# Digitrax accessory decoder (switch) address change



## Walman (Dec 18, 2011)

I'm still researching this so perhaps just have not found the right reference (and will be posting at the Cobalt site) but thought I would post here as well. I don't have trains running yet and new to the hobby so I am not a DCC programming expert yet. For background I have the Digitrax Superchief DCS100 with DT402 throttles.

So I am about to install Cobalt DCC turnout motors on my layout. For those not familiar they are DCC turnout motors with a DCC decoder built in. They each come with a built-in DCC decoder address of '1'. I've hooked the motors up to the DCS100 and can use my throttle to "t" or "c" the motor and as long as I use address '1' and the motor works fine. However I need to assign a new address to each one and that is the problem as I can't seem to make that happen. Unfortunately so far all the literature I have found from Cobalt is "follow your DCC manufacturers instructions for changing the decoder address." 

So any thoughts? Here is the procedure I have tried (at work so going off the top of my head):

1) Move lever on the Cobalt to put it in "set" mode
2) Power up Digitrax system including getting track status on ( I always do this).
3) Press 'switch' button
4) Press an address number I would like to assign to the decoder
5) Press enter.
6) Power off system, move level on switch to "run" 
7) Power up system and use 'switch' button and pick new address. Nothing.
8) Use 'switch' button and address '1' and motor works

So this tells me I am not getting the address reassigned. Thoughts?

Thank you!

Walman


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Walman

I don't know anything about your turnout motors or your
controller...HOWEVER...

Every DCC locomotive comes new set to address 3. To change it
to another number, you first have to contact it by using 3. Then,
give the controller the new number so it will change.

Check your DCC controller manual on it's method of changing the
'address' of a locomotive. I would think you would change your
Cobalt motor DCC decoder the same way.

But then, what does a guy who still has a beige, DIAL Western Electric
desk telephone, know? 

Don


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## Walman (Dec 18, 2011)

Thanks. I've contacted Digitrax and they are trying to help. Here is the update so far: 

BTW I am just running this test on the benchtop as I do not have the wiring or DCS100 installed yet. Cobalt turnout motors come with a default address of '1'.

On the first night I could attached a Cobalt turnout motor directly to my DCS100 and get the motor to actuate (T or C) using my throttle. My problem was I could not reassign the default address from '1' to something else. Digitrax pointed out a step I was missing. After I put in the address I wanted to change to I needed to push 'T' or 'C' on the throttle so the system knew the default position at the start. Unfortunately when I tried that last night not only did it still not work, but I can't get any of the motors (I have 12 identical) to move even using their default address of '1'. Just to check out the DCS100 I temporarily set up some track and my engines run fine.

So for the life of me I can't figure out the problem. It has to be something simple I am doing wrong. I'm going to reach out to the Cobalt people today as well.

Walman


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Walman

You seem to be on the cutting edge with your layout plans to be
all DCC. That's fantastic. Much admiration for your ideas. Surely
Digitrax and Cobalt can come up with the solution to your problems.

While I'm big on DCC I'm too backward to give up my turnout control
panels. I have 3 with a bunch of red/green LEDs and equal number of
push buttons in each. My yard turnouts are controlled thru a Cascade Matrix
circuit that throws every turnout in the selected route with the push
of one button.

Don


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## Walman (Dec 18, 2011)

DonR said:


> Walman
> 
> You seem to be on the cutting edge with your layout plans to be
> all DCC. That's fantastic. Much admiration for your ideas. Surely
> ...


Well thanks but a large reason for this is I have nothing to fall back on. I have never been a modeler I have just admired from a far all the way back to my youth. I am as clueless on DC as DCC so I figured I'd at least go with a digital system for my learning curve. 

I also plan on having my switches controlled via panel. The Cobalts I have, in addition to having DCC on board, have two built-in switches so I can hook them to a panel among other things. If I have read correctly I can use a DPDT center-off switch to build panels for easy control yet use the dcc control as well when needed. Trying the latter is what is causing me problems at the moment.

Walman


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## oldSmokey (Jul 31, 2011)

*Re Cobalt Switch Decoder*

Hi Walman,

In the manual for setting these up it says to move the switch on the board to "Learn" position then press "SWCH" on the 402 throttle, then enter the number that you want the switch to become, after that, press the "OPTN" button, ( which is t) nothing about the c button, then
put the Learn switch back to the "RUN" position and it will remember the address that you programmed it to.
I am using the Digitrax system but I am using theit DS64's to control the switches where you must enter a t or a c on the setup, but Cobalt only use the "t"

Hope this helps, and don't forget to put the switch back to the run position.


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## Walman (Dec 18, 2011)

*Figured it out....mostly anyway*

The short version is I have the switches working and it was as easy as advertised. If interested in the long version keep reading.

See attached. This was a note that was in my bulk box of switches when they arrived. I did exactly as the note indicated and put the correct resistor on one of my wires. During all of the subsequent testing I could never get an address to reassign and 95% of the time could not get the motor to move.

So last night I used two new wires, neither of which have a resistor on them, and the motor worked the first and every time. Reassigning the address worked every time. Close inspection reveals no defects in my wire and using a meter the resistor appears to work fine.....

SO...

Here is my "current" (yes pun intended) theory. I suspect that slip of paper is put in all Cobalt turnout motor orders from that hobby shop. Traditional Cobalt motors can operate on DC or DCC systems but clearly if used on DCC they are recommending the resistor, whereas it is not needed on the DC set-up. HOWEVER....the Cobalt motors I am using are a new product, only a couple of months on the market, always intended for use on a DCC set-up. I'm going to further guess that there is a resistor already built into the DCC Cobalt motors versus the older model where it was not. Therefore my best guess is the combination of the built in resistor, plus the one I added, was preventing enough power to get to the motor to actually make it run. 

So I'm going to try and track down someone from DCC Concepts (Australia based), makers of the Cobalt, to get a verification before I wire all of these up without resistors but in the end I think this might be more about the hobby shop not knowing the difference between the two different Cobalt products.

I thank everyone for their help!!

Walman


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