# Is this a decoder problem???



## twilight (Jan 2, 2011)

I recently installed a Digitrax SDH164D in a old Bowser H-9. I also added a new Helix Humper motor to the unit. My problem is when I run the locomotive in DCC it is very weak and slow moving. I've tried all kind of adjustments to CV's 02, 05, and 06, but, no real noticable changes. Now if I run the loco on a DC test track it will live up to what they used say about Bowsers, "it would probably pull the bumper off a Chevy.

Anyone have any input on this? I've checked out a bunch of train forums tonight and you guys seem to have the most info about Digitrax in their DCC forum.

Mark:dunno:


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

might still be a problem with the CV's you have mentioned you might want to change the starting and max voltages going to the motor. Decoder works fine in DC so it should work fine when the right CV is set to the right CV value in DCC


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

try and reset the decoder to factory standart (CV8 -> 008)


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## bakkers2005 (Nov 12, 2010)

hi, have you checked your decoder momentum?for digitrax it is cv 03 and cv04. acceleration is controlled by cv03 and deceleration by cv04. try cv03 set at 3 and cv04 kept at 00 as a starting point and then increase from there and see if it makes a difference. regards bob


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## twilight (Jan 2, 2011)

thanks for the replies guys. And I have reset to factory default many times. I also have CV 03,04 at 0. I've even had all 02, 05, 06 set to full max. I think today when I get sometime I might try another decoder.


Mark


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## twilight (Jan 2, 2011)

Update. This seems to be a decoder problem. I swapped out the decoder and replaced with another non sound decoder I had here at home and the thing ran like a champ. I'll be posting another thread about the Digitrax sound decoder if I can't find what CV might be affecting the performance.


Thanks,
Mark


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## bakkers2005 (Nov 12, 2010)

hi mark, am i right in saying that you have cv03 at 0 ? if so, you must increase it to a start point of 3. you also increase cv04 to suit. digitrrax recommend starting cv03 at 3 and work from there. have you tried this? also does your digitrax decoder have back emf as this will affect performance and will need to be set. i notice that you have tried another decoder and it works well. isnt dcc just a load of fun. i have a bachman 4-6-0 that is dcc and has been running well for 2 years. in the past week it has shorted out 2 digitrax decoders for no apparent reason. regards bob


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## twilight (Jan 2, 2011)

Bob, I'm about to head down to the workbench to reinstall the sound decoder. I haven't made any adjustment to the back EMF settings. So, I'll give your suggestions a try and let you know what happens. At our club we have a guy that is pretty good with these stupid decoder problems and he said he'll take a look at it tomorrow night. We also use a NCE system at the club and it seems a little more user friendly when your trying to track down these little gremlins.:retard:

Mark


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## bakkers2005 (Nov 12, 2010)

hi mark, i was going to ask at my club tommorrow night as well, we also have a guy that is real good at decoder problems. we also run nce. co-incidence on all that info. twilight zone stuff. regards bob


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## twilight (Jan 2, 2011)

Bob, I put the sound decoder back in last night and tested the unit on my test track and it ran fine. I did take your suggestions and reset the CV's you mentioned. But I think the big breakthrough was a reset function I found for my Zephyer unit. I really think this what made the difference. 

Tonight I went to the club with sound decoder in the H-9 and it ran fine. Some of the younger members were quite impressed with the H-9 as that I have not painted it yet. So there it's running in it's pewter or zinc or whatever it's made of. Later this week I'll get to taking it apart again and start the paint job for it.

Thanks for the help,

Mark


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## bakkers2005 (Nov 12, 2010)

hi mark, no problem, enjoyed the interaction, glad all turned out well. dont you just love dcc and all the stuff that comes with it. regards bob


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