TIU Channels Stopped Sending Signal To Track. WHY?

Sounds like a momentary power loss or a surge that scrambled the TIU. Not a common thing but it should be okay.

Thanks Jeff, but my power that my bricks are plugged into is unchanging and uninterruptible. I use a battery converter surge protector as added protection to my TIU and other electronics.

Dave,

It just quit sending signal for no reason what so ever

Three's always a reason. It could have been one of the following:

• The engine was running on any TIU channel and being powered the Aux. Power port, and the breaker on the Aux. Po's super party was tripped.
• The engine was running on a TIU channel other than Fixed #1 and being powered by Fixed #1, and Fixed #1 was turned off.
• The DCS Setup menu was accessed and the DCS signal was turned off.

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Why do you leave the TIU Powered 24hrs a day?  It could very well be over heating and kicking out, requiring a reset.  There are hardware failures, but they are permanent.  Your saying it stops working, you do a reset and it restores.  New one on me.  But I would turn TIU off also after a session.  G

Update: Resetting only lasted for a day. It does quit sending signal on its own, so it must be done for. I've always had better luck leaving computers powered up and just put into sleep mode at night. My man cave is in the basement and figured the warmth leaving things powered up would keep the dampness out. My dehumidifier dries only the air it can circulate through it. Nooks and Crannies still collect dampness. Constant expansion and contraction also seems to work things loose.  The TIU has been powered up via aux since Jan. 2011, only shut down occasionally if I'm gone from home for a few days.  G, do you work on TIU's?

If one loses control, the red button cuts off power, regardless of dcs signal status.

I would not leave a tiu on continuously.

Robert,

If one loses control, the red button cuts off power, regardless of dcs signal status.

Unfortunately, that doesn't work if one presses E-Stop while the remote is hung-up attempting to clear an error message, which is sometimes  when one needs E-Stop the most..

True, but only if in the hungup mode.

Robert,

but only if in the hungup mode.

...and also while an error message is displayed. The remote cannot multi-task.

I'd recommend a separate power cutoff that doesn't depend on the command system infrastructure.  A simple RF dongle that you can hang around your neck and has a power cutoff for the main power works great, and they're cheap as well.

John,

A simple RF dongle that you can hang around your neck and has a power cutoff for the main power works great, and they're cheap as well.

I agree. Mine turns off and on the entire layout. As a bonus, there's no need to power-cycle the remotes.

That's a great idea John, Do you sell them?

They're available from Amazon and many other places.

Thanks Barry

What Barry said.  I don't sell them, but there are a ton of places to buy them.  You're just looking for remote controlled outlet products.  Also, make sure it's the RF based model and not the IR based model, you want one that will work if you're in the next room as well as in sight of the outlet.

John, any suggestions on brand and part number?

Just an alert from observed experience:  dongles that dangle from the neck can catch on objects and cause injury.  Yes, dear , I know they're common.

Dave,

I've been using this product from Amazon, for almost 3 years. It's worked extremely well.

I programmed one button on the remote to turn on all 5 AC lines at once, which allows me to turn on th entire layout with one button press, as well as turn it off the same way. Not too bad for 219.98.

One remote is fastened, using Velco,under an edge off the layout for normal use. The second remote is my "E-STOP"  switch.

Great idea. Time to order.

Try stores like Home Depot, especially this time of year, they are with the holiday lights.