WTIU cannot "see" beyond my first of five AIUs, but TIU and handheld still see them, why?

Rodger,

A few suggestions, although I must admit they are kind of shots in the dark.  When you view the app for the accessories/switches connected to the AIUs after #1, were they ‘active’ in that they are not greyed out on the app screen.  I had a WIU problem last year and replaced it.  When I went to operate switches, they were shown but were not active.  I had to add each application back to restore their operability.

A second thought - have you tried to bypass AIU#2 just in case that has some sort of conflict with the WTIU?  I know you had thought that may be the case when this issue first arose and wonder if it prevents communications with the others, even though it doesn’t with the regular TIU.  

Maybe I should have asked this before, but does the WTIU see all the AIUs in that it knows they are there, but just can’t operate them?

I have not installed my WTIU yet as I am waiting until after the grandkids leave after the holidays.  I have several AIUs and so I am watching your situation and hoping an easy fix comes available.

Bob

It's not just you. Brand new wtiu. It connected and downloaded the firmware. Trying to connect again and I'm getting the message no tiu found.
It's set to home. It's on a 2.5ghz network. I can see its connected to the internet using my deco app. Trying both iOS and Android .
Pretty sure it's an mth issue.....3 hours wasted today

The new WTIU may not be able to power all the AIU's.  Have you considered adding a power tap for additional power for the AIU chain?  I know this was an issue that Marty Fitzhenry had some time back and he posted this diagram for tapping in power to the AIU chain.

John, that is very interesting.  So the question that I have then, would you think that it is a WTIU problem in that it doesn’t allow sufficient power flow to operate the AIU relays, that is, it consumes too much power by itself?  Or is it a wall wart problem in that it is insufficient to power both the WTIU and AIUs?  I suppose this really is the same question depending on how you look at it.

Also, by the diagram you included, I would assume the supplemental power added is at the same voltage as the wall wart.

Finally for Rodger, when you systematically added the AIUs back, did you also test them after each one was added?  In other words, when you added the second one and before added #3, did the operation of #2 work?  And did the WTIU even see #2, but not allow it to operate?

Thanks,

Bob

Hello,

I'll try to answer/respond to everyone's ideas/comments.

But FIRST ... I removed the WTIU from my system.  Afterwards, I reinstalled my WIU, TMCC Base 1L, and TIU Rev.H2.  Also, I reinstalled the new DCS app once again into my Samsung S23+ cellphone, Android ver. 14.  To use computer jargon, I rolled back my system to its configuration prior to my having installed the WTIU.  RESULT:  All functions work property again -- DCS engines, TMCC engines, accessories, and switches.  I discovered, however, that the new app removed some options from the lashup feature.

John,

Thank you for the ideas and schematic.  The following comments are directed at MTH, not you:   We shouldn't have to modify equipment that should work correctly in the first place.  How can I tell if the WTIU I purchased is faulty because it will only control one AIU or because it is improperly designed?

Bob,

As noted above, restoring my system to its pre-WTIU configuration fixed the problems that the WTIU caused.  To answer your questions in regard to the WTIU troubleshooting:  After reviewing my subject line, I believe that I should have used "operate" instead of "see."

When I attached AIU #1 to the WTIU, the screen on the app indicated that there was only one AIU present.  The app correctly listed the port assignments on AIU #1.  Next, I added AIU #2.  The app indicated that two AIUs were present.  Also, the app correctly listed the port assignments on AIU #2.  Ultimately, with all five AIUs connected, the app indicated that five AIUs were connected and listed all the correct port assignments.

So ... the app can correctly "see" the five AIUs and corresponding port assignments.  Inexplicability, the WTIU can't operate AIUs 2-5.  (See my response to John above.)

DC Transit,

I empathize with you.  I've wasted six or more hours trying to configure the WTIU.  I'm beyond frustrated at this point.  Furthermore, I was unable to link my TMCC base 1L with the WTIU; however, I discussed that, as yet, unsolvable problem in another post on this forum.  The TMCC connection problem was a major time waster, too.  All I wanted to to do was have fun running my trains!

Rodger

This is why I will stick with my original TIU with wifi attached.  I will let those early adopters do the beta testing as seems to be the norm for this industry.  Art

Roger, while I have little doubt that I could get both the BASE3 and WTIU working here, I haven't bit for either one as of now.  I'm perfectly willing to let the pioneers blaze the trail and work out the bugs.  I have the Lionel Legacy system and the MTH TIU, they work fine.  I see very little that the BASE3 would bring to the party for me.  Ditto for the WTIU, I'd lose the ability to use my DCS Remotes, something I'm unwilling to do.

As for the situation with the AIU's, it's not a certainty that it's a power issue, that's just one possibility that I know has been an issue in the past.  I know that that was a frequent topic of discussion for anyone that has multiple AIU's on their system in the past.  I also know that Marty had to add the aux AIU power to get all his AIU's working on his layout.

Since I haven't done anything with the WTIU, and don't have one to even look closely at, I can't really say if the AIU power capability is greater, less, or the same as the older TIU.

Someone brought up a similar problem on Facebook.  Mike Wolf checked into it and responded that they found the problem and it is the software.  They are now working on a fix.

Bob

Well, I think I will shelve the WTIU for a while and stick with my 5 TIU’s and AIU’s. Glad I bought them a few years ago. Been buying remotes for parts.  

@Bob Golfs posted:

Someone brought up a similar problem on Facebook.  Mike Wolf checked into it and responded that they found the problem and it is the software.  They are now working on a fix.

Bob

And that is why I am sanguine about the WTIU.  Not only is it easy to update the controller software now (your handheld device), but because of the ease of that, updating the WTIU firmware is now easier, so not only should errors get fixed quicker, but we could see new features because they have the handheld's cpu power to utilize too.