Mth dcs explorer

Do the engines power up or are they dark and silent when the track power comes on?

Dark and silent...red light on explorer turns from red to purple that's it.

Both on the same track at the same time?

No...tried separately on a small section of track 

Check the Firmware version on your DCS Explorer, the latest release is version 1.2 and is required if you have the latest version of the app on your tablet or phone.  You'll need to access the LuCi web interface with a web browser to check which firmware the unit has.

I would put a lighted car on the track to confirm the power is getting to the rails since you have two engines with the same results and The photo shows that power is getting to the lock on. Next I would reset the Explorer - pg3 of the manual. I would also confirm the firmware version is current - pg9 of the manual.

After that I would call MTH. I had an Explorer that they replaced because it would work with two of my three PS3 engines. When they tested it they found it also didn’t work with a few other engines they tested it with.

Mark W

Ok...I put a lighted car on track and no lights came on car also downloaded firmware and flashed still nothing also have reset...may just send back or try again tomorrow...thanks for the help

If the light on the track lockon is lite, but the car doesn't light, it sounds like you have a connection issue between the lockon and the track.

MWasko posted:

If the light on the track lockon is lite, but the car doesn't light, it sounds like you have a connection issue between the lockon and the track.

I have seen where the piece of track doesn't carry the power from the lock on to the rails. I believe the little spot welded area fails? Try it on another piece of track. I've also soldered wires underneath the track to connect the outside rails together. I also have run wires from one end to the other to help these broken pieces carry the power and the signal to the next piece.

Have tried different pieces of track and works fine conventional just not with the Explorer. 

The Explorer does not send power to the track when the track light is on if an engine is not started up.  The lighted caboose test is not valid here.

Try NOT going through your home WiFi. 

Is your app set to explorer?

What device are you using?  

Using the MTh wifi ...tried on 2 phones and tablet...downloaded the firmware and did the flash..thinking of just going with the full dcs with remote. 

Kaustin posted:

Using the MTh wifi ...tried on 2 phones and tablet...downloaded the firmware and did the flash..thinking of just going with the full dcs with remote. 

I'm sure your dealer will give you another explorer.  You might have a hard time finding a DCS system with a remote these days.  The new systems have the TIU/WIU  Good luck.

David Minarik posted:

The Explorer does not send power to the track when the track light is on if an engine is not started up.  The lighted caboose test is not valid here.

Try NOT going through your home WiFi. 

Is your app set to explorer?

What device are you using?  

 

Wow Dave. How is that possible?

Mind freeze! 

David Minarik posted:

Kaustin posted:

Using the MTh wifi ...tried on 2 phones and tablet...downloaded the firmware and did the flash..thinking of just going with the full dcs with remote. 

I'm sure your dealer will give you another explorer.  You might have a hard time finding a DCS system with a remote these days.  The new systems have the TIU/WIU  Good luck.

Will try that..thanks for the help

David Minarik posted:

The Explorer does not send power to the track when the track light is on if an engine is not started up.  The lighted caboose test is not valid here.

Try NOT going through your home WiFi. 

Is your app set to explorer?

What device are you using?  

 

If I have only caboose and/or pass car on the tracks without any engines and hit the ""Add Engine" icon, I get power to my track. I can't talk about the lockon light since I don't have Realtrax.

We can't tell  from a picture when the lockon light turns on for him.

I agree I would try it using the built in mth wifi.

Mark W.

MWasko posted:

David Minarik posted:

The Explorer does not send power to the track when the track light is on if an engine is not started up.  The lighted caboose test is not valid here.

Try NOT going through your home WiFi. 

Is your app set to explorer?

What device are you using?  

 

If I have only caboose and/or pass car on the tracks without any engines and hit the ""Add Engine" icon, I get power to my track. I can't talk about the lockon light since I don't have Realtrax.

We can't tell  from a picture when the lockon light turns on for him.

I agree I would try it using the built in mth wifi.

Mark W.

That makes sense.

Can someone tell me if I added the updated firmware correctly?Download the firmware from MTH.

After I did the update I had to reset the Explorer to get the red light to come back on .Once I hit add engine the red light turns purple but still no engine found. I even tried on 2 pieces of track still nothing. 

Kaustin posted:

Can someone tell me if I added the updated firmware correctly?Download the firmware from MTH.

That looks to be the same screen I see in LuCi since I just upgraded to v1.2.  However, now my Explorer no longer works.  I don't get the red light to come on and the App indicates that there are no Explorers connected.  I have no power output from the terminals so my problem is a bit different from yours.  My Explorer worked fine immediately before the upgrade, so something has happened during the upgrade.

Kaustin posted:

After I did the update I had to reset the Explorer to get the red light to come back on .Once I hit add engine the red light turns purple but still no engine found. I even tried on 2 pieces of track still nothing. 

When you hit the "Add Engine" the lockon Light turns on and any lighted cars light? Just trying to confirm that power is getting to the rails.

You have already confirmed that the engines work in conventional on this test track.

Seems to be that the Explorer is not sending out a DCS signal just power.

Yes...the lock-in is lighted but no lights on caboose or engine 

Kaustin posted:

Yes...the lock-in is lighted but no lights on caboose or engine 

If the lights on a caboose or passenger car do not work, but the lights on the lock on do, and the track power light is purple as it appears to be in your photo, then the problem is probably a bad connection between the lock on and the track.  You might consider removing the wires from the lock on and tape or clip them directly to the top of the track and see if the caboose lights up.

Ok....finally got it to pick up train...got it to run once now no Explorer can be found showing up....guess it will work ok after a while 

Got it working now....thanks for all the help