DCC Specialities PSX-AR reverse loop controlers

Airbuspilot

Airbuspilot

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We have 3 PSX-AR reverse loop units on the G scale garden railway. They have been in use for around 3 months and have been working out of the box with no changes.

I have had problems waterproofing electronics out doors and decided to move all electronics inside, starting with the PSX-AR. For these units the boxes were perfectly dry when I opened them up.

Moving the first unit was no problem and it worked perfectly, the second unit however has a problem. I am not sure if the phase of the connecting wires is important so I ensured the “red” input wire followed around the layout and connected to the “red” output terminal of the unit.

I ran a test Loco which stopped at the entry to the loop. Checking the unit I now have light D6 ON and D7 OFF. I have power at J1 but no power at J2. It was working before I moved it and I don’t believe I have done anything to damage the unit so am at a loss as to why it doesn't work.

If anyone has experience of these units help would be appreciated. I have emailed them but the email bounces back and the web site is blank, maybe they don’t want to connect outside the US?

Robin
 
Hi Greg

With the output disconnected the unit shows the same D6 ON D 7 OFF, which presumably means its been damaged but I don't see how.

No short under the board, it's sitting on a wooden base board.

I asked the same question on the ZIMO board in the hope that Kristine would see it.

Robin
 
Robin Airbuspilot Airbuspilot . You would need to have wired the unit exactly as it was when you removed it so far as I am aware (because there are more than 1?) as the connections are important. You do appear to have done it right but always worth a second check. Just wondering can you bodge up a small test rig bit off layout like I have done here but on an LGB system?
 
dunnyrail said:
Robin Airbuspilot Airbuspilot . You would need to have wired the unit exactly as it was when you removed it so far as I am aware (because there are more than 1?) as the connections are important. You do appear to have done it right but always worth a second check. Just wondering can you bodge up a small test rig bit off layout like I have done here but on an LGB system?
Click to expand...
Thanks but I don't think a test track is going to work, it looks like the PSX-AR unit is either broken of somehow stuck in an OFF mode, I'm beginning to think the former which is a pain as they are hard to find this side of the Atlantic.

Robin
 
Have a really good look around the connectors..
It only takes a whisker of stranded cable, to make a short.

If these have outside, has the track been left with power-on for some time?
Damp, and a DC current, can cause the copper tracks to 'disappear' over time.

PhilP
 
Hi Philip

I will look again at the output connectors but I don't think there is anything linking them together but you never know!

The power has been off for most of the time, its winter and we are not running much, it was perfectly dry when I opened the box.

Off - topic, I followed your advice regarding converting a DC Loco to DCC and it worked well and was easy as you said.

Thanks

Robin
 
Airbuspilot said:
Hi Philip

I will look again at the output connectors but I don't think there is anything linking them together but you never know!

The power has been off for most of the time, its winter and we are not running much, it was perfectly dry when I opened the box.

Off - topic, I followed your advice regarding converting a DC Loco to DCC and it worked well and was easy as you said.

Thanks

Robin
Click to expand...
Try doing a reset of the PSX-AR. I've experienced some weird behavior at times and doing a reset has corrected the issues encountered.
 
OK, starting at the beginning

so with nothing connected to the output

the short LED is indicating SHORT
the output power LED is indicating NO OUTPUT power

He has verified no output power himself...

so adding anything to the output makes no sense...

if there was lack of input power, the SHORT led would not be on (no power to the board)

I think you can damage these by reversing the input with the output, but I think it is dead.

replace it with a working unit, with nothing on the output, that should give no short but power out... then connect the track.

I have had very few failures in 20 years, and all 2 instances were my fault (do not submerge in water ha ha!)
 
Diesel2000 said:
Try doing a reset of the PSX-AR. I've experienced some weird behavior at times and doing a reset has corrected the issues encountered.
Click to expand...
I didn't see the reset option in the manual, not exactly obvious. I will give it a try but I think Greg is probably correct , its broken.

They seem to be unobtainable in Europe at the moment, is the company still around? The web site cumes uo with a security check then a blank page and emails are undeliverable.

Robin
 
Their site has been flakey on and off... Tonys Trains owns DCC specialties, founded in 2001, have always gone there..

looks like they redesigned and improved the product, see the new one here:

tonystrains.com

DCC Specialties PSXX-AR Power Shield Auto Reverser / Circuit Breaker / Tortoise

Industry Leading Performance & Features Automatically control turnout stall motors such as the Circuitron TortoiseAvailable for Pre-Order Now January 2023 Delivery
tonystrains.com tonystrains.com

Have to read up on the new reverser, it was great already, really refined over the years.

Greg
 
Airbuspilot said:
I didn't see the reset option in the manual, not exactly obvious. I will give it a try but I think Greg is probably correct , its broken.

They seem to be unobtainable in Europe at the moment, is the company still around? The web site cumes uo with a security check then a blank page and emails are undeliverable.

Robin
Click to expand...
Its in the CVs settings of the manual, CV63=42 will reset the PSX-AR to factory defaults.

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