# MRC Prodigy Express



## gerard488 (Mar 10, 2013)

I bought a MRC Progigy Express DCC system and the program track does not work, Neither programming or readback works on the program track. I can program on the main but nothing works on the program track. Previous owner tells me he pur a dc loco on the track and tried to program it by mistake and this must have damaged the program track output. Can anyone give me advice on what to do to test or maybe fix it? 
Thanks in advance for any answers. G


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

there is a seperate circuit inside the power module for the program track, it's quite possible that one [or both] of the driver transistors were damaged, fairly easy fix, i think the transistors were around six bucks for ten from china when i had to replace one in mine ..also, only the express 2 [or squared] will do readback of cv's, the standard express does not, the 'smarts' for that is in the handheld, not the power module..


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## gerard488 (Mar 10, 2013)

wvgca said:


> there is a seperate circuit inside the power module for the program track, it's quite possible that one [or both] of the driver transistors were damaged, fairly easy fix, i think the transistors were around six bucks for ten from china when i had to replace one in mine ..also, only the express 2 [or squared] will do readback of cv's, the standard express does not, the 'smarts' for that is in the handheld, not the power module..


Thanks, Is there any way you could tell me which two? I would just have both replaced if that would fix it. PM me if you want. Thanks


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

if they are badly damaged, it should be easily visible, or you can follow the traces....as far as i remember there are four the same, two for main and two for program .. its been a while since i had mine apart


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

If you're not too confident about what you're doing perhaps better send it back to MRC for the repair.


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## gator do 65 (Jan 27, 2014)

Just to double check, you are hitting the program button twice to enter the program track mode?
Also the "prodigy express" does not read back CV's


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

And, although I don't want to insult your intelligence, you DID connect the programming track to the separate outputs, right? I know it sounds stupid, but I personally know two people who have done it wrong.

I'm not convinced that simply trying to program a DC loco would be enough to damage the unit.


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## gerard488 (Mar 10, 2013)

It is a Prodigy Express 2 system, I am hitting the button twice, program track is on the screen, the leads are hooked to the program track outlets. I can`t see anything wrong with how I am going about it and also, the previous owner sold it because the program track quit working. I am going to take it apart and find out exactly what transistors to order or maybe any electronics shop should be able to replace them. I haven`t contacted MRC yet, may do that on Monday.
Thanks again for the replies. G


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Sounds like you've eliminated operator error. Before cracking it open, you may want to verify the warrantee status; any opening of the case will usually void it.


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## gerard488 (Mar 10, 2013)

Sent an email to MRC on Sunday but haven`t got a reply yet, hope that doesn`t take too long. Does anyone know how long they usually take to respond?


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

gerard488 said:


> Sent an email to MRC on Sunday but haven`t got a reply yet, hope that doesn`t take too long. Does anyone know how long they usually take to respond?


They usually reply within 1-2 business days. Remember that Monday was a legal holiday in the US, and many companies were not open for business. If you don't hear by today, that's very unusual for them (maybe indicating a high volume of unanswered traffic over the long weekend).


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## gerard488 (Mar 10, 2013)

Still not a word from MRC, It`s been a full week now since I sent them an email. I may just buy a new control system but I`m sorta disappointed with MRC, Maybe NCE?


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Presumably because you bought it with fault it didn't cost too much. I have an NCE PowerCab and I'm very happy with it. Have a look on YouTube to see a comparison with other systems and how they operate.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

This is the vid I had in mind: http://youtu.be/QzRRCKpTjL4


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

In the interest of full disclosure, I sent them a "test" product support e-mail on Monday, and have not yet heard back.

I agree that this is a very disappointing lapse in customer service, and I hope they get their stuff together soon.


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## gerard488 (Mar 10, 2013)

I sent my emails to : [email protected] on May 24 and resent on May 28 .
Then sent a copy to [email protected] on May 31. I then sent those emails with some added content to [email protected] on June 3. I got a response from Doug yesterday on June 4. None of this helped me any as they would not sell me the transistors but said to send the controll base unit back to them with a check for $40US and they would fix it. When I considered the exchange rate plus the shipping charges involved, I think I might be better off just buying a new NCE system. If they had agreed to just sell me the transistors, I could have them installed at an electronics repair shop right here and not be without my controller for however long the repair and shipping takes. All in all, I am not happy with the level of customer support I got from MRC.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

$40 doesn't sound too unreasonable. I don't know how much you paid for it so don't know if it's worthwhile, obviously you consider it isn't. If you  buy a NCE PowerCab you won't be disappointed.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Honestly, most places do not consider transistors to be a customer replaceable part. Yes, you can get the part and have someone else install it, but I wouldn't want you installing parts in my system, either. I don'think that's bad customer service, and I doubt any of the other manufacturers would be more accomodating, either.

Exchange rate and customs concerns aside, $40 is not an unreasonable charge to repair your unit. TV repair shops in the US (at least around here), charge $60-70 per hour for labor, plus shop materials, parts,and HAZMAT disposal.


