DCS Flaky Issue

Kenney,

Welcome to the DCS Forum!

It sounds as if the batteries in the DCS engines that have to be re-added each time they are powered off and then back on again need to be charged.

Charge the batteries until the following can be accomplished:

• Delete the engine from the DCS remote
• Add the engine to the remote and start it up, making sounds
• Immediately turn off track power
• Sounds should persist for 6-7 seconds
• If they do not, charge the engine's battery some more and repeat the above.

I'd suggest charging each engine's battery for 2-3 hours before performing the above process.

This and a whole lot more is all in MTH’s “The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition", available for purchase as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

Sounds like the battery is dead in the engine and it is not keeping the address in the memory.

Just take one engine on the track and apply power without TIU in place.  Just conventional.  After engine starts up, turn off track power.  Does engine play complete shutdown sounds?

If so install TIU and add engine.  Run it.  Shut it down and turn off layout and remote.  Wait a few minutes and start up layout and try to address engine. Does it work?   G

Hi Barry,

All the engines I have are about 4-5 years old. They were hardly used and probably your are right about the batteries. Dumb question, but how do I charge the battery? I am pretty sure I either need to replace them or learn how to charge them :-)

GGG,Barry,

Going to try out both your suggestions now. Thank you !!

Kenny

I removed the TIU and started a few trains. All came on fine and shutdown sound came on. 

Not sure what you mean my turn off layout

If so install TIU and add engine.  Run it.  Shut it down and turn off layout and remote.  Wait a few minutes and start up layout and try to address engine. 

I didn't perform this action.

Also what is the best way to charge my battery or the better coarse of action is to get new ones? It is fairly easy to unscrew the engines?

Thank you for all the help

Kenney,

If you have an MTH battery charger and the engines have charging ports, you can plug in the charger. Otherwise, just leave the engine on a powered track from the TIU (they should stay dark and silent when power is applied) and then put 12 volts or so (higher is OK if you can't control the voltage) to the track.

This and a whole lot more is all in MTH’s “The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition", available for purchase as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

Barry,

I don't have a battery charger. Would you suggest the I either pick one up, or start fresh and get a whole new set of batteries and a stand alone charger. I know with the stand alone charger I would have to remove the battery every time. 

Or pick up new batteries and get a MTH Battery Charger. If I need new batteries which brands do you recommend? Thank you!!

Regarding your last idea, do I just place my engines on the track with the TIU in place and turn on my Z1000 on just to supply power the the tracks? Does it matter how many trains I place. I have about 5 engines.

Thank you,

Kenny

Gentlemen,

    If your batteries will no longer hold charge I recommend you replace them with a BCR and never worry about batteries ever again.

PCRR/Dave

Kenney,

Or pick up new batteries and get a MTH Battery Charger. If I need new batteries which brands do you recommend? Thank you!!

Assuming that at least some of your engines have battery charging ports (if you provide the MTH model numbers we can find out), then I suggest that you pick up an MTH battery charger, item #50-1019. Click here to see it on MTH's web site.

Regarding your last idea, do I just place my engines on the track with the TIU in place and turn on my Z1000 on just to supply power the the tracks? Does it matter how many trains I place. I have about 5 engines.

That will work. Do one at first, then 2 at a time.

I think I will order a few BCR Batteries and at the same time pick up an MTH Charger.

In the meantime, I have my engines on the track charging.

Thank you all for the help. Will post update once I get this all sorted.

Last question, I have version 4.20 on my DCS, should i upgrade my DCS Remote and my TIU? Thank you all for the excellent help.

Will also pick up your book Barry on DCS

Kenney,

I think I will order a few BCR Batteries and at the same time pick up an MTH Charger.

The charger is $20 and each BCR will cost about that much. Further, you don't know which battery, 2.4 volt or 8.4 volt, each engine has.

I suggest that you hold off on the BCR purchase until you better understand things about your engines.

Further, I strongly urge you not to open up a DCS engine until you know that the battery definitely needs to be replaced. More operator-inflicted damage has been done by opening up an engine to replace a battery than for almost all other reasons combined.

If you want to spend a few dollars that will pay dividends down the DCS road, I suggest that you purchase a copy of The DCS O Gauge Companion.

Everything you need to know about DCS and a whole lot more is all in MTH’s “The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition", available for purchase as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

Barry,

You are right, I cancelled my order for the batteries and just order the charger. I have my engines charging now. I will check in about 6 hours to see if the cures my issues.

I plan on getting purchasing a copy of The DCS O Gauge Companion very shortly.

Just not sure if I want to digital copy or hard copy. 

Still wondering about my upgrade questions to my DCS remote. Should i upgrade to 4.30 or 4.20 is fine? Do I need also to upgrade my TIU?

Thank you,

Kenny

Kenney,

You can upgrade to 4.30 or not, you'll be fine either way. However, be sure that both the remote and TIU are at the same version of DCS.

The remote tells you what is its version when you turn it on. To learn the TIu's version, press:

Menu/System/TIU Setup/TIU Version

Both are on 4.20. 

Get the hard copy first, you can take it to your trains, layout, DCS system or whatever when doing something with them. You can always add the digital copy later if you want, for easier searching for things. The digital copy is also good for printing out the command lists and things like that if you want to do so later on. I did it backwards, got digital first and regretted it almost from the start, ordered the print copy soon afterward. I use the print copy much more than the digital copy.

RTR12,

Sounds like a good idea. Thanks

Well, here is the latest update. I charged all my engines for about 7 hours and was able to add them without any problems. Shut them off and there still started up. Tried again this morning and all but 1 train was OK. When placed on Track, I get a Check Track issue, Engine Not on track. The funny thing is that train was my newest one which I got recently. i am going to charge it again today for a bit longer and hopefully it will be OK. 

I do have  another question, not sure if it is a ground issues, but when ever I turn on power to the train, I get a humming noise from each train. Is there anything I can do about this? 

Thank you all for the help !!

If the engines are seeing the watch dog signal they should remain dark & silent. You may hear a slight click  but I don't think you should hear a "hum". You shouldn't hear the smoke unit as well if not started up.  Do you think lowering the  sound volume might help? Weird !

Gregg,

Sorry you are right, when placed on the track all is silent and dark. Only when I power up.

If I lower the volume on the train manually or all the way off, will that affect the volume when controlling via the DCS remote? 

I will give it a try as well. Thanks !

No, DCS in command over rides the conventional setting.

Chance,

I don't use the smoke unit on my diesels so this is what I do for the humming noise. On the remote bring up control/labored smoke/enter off that is above far left hand button. Doing that eliminates the humming noise on my diesels. Good luck.

Joe B.

Chance,

   Do yourself a favor and put the BCR's in your P2 engines, there is a reason for the P3's having the built in BCR system, it eliminates all the re-occurring battery problems.

You will not need the charger, with the BCR.  20-30 sec on the track @18 Volts makes the engine work perfect.  Mine have been in my P2 engines for years and years.

PCRR/Dave