Little to no smoke & dim lights

Last week I had the same thing happen to one of my engines. Seems, after I did some diagnosis and took tender apart. The signal wire had come loose, (it was just taped to the top), I hot glued it, put everything back together. Runs great, no flicker, bright lights.

E mail problem.  Did you also have a smoke problem?

One difference between conventional and command is the headlights and smoke unit get 1/2 wave track power, in conventional they get full track power.

Normally, that isn't an issue, so I don't know why you're seeing what you see, just an observation.

If you're holding the boost button in TMCC mode, you should get plenty of smoke, certainly as much as in conventional mode.  If that's not the case, I'd have to suspect the R2LC as my first suspect.  The flickering class and marker lights are a bit of a mystery...

I suppose 18 volts is sufficient, I believe the bricks put out about 19.7. Anyway will the coil coupler fire?   Does holding your hand over the engine help with the flickering?

First do an R2LC reset with the code in the instruction manual.  That may fix it, if not pull R2LC and reseat it.  G

G

I tried reset 4 times an no change.

Is the R2LC marked a such?

I pulled the board and reinserted it.  Still no smoke and headlight dull and flickering running lights.

Time to try swapping the R2LC with another locomotive to eliminate it.

I wonder if you have an antenna issue.  If you place your hand over the engine does the light go bright?  Are the handrails grounded to the shell?  They should not be.  G

I can't imagine why the running lights and smoke unit would malfunction if it was just a signal issue, hard to say what's going on here...

Flickering running lights is a sign of poor reception.  Maybe the smoke can't be activated with the poor reception.  So that is why it MIGHT be, which caused me to WONDER...  G

I read the title and it sounded like a good time to me, alas, only engine trouble.

That depends on how the running lights are powered.  I believe the tender lights are powered directly from track power, so them flickering for signal problems doesn't seem likely. 

I put my hand over the antenna's and no change.  The antenna's are attached by wires by the cab.  The other end is inserted in plastic and mounted into the boiler by the stack.

I had the terminal wire from Command Base-1L attached to a MTH 50-1014 12 Port Terminal Block.  It's connected to the TIU and the outside rail.  I disconnected it from the Block and directly to the outside rail (Fastrack).  No change.

However, when I went back to reconnect to the terminal block, I lifted the wire up and without being connected the lights brighten and stop flickering.  What's going on?

Maybe your ground wire from the command base is broken at the terminal end and your not getting a good signal?  G

I guess it depends on what your calling a running light, but I have never seen a TMCC tender that the reverse light wasn't powered by the R2LC.   Regardless, poor TMCC signal can have an effect on lighting.   G

It must have something to do with the signal. My other TMCC engine works fine.

usually flickering lights say's loose wire or connection.  I've checked and rechecked again.  I even cleaned and sanded the pickup rollers.  As far as smoke goes I would think they work or they don't.  Conventional is fine.  That suggest signal.  Is there a way to check it.  My MTH DCS engines can show signal strength.  Is it possible to check if I peel the felt on the top of the smoke unit and take a meter reading?  My Command Base sits on a AIU.  I even laid the Command Base next to the engine.

usually flickering lights say's loose wire or connection.

Not always, To me flickering means poor engine antenna or poor TMCC layout signal. Since you other TMCC ers run fine  It leads back to the engine,  Faulty R2LC could be or poor engine antenna,

Command base wall adaptor has 3 prongs and plugged into a properly grounded 3 pong outlet?

I have it plugged into 6 -3 pronged power strip grounded.  A Z4000, TIU, TMCC Base & Light strip.  It powers a majority of my layout.

Is there a way to check the antennas?

This is how I do it.... I'm not an EE like GGG and gunrunner.... My volt meter has a setting in the ohm part that beeps continuously when the red lead  and black lead are touched together  .  If you touch the antenna wire with the meters  one lead and the other lead  to the shell , there should be no beep. If it beeps continuously  the antenna in not insulated from the shell. It has to be.