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## gerard488 (Mar 10, 2013)

I paid $100 for the controller which did not seem like a bad price. $40US for the repair equals $50 for me as I am in Canada and the exchange rate is high. Then it would cost around $60 for shipping to send it out and back. Not sure if I would get charged border fees/duties on its way back. I would be paying a total of $210(including the initial $100purchase price) assuming everything goes well with the repair and at the border. I could have it repaired at a shop locally for $25 plus the cost of the transistors. Problem is, I would want to be 100% sure that I have the right transistors but MRC won`t sell them and the originals have some extra numbers on them that I can`t seem to find anywhere else.
One option is to sell the controller and throttle that I have( Everything works except the program track), get some of my money back and buy a different system.
Another option may be to buy a MRC decoder dr. but that would cost around $120 or more which is about the same as the repair total cost. 
I am a little pissed at MRC for not selling the parts so if I have to spend $120 I will probably add more and spend it on a NCE system


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

While I don't dispute the factual accuracy of anything you say, I think your expectations are unreasonable.

the fact that you live in Canada would affect any DCC system repair in the US equally, and as i said previously, i don't think you would fare any better with any other brand.

So, if you say, it's not cost effective to repair, and I just need to buy a new one, you're right (probably should have been a consideration before you purchased the unit in its current condition). To take it out on MRC is unreasonable.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

$40 us is a reasonable flat rate for that repair .. and few manufacturers sell internal electronic parts on smaller items, have you considered buying a used power module on ebay?? the last one I saw was $25 with no bids, I remember it because he listed the module and the handheld [express 2] seperately, and i bought the handheld for $75 us, worked out okay as it upgraded my plain prodigy express to be able read back cv's ... the seller was in bc if it matters.. my mrc is entry level,, it blew up once and i fixed it, now i have two handhelds, and wired home made plugs around my layout, and replaced the origional wall wart with a larger one to give me maybe 2.5 amp instead of the origional 1.6 .... and I'm fine with 'good enough" ..


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## gerard488 (Mar 10, 2013)

CTValleyRR said:


> While I don't dispute the factual accuracy of anything you say, I think your expectations are unreasonable.
> 
> the fact that you live in Canada would affect any DCC system repair in the US equally, and as i said previously, i don't think you would fare any better with any other brand.
> 
> So, if you say, it's not cost effective to repair, and I just need to buy a new one, you're right (probably should have been a consideration before you purchased the unit in its current condition). To take it out on MRC is unreasonable.


This is not about taking it out on MRC. The fact is, MRC has competition. There are other companies such as Digitrax and NCE who make control systems. If I don`t get what I want from MRC, then I have every right to go to another company regardless of who has what policies. Right now my issue is with MRC, if I was having the same issue with NCE then I might be turning to MRC instead of away from them. In my opinion, selling a couple of transistors is just a small thing to promote good customer relations. Any electronic repair shop should be able to insall them.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

selling a couple of transistors, unfortunately, is not a 'small thing' ... no company [in general] will sell internal electronic components ... it's not only for your safety, but also for product performance .. after all they have no idea of end user competence, or saftey / testing compliance ... at one time [for maybe twenty years] I owned several computer stores .. at that time no manufacturer would sell internal components for motherboards, power supplies, etc... Now I farm, in a small scale, and also still do industrial process control servicing, where no manufacturer supplies internal circuit diagrams or individual 'on board' components ,,, and yet I repair them, with a fairly high success rate, and although I consider my charge rate to be exorbitant [$135 /hr], it is substantially less than replacing entire control systems... I do consider the mrc flat rate of $40 to be reasonable, and probably half of a new module, but if you want to get it fixed locally, a competent electronic repair shop should easily be able to obtain direct or equivalent transistors, and just change all four if they choose not to follow traces to determine which pair are bad, and also should have transistor testors where each is removed, tested, resoldered if good, and replaced if bad... my tester was maybe thirty bucks, and a multimeter can be used also .. if it matters, NCE or Digitrax [as far as I know] do not offer individual board level components direct to the end user...


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Wvgca

Am I misreading what you are saying about companies limiting
who can buy transistors and other electronic components?

The few Radio Shack stores still open here sell all varieties of transistor,
resistors, capacitors, transformers and other parts. Anyone
can buy whatever they need. Always have. I used to buy them
from Radio Shack's predecessor, Allied Radio all the way back
to the 1940s. That's when the 'plate' voltage in amplifier tubes would
run over 100 volts, DC. 

Don


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

DonR ... I should have stipulated internal components 'for their electronic products' ...individual parts are easy to get, digikey and others, if you already know what you want ... an internal pcb mounted component from the manufacturer / assembler is another matter nowadays, as gerard488 has found out ... and has been for some time now, no one repairs TV's, clock radio's, calculators anymore, but I did once, and still have factor manuals showing circuit diagrams, test points, and component numbers, but those are pretty much worthless now ... most companies have found that 'return for authorized repair' is much more lucrative than selling a couple of ten cent transistors... some of the specialized equipment that i now work on has had the part numbers mechanically erased to prevent 'un-authorized' repair ..


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## gerard488 (Mar 10, 2013)

I took some pics of the transistors in my controller and can`t seem to find the exact numbers. can anyone tell me how to go about finding an exact match for them? Two of my transistors are IRFZ24N, they have 318P, GU aand OF marked below the IRFZ24N. It is the 318p, GU and the OF that I can`t seem to find. There are lots of IRFZ 24N transistors on Ebay but nothing with the other numbers/letters.
The other two transistors are IRF9Z34N with P320J, with H^ and 01 below
Any help with finding exact matches for those transistors would be appreciated.


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

easy, lol
IRFZ24N / IRF9Z34N are the transistor numbers....
the rest is production date / production line reference, sometimes location of manufacturing plant ....
those are power mosfets in a to220 case, if you have a choice vishay is one of the better manufacturers ..
by the way, it's not two identical per channel, it's one of each, one sources [n channel], and the other sinks [p channel], thats how you easily get the relative positive / negative on the dcc waveform without offsetting the ground


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