Question about my new ZW-L

On back of Zw-L did you run wire from black command post to command base to allow signal to transformer?

This may be a silly question, but have you connected the ZW-L to the command base, and programmed it? Also, have you switched the command base on before the ZW-L?

yes

yes

First put the zw-l in program mode. Then power it on. Make sure the command base is powered on first. Hit tr 1 then set. The zw-l lionel logo should flash. Then power it off and put it in run mode and power back on. tracks should be from right to left 1-4 for the handles.. if you have two zw-l's you can program the second one fro tracks 5 - 8.

 

Hope this helps

Ted

 

Thanks, but as I said earlier I have already gone through the programming steps.

 so with switch in command will a conventional engine run normally? if it does and switch set to conventional and command engines work is it possible the switch is wired in backwards?

 

also is the program/run switch set correctly?

 

not to be a smart ... but when you say engines work in command mode when switch set to conventional are they really responding to engine ID # or running as a conventional engine? just asking hope this might trigger a thought and help you out.

 

$oo

Another possibly silly thought has just sprung to mind. When the switch is set to command, are you still moving the handles up to the maximum power required? I seem to recall reading that you still have to do this. 

%oo

 

engines respond to ID# and work from Cab-2

 

Have not tried a conventional engine

Hi again.

 

Rather than keep asking possibly silly questions, could you please list the steps that you go through to run a locomotive when the switch is in command mode?  Please list the steps from a complete cold-start position.

1. power up legacy base
2. check that switch is in cmd
3. turn on ZW_L
4. push handle to 18v
5. attempt to address an engine but no response, on any engine, headlights don't come on, not a sound
6. power off ZW-L
7. move switch to conv
8. power on ZW-l
9. move handle to 18V
10. address an eng
11. all works fine
12. scratch my head

I may be wrong, but I think that you have to address the TR#'s first to power them up. In the same way as when you start-up a TPC.  Address TR# on the CAB-2, and then press boost. Power should now be supplied to the track.

 

The command/conventional swith is just to determine the transformer's behavior with respec to the command signal.  In command, it needs the handles moved up to your desired maximum first, then you can spin the red knob to raise the voltage to the track.

 

If the switch is set to conventional, the handles will work as a standard transformer, but command controlled trains will still work just fine via the remote (once you raise the handles).

 

Sounds liek you have been down this path, but I'd note that out of the box, I think the ZW-L handles are programmed as Engines, not tracks.

 

Also, check the verison of Legacy on your remote and base.  I think you need at least 1.4 for it to work with the ZW-L.

 

-Dave

 

 

when you Turn The ZW on.. move handle then address track 1(outside right handle) Turn the red knob on the CAB2 until you get voltage on the meter... then address engine.

Just saw your sequence post, John.

 

The key is that you have to address the handles first before you can address the engines.  If you've not re-programmed the handles yet, they are engines 1-4 from right to left.

 

Obviously, if you have an engine you are trying to use that is programmed as a number between 1-4, you will want to change either the transformer or the engine ID. (or reprogram the transformer to respond as TRacks instead of engines)

 

Hope this solves it for you.

 

Quick addendum:  while I don't think this is part of your problem right now, ther eis also the switch for 1 or 4 handle control on the back (though the formal name escapes me at the moment).  That can be used if you want all the handles to function when you dial up the first one.

 

-Dave

 

Dave

 

Thanks, I was starting to think this myself. So the CMD switch is only for when you want to use the transformer in command mode and use the functionality of being able to address the handles from the remote. Ironically this is when you want to run a "conventional" engine from the remote.

 

Alternatively, when you want to run a command engine from the handheld, and not use the functionality to address the handle from the remote, you put the switch in CONV mode. Seems backwards to me and very counter-intuitive. I will check again but I don't recall seeing this explains in the manual.

 

At least I know there is nothing wrong with my transformer or my wiring. No more head scratching

 

 

 

John,  Have you watched Lionel's instructional video for the transformer? I think that it will help.  

John,

 

As long as you don't have any serious complaints about addressing the handles first before engines, there is no need to take the transformer out of command mode when running comand engines.

 

-Dave

Now why would I want to do that!!

 

Isn't that like asking for directions

Hah! Men!   Seriously though, if you haven't watched that video, then I would advise that you do. It is full of useful information, and explains a great deal more than the manual does. It is most certainly worth watching. I've watched it, and I don't even have a ZW-L yet. 

 

I think you've got it!!!  And I came to the same conclusion while reading about the ZW-L, although I haven't purchased one yet.

 

I too think the naming of the CMD/CONV switch is a bit counter-intuitive.  Perhaps a better name for the switch would have been REMOTE/LOCAL -- meaning in REMOTE mode the handle voltages would be controllable by a CAB-1/2 remote, whereas in LOCAL mode the handles need to be operated manually. 

 

Using the naming convention as delivered, it sounds like we need to set the ZW-L in CMD mode if we want to control the handle voltages with a Cab-1/2... which is something we'd typically want to do if we want to run CONVENTIONAL locomotives without standing at the helm of the ZW-L.  Not intuitive at all.  Instead, I "think" more intuitively in terms of operating the ZW-L "locally" (i.e., manually moving the handles) vs. "remotely" (i.e., controlling the handle voltages via the CAB-1/2).  The only thing cooler would be if the handles actually MOVED (i.e. physically) when controlling the ZW-L with the CAB-1/2.  If memory serves me correctly, there WAS a prototype ZW of some type several years ago that had this neat feature.  But it never made its way into production.   

 

David

David Yes, that zw was called the "yard boss" and never went into production. It also had the basic cab-1 controls built into the top of the housing.