Digital Allegra

mikeysrx7

mikeysrx7

I'm New, Please Be Gentle
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I think this has been covered before, so sorry for asking again!
I have purchased an Allegra unit for use on DCC
It runs perfectly on my Analogue section, but It's not working on DCC!
When DCC is used the lights flash when track power applied! I have tried selecting default address and a couple of addresses the dealer suggested to no avail!
I'm running a Massoth system, could this be the problem or the Allegra itself!
Many thanks for any suggestions!
Mike
 
Flashing lights while running on DCC is usually an indication that the wrong number of speed steps is being used. Check whether your Navi is set to 14 or 28 speed steps.... most LGB products require 14, but if this has one of their new decoders it may be set to 28...

Jon.
 
Maybe worth also doing a factory reset, the CVs for that will be in the Allegra' instructions

I too have an Allegra but it is only 9mm Gauge ( Kato)

Dont think an LGB Allegra would fit in with my current new line build, which will be Tramway orientated,,,wait a minute though........Allegras do run thro' the streets ....dont they?? ;)
 
Don't factory reset it..

Do you know if it was digital to start with, or has had a decoder fitted afterwards?
If it was analogue initially.. Has it had a Massoth, or a Marklin decoder fitted?

But I think you will find it is the speed-step setting which is wrong.
 
stevelewis said:
Why would you not factory reset!!!??
Click to expand...
There were dire warnings not to when this unit came out.. Also need special lead for programming.
Will put money on it, it is a speed-step issue.
 
If it moves but the lights flash as you change speed, that's the indication that you're sending commands for 28 speed steps to a decoder set at 14 steps.

If it's not responding at all and the lights are flashing as soon as you switch on track power, then that could be the decoder indicating a fault. Is this a factory fitted Marklin decoder or something else. I believe some decoders can flash different codes to indicate different faults. Check the decoder manual?
 
Having re-read the first post..
What is the model number of the Allegra set?
Was it sold to you as 'DCC ready', or 'DCC fitted'?
Did it come with a (from memory) grey lead for connecting the central and one end car together? - different to the black leads for when youa re running it..
**
Have you tried to run it on address '0'? - You can run an analogue loco on a DCC track with this address. The motor will 'buzz', and I would not run it for any great length of time like this, or leave it sitting with power on the track stationary.
 
ok so here is the issue so far.
- It is LGB 20225 a Marklin one says MTS and Sound on the box.
- Manged to read Decoder with Centre Car and 1 Trailer as CV1 = 35.
- Tried to do same with the Centre Car and the Other Trailer no readout.
- Managed the above DCC work on Prog Track with my Massoth kit which admittedly has not been updated for 3 or more Years.
- On Main again with Massoth Kit, sometimes saw it as 35 but did not drive it. Other times had an X over 35 as if it was not known.
- Neither case would the Massoth Drive it.
- Still OK on Analogue!
 
So just to be doubly clear you can read CV1 as 35 on the programming track. When the Allegra is on the main track and you set your Navigator to address 35 you fail to have control over movement of the Allegra?

Do the lights flash in this situation, if so I suspect Nick's suggestion of a decoder fault is good.

Don't see how you managed to read back CV1 on the main track, that is not possible.

I presume you can drive other engines with your Massoth kit?
 
yes other locos run fine on DCC! the lights do not flash except once when initially turning on track supply!
 
;D >:( >:(

This sounds like a factory fitted Marklin decoder...
I bet you were trying to alter the address with the 'change address' option on the Navigator??

Got to change CV, must be on programming track, must use special lead!
Change CV 1 to short address you want..
Read CV 7 bet you get '11' as a result.. If so, write 2 to CV 7.. Read it back bet you get '3'.

Try loco on track.. Report back..
 
Didn't want to change address, used grey lead between centre and end car, read addy as 35, tried to read centre and other end car read nothing! didn't look at anything else!
 
It may not have been you who changed the address, but someone has since the address is not 3.

Suggest you try changing the address in CV 1 and also check that the 'extended address' bit in CV 29 is zero.
 
Cliff George said:
It may not have been you who changed the address, but someone has since the address is not 3.

Suggest you try changing the address in CV 1 and also check that the 'extended address' bit in CV 29 is zero.
Click to expand...

