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Hi all

I have done every search I could do on this subject and have learned. I still have the issue.

So if anyone can help before I start looking for someone to repair it I would appreciate it.

 

Here is the info:

Prior to last week this older engine had been run a short time way back and was OK in conventional only.

Last week I loaded the Legacy module and assigned it a new engine ID #

Immediately no sounds, no rear coupler, no lights on tender.

THE ENGINE ran forward reverse had headlight green clearance light  and the firebox light was on.

It ran smooth and to me perfect, just no sounds at all.

I did a engine reset, nothing. Actually I did that a bunch of times.

I took the LED camera and checked the tethers.  The engine was purple the tender nothing.

I checked the wiring including taking just about every part off the tender you can and could not observe any issue with wiring.

I tried a reset with the boards in the tender as well.

I tried the tender by it's self ...no sound at all.

I tried the engine by it's self and it ran exactly like the first time forward reverse had headlight green clearance light  and the firebox light was on.

 

I tried another tender and  it did idle sounds , that's all.

But one tether is square the other round and I don't think they match correctly???? Probably a worthless test.

 

TWO things I read on the forum that got my attention :

1   Sounds like the tender is not receiving serial data from the engine through the IR tether. The IR xmtr may be shot.
You can check this with the engine powered up by itself, aim the camera of a smart phone at the tether IR xmtr. You should see the IR light on the phone screen.      

I DO SEE IT ON THE ENGINE

 

 

2    If the camera sees the IR, then the problem is likely the IR receiver or the AD20A decoder board in the tender.

I don't see it in the tender.
 

What do you think?

Do any of you have other suggestions come to you mind on this issue?

Please keep in mind I'm a learner and do not normally fool with fixing my trains.

 

Thanks for your time.

 

Larry

 

 

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Larry Sr. posted:

Chuck

Thanks for the reply. I personally don't know what IR transmitter is.

I thought from reading posts it was the way the engine and tender were connected wireless?

IE the purple light you see in the engine photo above?  That is my engine . Am I totally lost here ??LOL

Larry

It does have an IR tether and that is the IR transmitter check suggestion. I was mistaken as to what the advice given was. And there are issues with alignment and also broken wires on the tether. But you said it worked conventional but not TMCC. So something may have happened when you switched to program and back again turning the engine over.

A legacy tender (as well as a tmcc tender) placed  alone on the track and powered up should immediately begin making idle steam sounds.

The fact the tender makes no sounds when powered alone indicates an issue with the tender.

In addition to no sound,, no lights  and no coupler seems to indicate for whatever reason, the tender is not "powering up" because of a bad board etc.

Last edited by RickO

Some quick items you can check before you get to far along:

1) Did you accidentally turn the sound all the way down on your remote?

2) Turn the rheostat up and down on the tender. Do you hear and clicks or sound?

3) Swap a speaker

4) Pull the sound chip and reseat it.

5) Swap one for one sound board out

6) Double check main power in and main ground with a DMM continuity check.

From what you have said it appears your IR xmtr is working on the engine. The unit on the tender is the receiver and you will not see visible light using a smart phone. If the tender makes no sound at all when powered up on the track, first suspect is the speaker, as said above. You can test this by temporarily connecting any 8 ohm speaker across the speaker output wires. Check the old speaker with a DVM for resistance using the low ohm scale. if its open (no resistance at all), there's your problem. Lionel has spares, as do others on the forum. The sound boards do not usually fail, but it can happen. If the tender makes any sound at all when powered up, you can rule out speaker and sound board trouble. The other suspect would then be the IR decoder board, then next the power supply board. Any of these can be changed out easily, but the usual way of testing each is by subbing in a known good board.

Last edited by Rod Stewart

if I am not mistaken his tender is the same tender for the challenger and when I bought it it had no sound with a little trouble shooting first I had a sound board checked it even tho it was a diesel board no sound also had a power supply board so tried that also  with both sound boards nothing grabbed and old speaker and hooked it up had sounds even tho it was diesel   switched the board back out to the steam one and everything worked just fine. took grand total of about 20 minutes with the help of gunrunnerjohn. and the forums the first night I owned it .

 

https://ogrforum.com/t...er-no-sound-no-smoke

 

Last edited by Jhainer

I want you all to know I do appreciate your advice and  I haven't quit yet.

I received all my ordered parts today from Lionel. 

I ordered just about every part in the tender.

I will post what part was defective just in case someone wants to know.

Additionally , I was impressed with Lionel's service getting this order completed. Fast!

 

Larry

It's still fun

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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