# Help! DCC loco stalls and crawls on DC layout



## musicwerks (Jan 4, 2012)

Hi,

I bought a recent DCC bachmann DD40AX...its suppose to run on DC layout. I am in the mist of changing to DCC but not yet.

a) The loco was running fine on lifelike 12V power pack for a few trial runs. Until recently, I started a new layout, it ran fine for a while, got stalled on one corner...then stopped. 

The lights are fine but engine refuses to run and I hear a low buzzing electronics (motor sound?) and the chips seemed to get hot quick.

I took it apart and grease the gears with UB40 spray. It normally works for my DC locos, but it still cant work.

b) I switched to bachmann DC power pack, now it runs at a crawling pace.

Help...did I fry/short any circuits or was it a faulty motor?

Kiong


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

I hope you bought this new, Send it back, it either fried the board, decoder or the motor or all the above.


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## musicwerks (Jan 4, 2012)

Yeah I bought it new from favorite spot online . Problem is I am based I Singapore not sure if Bachmann covers the warranty for foreigners 

Kiong


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Wait isn't that a dual motored unit?
I would think that it's probably a decoder or board issue. Pull the body and look for burnt board. 
I would hope they cover warranty issues!
Bachmann decoders are known for being bad!
It might be in your best interest to just replace the decoder with a better one.


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## musicwerks (Jan 4, 2012)

Bachmann is sending me a replacement for the burnt unit.

Supposing it's the decoder and chip problem, 

A) what do i need to buy (brand?) to replace make the loco run normally again?

B) assuming I pull out he decoder and chip, will the loco eun in dc then? How to reconvert to dc?


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## lears2005 (Feb 26, 2010)

I do not like the board the comes in there locos I have two of them and I going to change them out.


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## musicwerks (Jan 4, 2012)

*Is this decoder fried?*

Hi

I took a picture of the decoder. There is this round metal piece that protrudes from the rubber with some lose rubber bits around. It this a burnt decoder? Could it be the cause of my loco running slow?


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## musicwerks (Jan 4, 2012)

*Is this decoder fried?*

Hi

I took a picture of the decoder. There is this round metal piece that protrudes from the rubber with some lose rubber bits around. It this a burnt decoder? Could it be the cause of my loco running slow?


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Yep that is the tell take sign of a fried decoder!
They seem to have some major issues with either the decoders or the boards or both.
If you don't have to return the decoder to bachmann, You could use the plug and wires to make a dummy plug.
Cut the decoder off the wires leaving the wires on the plug. Connect the red to orange and, blue...then the black to gray, white, yellow.


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

After the magic smoke is released from a DCC decoder, they won't work anymore.
Yeah, the decoder is fried. Although many manufacturers will tell you that it's OK to run a DCC equipped locomotive on a DC layout, it's really not a good idea. As you have unfortunately found out.


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## musicwerks (Jan 4, 2012)

NIMT said:


> Yep that is the tell take sign of a fried decoder!
> They seem to have some major issues with either the decoders or the boards or both.
> If you don't have to return the decoder to bachmann, You could use the plug and wires to make a dummy plug.
> Cut the decoder off the wires leaving the wires on the plug. Connect the red to orange and, blue...then the black to gray, white, yellow.


Thanks Sean... Well fried it is...

Okay, what's the dummy plug? Just to clarify, you mean cut off the cables to the dcc plug attaching to the pcb board, connect the red, blue, orange cables together; then black to grey, white and yellow...that would make the loco run as a dc engine?


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## musicwerks (Jan 4, 2012)

Hi flyboy- lesson learnt the hard way and first hand.

I am seriously considering buying a NCE power can 2 to run my replacement DD 40Ax from bachmann now.

Cheers


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

That's what Sean is saying, you can make a jumper plug to turn it into a DC locomotive.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Yep what he said!


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## musicwerks (Jan 4, 2012)

Thanks guys...

I have purchased this item from ebay

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=180800490441

Suppose I remove the old pcb board and burnt decoder and successfully replace this new NCE board correctly, I should be able to dcc the loco again...technically. Do I need to buy any additional Plug in decoders? Cos this new pcb chip didn't have that black rubber decoder that burnt...

Assuming I didn't.burn true motors cos they still run at nominal speed.

Thanks for the patience guys!


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