DCC first step teething problems.

[Anglian]

Hi all.
I have just assigned operating numbers to three engines with my MTS III and handheld. All had the silver 'D' sticker. When they run, none of the lights work and the Spreewald buzzes very loudly.
Assistance needed please.
Trevor

 

[PhilP]

Did the loco's have decoders to start with, or have you fitted them?

A buzzing loco (on DCC) normally means it is an analogue loco, without a decoder in it. - It will run on address '0', but not any other.

No lights at all? - Or do they flash, depending on speed of the loco?
This is either you have not turned the lights on, on your handset, or CV 29 has the wrong value.

 

[Anglian]

Hi Phil.
The Spreewald was assigned a number other than 0 but runs.
I fitted no decoders and assumed one was fitted because of the sticker.
I was testing them on a table so the speed was minimal.
I am new to this, so I don't know about turning lights on or what CV means.
Trevor

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Silver D sticker does not mean there is a decoder in there... it means there is a 10 pin decoder interface.

Decoder optional.

You need to determine what is in the locos.

Greg

p.s. I'll stay out of the "address 0" explanation, since I strongly oppose it's use.

 

[Zerogee]

Silver D sticker does not mean there is a decoder in there... it means there is a 10 pin decoder interface.

Decoder optional.

You need to determine what is in the locos.

Greg

.......

I don't think that's actually correct, Greg - the "D" sticker SHOULD indicate a factory-installed decoder.....

Trevor, do you have the original box for your Spreewald? If so, does it have the MTS Digital logo on the end label?

Jon.

 

[Zerogee]

Also, with DCC, the lights don't come on automatically all the time as they do on analogue - you can turn them on and off at will with the light control button on the handset, which is the "9" key (with the little "light" symbol - like a sun - beside it).

Jon.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Maybe I have the wrong sticker in mind... I might have been thinking of this silver one:

-----------------------------------------------------------
I'm pretty sure this one means a decoder installed:

So, that must be the one he means.... my bad...

Greg

 

[dunnyrail]

Hi Phil.
The Spreewald was assigned a number other than 0 but runs.
I fitted no decoders and assumed one was fitted because of the sticker.
I was testing them on a table so the speed was minimal.
I am new to this, so I don't know about turning lights on or what CV means.
Trevor

CV means Controlled Variable. Sounds techie but not quite so. The Chip in the Loco will have many CV’s the Loco Number that you dial (press) on the Handset to get each Loco being just one of them. CV1 in fact. When bought CV1 is usually set to a Value of 3 as the normal (or default). Thus if you do not want all of your Locomotives to set off at the same time each should have a different Value to 3 for CV1 except for 1 of them.

As I mentioned other CV’s do different things as Philip says CV29 is to do with Lights. However it is more likely that this will not be the problem with your Lights. Have you tried to press Button 9 as Zerogee suggested? This should turn the Lights on for the selected Loco.

I think that will be enough for now, do not want you to be more confused than you perhaps already are.

 

[Anglian]

Thanks all. I understand the concept of CVs - can't stand acronyms. Useful, common but still annoying.
Will test out the numbers later on and get back. Thanks, Trevor

 

[MTheStrong]

Hi,

Here is a copy of the loco instructions which may prove useful to you:

Regards

Martin

 

[Anglian]

Thanks Martin.
Useful indeed. I now have lights - 9 did the trick. Just have to sort out the buzzing Spreewald. I hope it's a simple fix as I'm not at the opening up a loco stage yet. I was hoping that it was going to be a straightforward plug in and play but ' Ho hum ......' We're gradually getting there.
Trevor

 

[Anglian]

Hi.
Just reading through the Spreewald instructions Martin kindly sent me. As the engine is responding to a set number and CV 9 for lights, I presume that the decoder is working. I reset it to the factory preset of 03 but the buzzing is still there. The booklet says that if running is unsatisfactory I can reset all the factory settings with CV 55. Have others done this?
Trevor

 

[wandgrudd]

The D logo on that box would suggest it's probably got an early MTS 1 chip, which weren't the most refined, I have a couple of locos with these chips and some of them do give a little buzz but it doesn't seem to affect the running just slightly annoying and it's on my list for upgrading.

 

[Anglian]

Hi Wandgrudd.
Thanks for that. It explains what is happening and eases my mind.
Trevor

 

[Greg Elmassian]

could the buzzing be a low pwm frequency on the early decoders? I've never seen any information on the PWM frequency on these.

 

[Zerogee]

Yes, I'd agree with Wandgrudd's assessment - the box labelling and logo does look like it might be quite an early factory-decoder installation - can you remind us, what's the build date of the Spreewald (the first and last digits on the gold sticker)?
If that is the case, then - as mentioned above - it is probably a 55020 decoder (made by Lenz around the time that the first MTS1 system was introduced).
It should run fine if you can ignore the buzzing - it will lack the more modern features like the back-EMF facility, which helps to keep the loco running at a constant speed on curves and gradients rather than slowing (or accelerating downhill), but otherwise it is still a perfectly functional decoder.

Should you find you had the budget and the desire to upgrade it, you could swap the 55020 out for a 55021 - or better (and cheaper!) either a Massoth L or one of Modell-Land's mXion L models, any of those options would be a simple plug-in refit.

Jon.

 

[Dan]

One other thing to know is the MTS systems are 14 speed steps only and many decoders are now set for 28/128. Make sure CV29 is set to 4.
Only MTS system that can do 28 speed steps is the MTS III with the navigator hand set. 128 steps can not be done with this system.