MTH SD70 Ace

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G

Gardner

New Member
This is a beautifully done BNSF locomotive :)on the outside, buit is the weak sister of my fleet:mad:. A 5-year old Athearn Genesis 70 Mac, recently converted to DCC, can out-pull it. I'd even bet my BB CF-7, also converted, has more pulling power.:eek:

I'm also disaappointed by the sound. In DC, it is great:) while in DCC there is none:mad:, zilch, nada, silent. Does anyone know how to turn the power on when using DCC mode. I thought that happened automatically:confused:.

Gardner
 
What? You mean you didn't even turn it on? Hit F3

Read the manual?

When you have it turned on properly in DCC, it pulls like a Glidesdale on steirods!
 
Thanks for the tip,

I must admit that the SD 70 ACE is running much better today. The loco must have had a steroid shot overnight.

Gardner
 


Mth sd 70 ace

I think my question was not clearly stated. I don't have a problem running the MTH, it's the sound in DCC. There is none, zilch, nada, nothing. How do I turn it on other than run the loco in DC?

Gardner
 
Gardner said:
I think my question was not clearly stated. I don't have a problem running the MTH, it's the sound in DCC. There is none, zilch, nada, nothing. How do I turn it on other than run the loco in DC?

Gardner
Click to expand...

Can you confirm, as Motley pointed out, that after you've selected the loco in DCC you are hitting F3 to go through the engine start up sequence? I have found that with my NCE system I have to hit function keys twice with MTH locos for the function to execute.
 
Gardner said:
I think my question was not clearly stated. I don't have a problem running the MTH, it's the sound in DCC. There is none, zilch, nada, nothing. How do I turn it on other than run the loco in DC?

Gardner
Click to expand...

You should have heard the startup sequence when you hit F3?. It could also be muted. Try hitting F6 a couple of times. F6 adjusts the volume.

What type of DCC system do you have, and how do you switch over to DC?
 
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Mth sd 70 ace

The system is a new Digitrax Zephyr, purchased in mid-January. When I change to DC, I turned off the Zephyr by disconnecting the unit from the 120 v household circuit. Then I connected a DC transformer (MRC) the layout track.

I have been unable to change the address of the unit, it still uses 03, which is OK since I have been able to program my other locos to respond to engine numbers.

I have read on ther forums -- and perhaps this one -- that MTH inadvertently shipped some units with the DCC sound turned off.

I just can't find any instruction on how to turn the sound unit on.

Gardner
 
There are a few units out there with faulty software. The president of my club had to bring his to a dealer to upgrade the software with a fix.
 


MTH customer support will tell you to send your engine back to MTH to get the software fix or bring it to a MTH authorized service/dealer.
 
Ok buddy it sounds like you are having the same issue I had. What happens when you hit F22? (Or whatever function that resets it to factory default, i believe it is F22) I had an MTH SD70-M2 that did that, it hummed a bit after you hit F3, the horn worked and bell and everything else, but no engine noise. I hit F22 and the thing rumbled to life, and shut down. After that I hit F3 and it did the startup sequence just fine. However when I take it off the track or shut down my digitrax controller or unplug it, i have to do it all over again. diburning helped me out and told me that some engines had a glitch that MTH would fix. But.......about that.....I have emailed them 3 times in the past 4 months, got nothing. I took it to my local MTH service center and they have tried to contact them (this was last week) and still nothing. So Im not sure what is up. But anyway see if that helps :)
 
Well, the club's president's SD70ACe had the same problem that you're describing. I'd hit F22 on my throttle, then hit F3, it would start up, and would work when I took the address out of my throttle so that he can pick it up with his (I use a Digitrax DT402D throttle, while the president uses the DT400) and run it just fine, but if the layout/block goes down due to a short, then it doesn't start back up while his other engine does. (He had two, only one had the problem. He has all three numbers now)

Here's a hypothesis, it's not backed up by any fact, but I suspect that the ProtoSound boards for HO, which are made in Thailand are very flaky and MTH is trying to not answer your questions so that when the warranty expires, they don't have to help you.

Give MTH a call. If they pick up, they won't be as willing to tell you off over the phone, or ignore your concerns.

Another member has a UP SD70ACe where the ProtoSound board burnt out. MTH said that the engine is out of warranty and that they can do nothing for him. He took it to an MTH authorized service center where they replaced the ProtoSound board for him. The board cost him $180 (that was the price of the board, the labor was free since it was a plug-in swap). He said that if he knew that it would cost so much, he'd rewire it for no sound and get another one with sound for another 40 bucks!
 
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$180.00 for a replacement board? YOW!:eek: That's two Tsunamis and speakers. Hope he got kissed ;) They have some nice looking stuff, but I have never been albe to get past this whole DCC/DCS issue. They have also never made anything I really wanted that bad. The closest they have come so far is their Daylight passenger cars.
 
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