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New to DCS, issues, fate

H humbug2OGR Forum Member
I purchased DCS in April 2009 (rev I3a TIU, 4.10) and put it in a closet until August 2011 (don’t ask). I ran if briefly a few times in Sep. I returned to trains a few days ago. An hour later I planned on putting the remote behind the right rear tire and the TIU behind the left rear tire and slowly backing a 4,000 lb. car out of the garage. I then retreated to my Powerbook and did many searches of this forum. Thanks to all who contribute and especially Barry without whom that would have been the end of my DCS efforts. I have now postponed a decision on disposition until the first lawn mowing.

My layout is blocked and star wired. Power is from a modern ZW w 2*180w ps: Ch A -> TIU var 2. Ch B -> Lionel switches & TIU fixed 1. Ch C -> lights & accessories. Ch D -> TIU var 1.

After several hours of running and learning I have:

Issue 1: Batteries in the remote are new and have been tested. The transceiver board in the TIU was well seated. The transceiver board in the remote was as far out as the shell would allow on the left side. With everything back together I still have irregular communication between the two. All works well with a phone cord. Is there anything else I can do to isolate the problem without access to other units?

Issue 2: Williams F-7 on var 1 under remote control blows horn continuously, When var 1 set to fixed and voltage controlled by ZW F-7 stops when horn triggered but no sound. Another engine also has no sound or bell but it runs fine and hornless from the remote.

A long time ago I saw a thread on installing a manual switch for alternating between conventional and command. I cannot find the information. Can I just switch the power between the tiu input and the track or do I also have to switch the common? Do I also have to isolate the tiu output from the track voltage and common? Is there a problem with switching one channel while running the other through the TIU?

All ideas, insults, and suggestions are appreciated.
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G GreggOGR Forum Member
quote:
Your rev I3a TIU could be part of the problem. The I3a had a signal strength problem that was fixed by adding a transisitor internally. The fixed I3a TIU should have a "gray dot" after the letter "a". If yours does not have the "dot", you should have it checked and fixed.


Brian

Hey Guys, no matter what software is installed you can't make DCS work with faulty hardware. Get the I3a checked out as Brian suggests... PS I went thorough 3 faulty tius starting in about 08 until finally getting a I3a with the silver dot. Guess what. Worked for about 6 months but now Var one has lost it's signal again. Time for an L I guess.

Here's how I tested my I3a

.. used a small test track, Actually one piece of GarGraves and one engine and did a track signal test on all 4 channels (var set to fixed)
If you can't get a perfect dcs signal(10) on all 4 channels there's something drastically wrong.
H humbug2OGR Forum Member
My TIU has the dot. I rechecked the remote internals then bought a 25 ft handset cord at Home Depot ($6) which will serve me for awhile.

Conventional usage exceeds DCS at present and for the near future. DCS variable channels do a much better job of voltage control than the ZW through the FXD setup option. Looking hard at the ZW seems to increase the voltage in certain parts of the handle travel.

In the not too distant future I will be getting Legacy and giving it a try. I might get 2 more 180w ps when I understand how I wire in Legacy and control things. Then the ZW can power the switches, lights, and accessories.

I have noticed signal strength issues in surprising places and need to focus on that the next several days. Of course some of it is on the less accessible parts of the layout. As expected.

The layout was planned for conventional operation. For best appearance and functionality locomotives or tenders are parked on Lionel Operating (a.k.a. RCS) tracks in spurs and loops. A DCS engine runs over and through them fine and can be throttled or shutdown but is not on the track come next session.
H humbug2OGR Forum Member
Me again!

Signal strength. ZW channels are wired to TIU as described above, on to distribution strips to CTCs, some lighted, some not. Each channel has several blocks with one ctc each and no more than 8 ft to each end, mostly less. Signal strength seems independant of ctc type and block length.

I set both channels menu/system/DCS Setup/FXD. Running loco only, 10 & 15 smph, volume way down: var ch 2: 3 - 5; var ch 1: 4-6.
Wired 18v bulbs across outputs of tiu ch and var ch 2: 4-6; var ch 1 almost all 9 & 10.

I cannot think of anything peculiar to either channel. Could there be something in the ZW power that is responsible? Ideas are appreciated.
G GreggOGR Forum Member
quote:
Here's how I tested my I3a

.. used a small test track, Actually one piece of GarGraves and one engine and did a track signal test on all 4 channels (var set to fixed)
If you can't get a perfect dcs signal(10) on all 4 channels there's something drastically wrong.

Try testing the poor channel(v2) with a test track and one engine. If you can't get a 10 on the small test track you're not going to get it on the layout.

Too many small blocks seems to be worse than one longer one. Ex.. We had 3 ten foot blocks that yielded a poor dcs signal... 5s 6s. We made the 3 blocks into one by jumpering the insulated center rail joints and disconnecting 2 sets of feeders..result- a dcs signal of 10. Go figure.
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