Is any one else hearing of problems in new NCE systems. I don't mean a new product, but PH-10R's being shipped.
NCE???
Treeman
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Yep, know about the diode bridge trick, Greg.
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Will probably do it next time I have a reason to tear into the 3-Truck Shay (although the primary reason to do so might be to replace the "Quasinimi" with a better sound decoder!
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- audio output level on it is somewhat pathetic compared to the Phoenix & QSI boards!).
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Tom
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1,993 Posts
I got down to Gorden's this afternoon to see if I could figure out the problem with his system. He is the fellow that purchased it and has sent it back to NCE twice. I found that when powered the first screen stays on, not going to the second screen with the loco address. He is powered with a CRE 55465 with 3 voltage outputs, he had it set to the medium voltage, I think 18V. I changed it to 23V and the correct operating screen came up. After having it on and off several times this afternoon, at the higher voltage some times the operating screen would come on sometimes it would not. Turning it on and off and back on it would eventually come on and operate correctly. This does seem to be related to the power supply. I will get back to his place to try another power supply. I have been using a similar CRE with my Massoth with no problems.
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Sounds like a wiring problem with the radio repeater.. Change the cable from the command station to the base station to a short one, that also has all 6 pins in the connector.
Disconnect any other cab wiring or adapters... one wire from the cab bus socket to the rb02 base station... nothing else...
18v should be fine, as well as 24v.
Greg
Disconnect any other cab wiring or adapters... one wire from the cab bus socket to the rb02 base station... nothing else...
18v should be fine, as well as 24v.
Greg
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Sorry, somehow I have confused the issue.
Rereading the thread, I missed that the problem Mike stated was wired or wireless... very surprising... so this should be easy to debug with a second cable and a second handset.
I also muddled things by replying to Kenny, my last comments were really for Kenny with the wireless suggestions.
Anyway, I'll await the results of testing.
Regards, Greg
Rereading the thread, I missed that the problem Mike stated was wired or wireless... very surprising... so this should be easy to debug with a second cable and a second handset.
I also muddled things by replying to Kenny, my last comments were really for Kenny with the wireless suggestions.
Anyway, I'll await the results of testing.
Regards, Greg
Greg, thanks for the help. I sent both my CABs back to NCE. It is ironic that I bought the second one as a back up for the first! As I said before my CAB04r, which is radio, communicates with the base fine. Both my other CABs failed at about the same time. I now have nothing to use on the RR as far as programming goes. I am keeping my fingers crossed that NCE resolves these issues quickly.
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I understand about backup! My friends (yes, I have friends!) all laugh about "Mr. Backup".... I have 4 NCE throttles and 2 systems, and a backup 10 amp booster and power supply. Nothing more irritating than when I have the time to run trains and something does not work.
On a trip, I even bring a backup laptop in case the main one fails.
Greg
On a trip, I even bring a backup laptop in case the main one fails.
Greg
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So far my pants stay up w/o the belt, so the belt is backup... not sure how long that will last though! ha ha!
Greg
p.s. you should have seen my "survival kit" I would take on trips to Japan...
Greg
p.s. you should have seen my "survival kit" I would take on trips to Japan...
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OK, I got back to this problem. Gorden brought his system back to me after sending it to NCE twice. I now have 2 complete systems on the bench here at the shop. Both systems are new and have very little use. One has the external antenna one the internal. Both do the same thing. When powered with the cab wired, I have changed the wire with 3 different cables. The cab shows:
NCE PROCAB V1.3
CAB ADDRESS =2
I now have it powered with an LGB 1 AMP DC throttle for testing.
On the command station I have a yellow track light.
On the booster I have the switch to normal. I have a red status light and a red power light.
I have changed all components, one at a time. The display now is staying the same, as above.
It has come up to the operating screen in the past, but will not now.
NCE PROCAB V1.3
CAB ADDRESS =2
I now have it powered with an LGB 1 AMP DC throttle for testing.
On the command station I have a yellow track light.
On the booster I have the switch to normal. I have a red status light and a red power light.
I have changed all components, one at a time. The display now is staying the same, as above.
