TPC 400

You can use a simple light bulb as an indicator on the output.

Also, watch the COM LED.  If the TPC is getting a properly addressed command, it will blink once slowly, not the rapid flashes for commands addressed to other addresses or device types.

A factory reset is useful IF the TPC is responding properly to commands addressed to it.  (Address) , Aux 1, Aux 2, zero

Hey dale, can u repair a TPC 300?? Mine does not seem to respond to commands or can be eratic, not responding 1 time, then power reset and a response that is not totally controllableo or dead. I am going to try your factory reset advise. But can you, Dale, repair it? thanks

Do you have any other devices hooked up to the serial port?  Legacy or TMCC Base?  Do you reliably get the long blink acknowledgement when you send the TPC a command?

It's connected in series(parallel) with everything else on the layout: Legacy, dot-com, power to track. It got to the point where I took it out of the system. It would not seem to respond in a power up mode, then maybe at times it would power up, but not work as it suppose to work. So I replaced it, and was wondering what can be done with it, if it's possible to fix.

The question is "Are you overloading the Legacy serial port?"  Please enumerate the devices that are being driven by the Legacy serial port.

If the port is overloaded, you may get unreliable data transfer.

No, everything was working fine for years. This particular TPC was controlling Tr #4, as I have 5 TR(tracks) that I can run at the same time. Usually TR4 & 5 get power on or off at the same time, and usually don't see much use(same power strip). TR 5 is fine and wired 'after' TR 4. No problem with TR 5, and I'm getting power to TR 4, so that's not an issue. It's just that I get eratic responses or none at all. I've tried to replace TR 4 with an original Powermaster unit, but my upgraded Legacy base does not recognize it as it did originally before(nice sauce on that one too).

The Legacy could never talk to the original PowerMaster, either the 135W or 180W unit.  Those older TMCC PowerMaster units receive their commands directly from the 27mhz CAB1 transmission, and not from the TMCC or Legacy base.  The Legacy can talk to the Legacy PowerMaster, which is a fairly new product.

Hey John, when I first got Legacy, it controlled the original Powermasters, which is why, I guess, you were able to include,serial, the original Command Base. Now with upgraded versions, a charging board & signal issues fix by L, I can no longer do that. My option now is to replace the older Powermasters with the new style, which are wireless, and no need now for the older PM or Base. Do you think this is correct? thanks.

My mistake, I may have controlled those PM with the orig Cab 1

The PowerMasters receive the 27mhz commands directly from the CAB1, and nowhere in the Legacy system does such a command get transmitted.  The PowerMaster Bridge was specifically designed to "bridge the gap" and allow the Legacy to send the 27mhz signal to the PowerMasters via the bridge.

The CAB1 talks to them directly, AAMOF the PowerMaster and the CAB1 were available before the TMCC command base.

If you still want help from me, answer my question.  List everything that is on the serial port.

The list for Dale:

2 - TPC 400

2 TPC 300

2 ASC

1 BPC

1 SC2

10 SC1

Orig Command Base, 2 Powermasters

The SC1's and SC2's are not connected to the serial data line, they're handled by the RF signal and don't affect the serial data.

Four TPCs on the Legacy Base would put you on the borderline of overloading.  The troublesome TPC may be a bit less sensitive to commands, or the optocoupler may have aged.

I suggest that you disconnect the other TPCs from the serial data line and test just the troublesome unit.  If it works OK by itself, then add the other TPCs back onto the line, one at a time, testing the troublesome unit at each step.

If the problem is overloading, the solution is to boost the Legacy serial signal.  Seems like someone on the Forum used to build something for that.....

The LCS SER2 module is now shipping, I think that's the current solution since Dale has abandoned the market.