FAULTY DCC DECODER - how do you know?
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- Опубліковано 7 лип 2024
- FAULTY DCC DECODER - how do you know?
Have you ever had a locomotive simply not working, you checked everything: cleaned wheels, cleaned pickups, adjusted the pickups, sticking or binding mechanism but nothing works. Well it COULD be the decoder. This video explores a DCC tester unit by ESU.
In this video I:
- I give a guided tour of the unit.
- Explain how I use a plug and play system for simple and quick connection of a controller to a layout or other end user ‘device’.
- Show how the unit connects to a dcc controller.
- Test a few dcc decoders of varying types.
- Final thoughts.
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I bought this device some years ago and I think that it's one of the most usefull tool I've ever found. Now you showed some of its features I didn' t yet figured out. Many thanks for this video.
Love the terminal block idea.
Handy little gadget. it certainly saves taking a loco or 2 to bits to test a decoder. On the Christmas list......
Yes Wayne I think it will kinda pay for itself shortly. Maybe better still connected to computer
@@piccadillysidingsoogaugemo6445 Hopefully you will do a video on that. :-)
Looks a very handy piece of kit. Particularly with locos held together with plastic clips, there's always the risk of damaging one of the clips when you take it apart, so ensuring the decoder is working before dismantling the loco would be a good idea. Even more so if you have to start making room for the chip by grinding off bits of chassis! And if a loco starts playing up, and you suspect the decoder, much better to put it in a £40 tester rather than a different £150+ loco to check it out. It'll be interesting to see what else it can tell you by hooking it up to a computer.
Exactly Andrew, think it will be worth its weight in gold.
Great video John, i recently installed the hattons 8 pin decoder into my hornby hst. The one in the dummy car got extremely hot and slightly melted the chassis but hattons gladly exchanged it . I've installed a few of these into a few locos including bachman & heljan with no problems . Many thanks
Hi Brian, sorry for the delayed response. It sounds like you are having fun. After experiencing DCC, the older DC analogue seems a little lacking. Some things just work, whilst others hmmm don’t. Gratefully Hattons helped you out. I’ve usually had good service with them.
Hi ya John, a truly interesting and informative tutorial. You are slowly becoming the Mr Wizard of DCC. That reference might only work with Americans of a certain age. Thanks for sharing. See ya next time.
Thanks Norman, glad you liked the video, not heard of the wizzard of DCC. Isnt that Tom of Toms train and things
Piccadilly Sidings OO Gauge Model Railway, Mr Wizard was a science based children’s TV series in the 50s and 60s. The host was referred to as Mr Wizard. As I feared, only American boomers would get the reference. Lol.
Oh ok, thx lol
Very Interesting Video John ,Regards Dave
Thanks Dave
Hi John- I am a bit of a way behind on videos but this seems very good not only if you have loco running issue but I think I would use it before trying it in a loco therfore if you do get a dud decoder you know early on before opening up the loco...............Cheers Kev
Exactly Kev! I think its going to be worth its weight in gold. Please dont worry about watching videos, seriously you ate now very busy man, be selective.
very helpful, recently brought one to use with NCE pro cab but i must have been going wrong by plugging the connection into program track slot rather than track slot.
Hi, not used a poercab but I wouldnt think it makes much difference.
Hi John very informative video as usual from the Warner review studio, it will enable other dcc users to realise how easy it is to check decoders they are unsure off.
Wot you like Steve, lol
Very nice video John, I have used these for years with my Lok Programmer. If you are ever in doubt about which version of ESU sound decoder you want to test always put the speaker switch on 100 ohms, it will be safe. If you had an ESU 3.5 for example and had it on 8 ohms you would damage it, it needs to be 100. If you have version 4 and had it on 100 it would be fine, just slightly lower volume. ..Simon
Hi Simon, there’s still loads to learn, I will get there. I tend to use Youchoos sound which comes with the speaker attatched
What I have noticed is some people use twin speakers with TTS sound decoders. The TTS decoders need a minimum of 8ohms so the speakers would need to be soldered together in series, which would give around 15ohms. If they are soldered in parallel you would end up with a bout 3.7ohm, which would damage the TTS decoder. I did a video on speakers a while ago, I may do a better one in the near future...Simon
Hi John this is another excellent informative video again. I got a decoder tester from digitrax that came with my controller. Nothing as sophisticated as yours but I'll have to get it out and see how it works. I missed your Hatton's prairie video as I've been on holiday so I'll watch it on catch up. Cheers Andy
Ooooooooo on holiday ay Andy, hope you’ve done your homework ha ha ha.
Seriously, thanks I got it as an extra tool. Ive often suspected faulty decoders, but its hard to just swap locos, as another may also have issues, so it doesn’t really prove anything lol
@@piccadillysidingsoogaugemo6445 I did my homework every night sir but had no Wi-Fi to send it into you. I marked it myself and got 100% 😂😂👍
I have had 3 bad decoders that I installed in my N Scale trains where they had to be soldered in. I am on a fixed income so I have to purchase the cheaper decoders but I do look at who I buy from now on.
Yes, I know what you mean. Sometimes life leads us to ‘needs must’.
Sorry, missed that one, like your review of the ESU, but try mark the flywheel so we can see it turn, thanks for sharing....Jack 👍
Bb ?
@@piccadillysidingsoogaugemo6445 oops!
Sorry Jack I have no idea what you mean, never mind!!
Your getting a bit of a wiz at this stuff...top man..
Lol, thanks allan glad you liked it.
The 100 Ohm speaker setting is so Lok Sound V3 series decoders can be tested on the test stand.
Yes you are right, Im guessing thats for the bigger gauges?
@@piccadillysidingsoogaugemo6445 No, the Lok Sound V3 series was for various scales. It has been upgraded twice by the V4 & the newest V5 series of Lok Sound & Lok Pilot decoders
Fair enough, nothing Ive come across. Thanks for the info
so much to sort out some chips, but wellworth the money to see if a decoder needs binning or not
Well £40 maybe a lot for people, but I look at it as £40 to not damage or destroy my £250 loco. I guess its down to each individual to decide for themselves.
@@piccadillysidingsoogaugemo6445 yeah last thing you want is to destroy a model, especially if they dont do them anymore
Hi John,
Watched it on the oo channel as only half the views of the n, so an interesting video am I right in thinking that Hovermotion had one of these as he does seem to have all the gadgets will be interested to see how you get on when connected to the computer. Hope you are still ok for tonight I am going to do it even though the loft was at 6 pm 35 C but no way will I do 2 hours so till then keep safe and well.
Cheers Robert.
Thanks Robert, see how it goes? Do you have a fan you can use in the loft?
Thanks for thinking about views. They might be a bit down today, as you say it is quite warm, long daylight, and people might be entertaining or visiting.
@@piccadillysidingsoogaugemo6445 Hi John, A fan I do have. Cheers Robert.
I've heard the Hattons chip is made by DCC or DCConcepts. I don't know how good they are.
Yes Duncan you are right, my chip is ok, but the zimo one is on another level. If you see my review of the large prairie youll see the difference when I switch from the hattons to the zimo sound
You have larger attachments than I do. There is no way I would even think of taking the decoder out of my Locomotives. I’m afraid that I would screw things up.
Each to our own Michael, but and trying to take the fear out of repairing and maintaining our own locos. Yes there are people who will service locos for us but at a cost. If a train stalls or won’t run it could be many things causing this. If you are gentle you won’t hurt the decoder.