely mentioned this to the tech at the LHS, but he seems confident he can get through. We'll see.

 

[rodney mcgiveron]

G'day all........I'm beginning to think that a straight swap to a totally new decoder might be the quickest/easiest solution...Only thing that scares me is removing the electric couplers
incase I stuff it up...Suppose worse comes to worse...using standard mechanical KADEEs won't be a big thing , so long as she runs at last... Cheers Rod..

 

[bnsf971]

G'day all........I'm beginning to think that a straight swap to a totally new decoder might be the quickest/easiest solution...Only thing that scares me is removing the electric couplers
incase I stuff it up...Suppose worse comes to worse...using standard mechanical KADEEs won't be a big thing , so long as she runs at last... Cheers Rod..

Rod, those electromatic coulers aren't all that. They were the first thing I changed on mine, as they take way too much fiddling to try to get them to work.they don't couple when you want them to, and they don't uncouple when you want them to.
Changing them out for the knuckle couplers they provide should take ten minutes, remove the two mounting screws on each one. Carefully remove the coupler assembly, and place the knuckle assemby in its spot.

 

[Cjcrescent]

Rod,
One thing you should keep in mine if you change out to another decoder. All the mth electronics have to be removed, including any secondary boards for lighting. One of our forum members, several years ago did a detailed decoder switch out on one of these locos. First attempt, he left the secondary light boards in, and fried the new Tsunami. It was those light boards which fried it. It seems that they have a + (positive) ground and this shorted out the Tsunami, damaging it. When the Tsunami came back from repair, he removed all of mth's electronics and had a successful install.

 

[bnsf971]

Just for S&G, I called MTH today. The tech guy said the engine may have to go back to them to have a new board installed. I hope it won't have to go back to the black hole that is MTH service dept.

 

[rodney mcgiveron]

G'day Carey and Terry,,,,MMmmmmm.......Starting to sound expensive...especially in my case on the other side of the world....Somehow , unless I can unlock the inner beast
some other way..I now have a $240 Analog only loco.....sounds like I'm going to have to buy a decent sound decoder for my Athearn Genesis SD70ACe...BNSF swoosh.
I reckon if I had to ship mine back to the USA , it'd be $55-60...then.repair costs,(God knows what that'd be) and another $55-60 return postage.....cheaper and quicker to replace
with a new one......not MTH...perhaps.....Thanks guys , your help is really terrific and much appreciated....Terry.....Good luck with the "black hole" if it comes to that..Cheers Rod

 

[tootnkumin]

Have a yarn to this bloke (Richard) over in WA, Rod. Might be able to give you an idea on costs and solutions should you decide to change decoders. (also sells 240Vac power packs for systems such as NCE)

http://www.dccconcepts.com/

 

[rodney mcgiveron]

Thanks Tootnkumin

G'day....Thanks....A slight bit of a development...How does this sound.....I tried adjusting the CV 55 to 55 on loco 3 last night and got Error Message 1...which means via RocoMultimaus...the loco is not compatible...I wonder is it possible that it's my DCC system , not the loco which is doing it tough....I do have a Bachmann Dynamis somewhere
to try and hook up....If I knew anyone close enough around me who had a DCC controller...ie... Digitrax , NCE,,,,etc...I wonder would she go there but I don't?....In my very very inexperienced limited knowledge yet on DCC...as with BLI locos other than default....they will operate on address3 but you can't change speed steps or CVs via Roco..
I'm thinking that this is a distinct possibility....Still a problem though....Do I buy another controller to suit one MTH and two BLI' locomotives ?....Will contact the WA chap...Thanks again Cheers Rod....

 

[bnsf971]

G'day....Thanks....A slight bit of a development...How does this sound.....I tried adjusting the CV 55 to 55 on loco 3 last night and got Error Message 1...which means via RocoMultimaus...the loco is not compatible...I wonder is it possible that it's my DCC system , not the loco which is doing it tough....I do have a Bachmann Dynamis somewhere
to try and hook up....If I knew anyone close enough around me who had a DCC controller...ie... Digitrax , NCE,,,,etc...I wonder would she go there but I don't?....In my very very inexperienced limited knowledge yet on DCC...as with BLI locos other than default....they will operate on address3 but you can't change speed steps or CVs via Roco..
I'm thinking that this is a distinct possibility....Still a problem though....Do I buy another controller to suit one MTH and two BLI' locomotives ?....Will contact the WA chap...Thanks again Cheers Rod....

Mine was repaired. It turned out the power supply the tech guy was using didn't like MTH...
I would try another system, and see if you can get it to reset. Do you have a hobby shop within a reasonable distance? If so, try giving them a ring, and see if they would put your loco on their programming track for resetting.

 

[irocinblue89]

G'day....Thanks....A slight bit of a development...How does this sound.....I tried adjusting the CV 55 to 55 on loco 3 last night and got Error Message 1...which means via RocoMultimaus...the loco is not compatible...I wonder is it possible that it's my DCC system , not the loco which is doing it tough....I do have a Bachmann Dynamis somewhere
to try and hook up....If I knew anyone close enough around me who had a DCC controller...ie... Digitrax , NCE,,,,etc...I wonder would she go there but I don't?....In my very very inexperienced limited knowledge yet on DCC...as with BLI locos other than default....they will operate on address3 but you can't change speed steps or CVs via Roco..
I'm thinking that this is a distinct possibility....Still a problem though....Do I buy another controller to suit one MTH and two BLI' locomotives ?....Will contact the WA chap...Thanks again Cheers Rod....

Rodney, I have a lot of experience with MTH loco's. I noticed above you tried to reset the loco. It only works on the main and you need to use address #55. So it goes like this: Loco on the track, call up loco #55, call up CV #55, then enter a value of 55. That resets MTH's. If you get another error message then yes it might not be compatible or it might not program on the main. Try another manufacture to be sure, if you haven't all ready. I have only ran across 1 DCC system that didn't work with MTH. Hope this helps.

 

[blackz28]

yep blues right i had to do that to my berkshire