Try removing the TMCC power pack from the power strip and directly to the wall.

I don't understand the previous comment about the base wire??  That seemed to momentarily brighten the lights?

Can you set up a small test track and see if the engine works on it?  May be a R2LC sensitivity issue which is why you can try swapping with an engine that works well.  G

I will try your suggestions.  The only thing that I can think of, to why the lights brighten up.  It could be,  because of the battery.  With the Base wire removed. the engine has power for a short period.  The same as my MTH engines.

If I isolate the Base power I will need to use a extension cord.

I have a short test track.  If the engines does what it is supposed to do.  Would that mean there is interference from the TIU or interconnection cord to the Base-1L?

If your antenna is touching the chassis or shell you're done. It's that simple. You don't even have to take the engine apart unless there's continuity... hope not. Do you have a  Volt meter. The battery is there for shutdown sounds only.

If the bases  U connection wire is removed from a layout does the engine revert back to convention immediately??  (engine light up again ) I don't know but don't think so.

The battery in a TMCC engine ONLY supports audio, it has no effect on any lights.

GRJ,

I just tested the engine on the 4' test track.  Z-1000 at max 18.27v.  Headlamp & Running lights all bright and smoke worked fine.  That said, it could be the power strip.  Is it possible that I should have the Base-1L located further away from the Z4000,TIU and 2 AIU's and on a separate circuit?  In-which I do not have for the train room.

Gregg,

I have a meter.  I tested for continuity and there was none.  I think in order for that to work.  Paint would have to be removed.  So I went no further in the test.  My last post is the finding of the test track.

The command base should be plugged in directly to a grounded outlet.  Some power strips have been demonstrated to cause issues with the TMCC signal.

Thanks for the update.  Touching  one outside rail would be the same as the shell or  chassis, Anyway it's not that.  Good!

Almost  there.

I am totally perplexed.  Tested on the layout and no change.  Built another test track over the layout track.  On a board over the rails.  Set it up and ran a test. No Change.  Ran power from the Z1000 from a separate extension cord everything  worked.  Attached everything to the to the power strip including Z1000 and everything worked.  I did not use the Z1000 on the layout.  Is it possible there is a problem with the Z4000?

Maybe  the z-4000 but your other TMCC engines run fine.

 Do we know if the engine runs fine (smoke & everything else)  on the test track in command mode with the U connection from the base  connected to the test track's outside rail.

The test track u connection is to the Base 1L  the other end is a female spade connection to the outside rail male spade connection point on fastrack.

So your base 1L ground wire goes to a fast track connection on the main layout directly?

Did you remove it an connect it to the test track?  If you power the test track with the Z-4000 the engine doesn't run right in command?

It is sounding like a TMCC sensitivity issue but why this engine only.  Since you know the antenna hand rails are not shorted, make sure the wire connecting to the mother board is seated properly.  If so, I would change the R2LC with an engine that runs fine.  It is a R2LC C08 so it is common.

If that fixes the engine, the R2LC has a sensitivity issue and is best replaced.  G

I switched boards with my other TMCC engine.  Problem is with the Board.  At first I thought is was a wire.  I finally noticed a blue wire that ran threw the pins.  I could barely get the wire to the outside.  I know assume the wire was put there on purpose, because it was so short.  The board must have been bad from the beginning.

How much for a new Board?

I still can't understand why the engine will run fine with the Z1000.

Contact Boxcar Bill here on the forum, he can fix you up with a replacement R2LC.

Can't explain it either, but sensitivity issue can make an engine work when the signal is strong while not work when weaker despite other engines with better sensitivity working all the time.  You can e-mail me also if you need one.  G

I had an R2LC with a broken trace. It looked like someone had dragged a sharp item over the trace that ran to the connector for the antenna to ultimately hook up.

The engine ran iffy, but with the shell off, it ran great. I traced the problem down to the trace, solder bridged the cut and all was fine.

I guess I could take it apart again and try running it. I wonder if I would be defeating the purpose, by disconnecting the wire that run to the hand rails