It has come up to the operating screen in the past, but will not now.
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24,522 Posts
1 amp is not enough to power the system reliably.
You did not state that it worked reliably powered up wired throttles.
Also, it's not clear, but you did not state that you tried 2 different radio base stations.
It sounds like you have a "layout id" problem. The earlier NCE wireless equipment can have a layout id of 0 through 3 I believe. This was intended to allow different wireless systems to work near each other, like at a show.
You need the wireless throttles AND the wireless base station all set to the same layout id.
If not, everything else looks normal, but the wireless throttles never communicate and cannot control anything.
Remember you need to set the layout id (I recommend 0) on the throttle with the antenna... I believe the one with the internal antenna is hardwired to zero.
The base station can sometimes change it's layout id... see my web site under the NCE section on how to set the layout id on the base station. Setting the throttles is in the manual.
Regards, Greg
You did not state that it worked reliably powered up wired throttles.
Also, it's not clear, but you did not state that you tried 2 different radio base stations.
It sounds like you have a "layout id" problem. The earlier NCE wireless equipment can have a layout id of 0 through 3 I believe. This was intended to allow different wireless systems to work near each other, like at a show.
You need the wireless throttles AND the wireless base station all set to the same layout id.
If not, everything else looks normal, but the wireless throttles never communicate and cannot control anything.
Remember you need to set the layout id (I recommend 0) on the throttle with the antenna... I believe the one with the internal antenna is hardwired to zero.
The base station can sometimes change it's layout id... see my web site under the NCE section on how to set the layout id on the base station. Setting the throttles is in the manual.
Regards, Greg
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From my site:
http://www.elmassian.com...trong>
Radio system just "quits": Recently my radio system just failed to work. The radio cabs booted up to the first screen, but not the second screen where you see the loco number, the time, etc. The light on the cab did blink fast like it should, and the RB02 appeared to be dead.
I called Larry at NCE and asked about sending in for repair. He told me that sometimes the layout ID changes in the RB02, and referred me to page 6 of the RB02 manual. Well, that was it, it had changed to 1 from zero. Great, saved me a couple of weeks!
(RB02 units come default at layout 0, I had used layout id 1 to avoid problems)
The setting of the Layout ID in the RB02: (be sure you have the layout ID the same on the other radio cabs too)
1. Unplug the RB02 from the cab bus. Do not turn off the system power.
2. Plug a ProCab into the PORT A connector of the RB02 using any standard Cab Bus cable. If a repeater cable is in the expansion port, remove it.
3. Restore the Cab Bus connection to the RB02
4. Type the desired layout id number then press enter.
5. Unplug the ProCab from Port A to enable the RB02, It will not operate until you remove the cab.
6. Restore any repeater connections that were disconnected in step 2.
This has happened a couple of times. Maybe the best thing is to use always use zero at your own layout?
http://www.elmassian.com...trong>
Radio system just "quits": Recently my radio system just failed to work. The radio cabs booted up to the first screen, but not the second screen where you see the loco number, the time, etc. The light on the cab did blink fast like it should, and the RB02 appeared to be dead.
I called Larry at NCE and asked about sending in for repair. He told me that sometimes the layout ID changes in the RB02, and referred me to page 6 of the RB02 manual. Well, that was it, it had changed to 1 from zero. Great, saved me a couple of weeks!
(RB02 units come default at layout 0, I had used layout id 1 to avoid problems)
The setting of the Layout ID in the RB02: (be sure you have the layout ID the same on the other radio cabs too)
1. Unplug the RB02 from the cab bus. Do not turn off the system power.
2. Plug a ProCab into the PORT A connector of the RB02 using any standard Cab Bus cable. If a repeater cable is in the expansion port, remove it.
3. Restore the Cab Bus connection to the RB02
4. Type the desired layout id number then press enter.
5. Unplug the ProCab from Port A to enable the RB02, It will not operate until you remove the cab.
6. Restore any repeater connections that were disconnected in step 2.
This has happened a couple of times. Maybe the best thing is to use always use zero at your own layout?
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24,522 Posts
Mike, whatever happened here?
Greg
Greg
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