We were a bit worried about doing this due to the lack of read for one combination of cars as mentioned in post 8.
JonD
helping Mike when I was down at his on Wed and Thur this week.
 
Not being familiar with this model, why would you "need a special lead for programming"? Is this to switch out the sound or something? Sounds like a kludge to me.

[edit]Ah ok... have got hold of the instructions. So, you need to have 1 cab car and the middle car connected to program the decoder. Weird, still don't understand WHY it has to be done this way. [/edit]

I'd be itching to plonk it on a programming track, fire up JMRI and SPROG and read the entire decoder CV list for starters - just out of curiousity!
 
ntpntpntp said:
Not being familiar with this model, why would you "need a special lead for programming"? Is this to switch out the sound or something? Sounds like a kludge to me.

[edit]Ah ok... have got hold of the instructions. So, you need to have 1 cab car and the middle car connected to program the decoder. Weird, still don't understand WHY it has to be done this way. [/edit]

I'd be itching to plonk it on a programming track, fire up JMRI and SPROG and read the entire decoder CV list for starters - just out of curiousity!
Click to expand...

There is so much lighting etc. in this model you can't stuff enough current up it from the programmer(s) if you were to have everything connected.

The centre car has the electronics in it, but does not pickup power.. The two end cars have power-bogies and pickup from the track.. Hence you need an end car connected to the centre car for programming.. The grey (others are black) programming lead has less connections (track and motor).. When I did the analogue conversion, I stuffed wires in the end of the black connecting lead for ease of programming. - Only had room for a four foot length of track.

I bet the JMRI/SPROG combination would throw a wobbly.. Probably report the decoder as 'Trix', and miss out many of the CV's as it would not have a template for this beastie??

I have recently sorted a brand-new Ge4/4 (the green '100' one) with one of these new MFX decoders in.. Now that was 'interesting' to say the least! ::)
But this is not the thread to go into that..
 
PhilP said:
There is so much lighting etc. in this model you can't stuff enough current up it from the programmer(s) if you were to have everything connected.
Click to expand...
Yeah thought so. The manual says it has the usual LGB multi-position switch, so shame they couldn't make one of the positions "motor only, no lights/sound/smoke etc." for programming. Bit of a waste having pos 0 = isolated, pos 1,2 & 3 all the same = everything on.

I bet the JMRI/SPROG combination would throw a wobbly.. Probably report the decoder as 'Trix', and miss out many of the CV's as it would not have a template for this beastie??
Click to expand...
Should be able to do a raw CV read all and grab stuff though. I still haven't looked to see if anyone's got around to creating a DecoderPro template for these Mfx decoders yet - but I don't have any so not desparate, just curious.
 
Hello Mike,

Because of the way this decoder calculates long addresses you can't use the navigator to do it the normal way. Instead, use this calculator from Marklin to determine which values you need in CV's 17 and 18:

http://www.maerklin.de/de/produkte/tools_downloads/technische_informationen/cv-rechner.html

For example, if you want 3501 for your digital Allegra put 205 in CV 17 and 173 in CV 18.

A couple of other things:
- you can connect the mid/end units with the regular cable to program as well--worked on my MTS system at least
- never turn on track power unless all units are connected properly together
- this decoder has some interesting sound features that require you to set each to be either in momentary or latching, depending on the sound. For example, the conductor whistle door close one needs to be set to momentary because otherwise at the end of the sound cycle it won't release the locomotive to drive. It thinks you are still holding the button unless you change it. Once it's set up properly everything works great
Sorry I'm out of the country now soi can get to my computer but when I get home I can send you my programming template for this decoder using the Massoth programming software.

Keith
 
Keith RhB said:
Because of the way this decoder calculates long addresses you can't use the navigator to do it the normal way. Instead, use this calculator from Marklin to determine which values you need in CV's 17 and 18:

http://www.maerklin.de/de/produkte/tools_downloads/technische_informationen/cv-rechner.html

For example, if you want 3501 for your digital Allegra put 205 in CV 17 and 173 in CV 18.
Click to expand...
Just curious: this is the standard long address calculation the same as for any other NMRA DCC decoder, so if the Massoth system and Navigator can program long addresses in other decoders why can't it do the same with this Marklin one? Sorry, not familiar with the Massoth system but would have assumed it supports user friendly programming of a long address?
 
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