Hello all,
Well I think I have done it. I let the smoke out of my Airwire reciever(decoder), in laymans terms I fried it. I am pretty handy with the tools and basic electronics know how but I fumbled on this one. This is very discouraging conidering I have wired more locomitives, RC cars and boats, and so on without ever frying anything.
This is what I am working with. I have a Airwire reciever(decoder), Phoenix P5, and a 14.4 volt battery all to be installed in a brass tender. I followed all the instructions. All components where isolated from the metal frame of the tender. The decoder I mounted with velcro tape as well I mounted the P5 the same way. I hooked everything up according to the directions. I made sure my polarity was correct, double, triple checked it going to the decoder. Placed the jumber just like the Airwire says. I confirmed all my hook ups from the decoder to the P5 where just like the direction shown. I flipped the switch and within seconds I had a puff of smoke and orange glow emitting from the decoder. Prior to my fatal test I had not done the following. I did not make any connections to lights, chuff trigger or the motor. I did connect a volt meter to the motor posts on the Airwire decoder, just for testing purposes.
I did manage to gather conflicting direction on hooking up the P5. According to the Phoenix instructions there is two green wires coming off P5 that connect to terminal 4&5 on the Airewire, I connected those. As well there is two power leads being connected to the same power source as the Airwire. In my case that would be the 14.4 volt battery. From what my the supplier that sold me everything says the P5 gathers power from the Airwire through the DCC leads at terminal 4&5 on the Airewire decoder board and I should not have connected the P5 to the power source at all.
Is this true? If this is true could that have caused me to destroy the decoder? If it is, then the direction that came with the Phoenix are misprinted. I did contact Phoenix and they tell me the hook up I did for the P5 was correct and should not have caused the problem. I tried contacting CVP Products (maker of the Airwire). They do not answer the phone all day yesterday or today and have not called me back. Slight disappointment there.
After I realized what had happened I tried in vaine to track my err down. No luck. I disconnected everything. I also attempted to test the P5, like the Phoenix instruction tell you to, and it appears that it could be fried as well. I hooked up my battery and speaker like the Phoenix direction show and get nothing, not a peep out of the speaker. Tried the volumn up and down and nothing.
Below is a top view of the decoder with the pen marking the part that smoked.
Below is the bottom view of the decoder with pen marking the part that smoked & burned.
I need help, I do not want to do this again. If you have installed similar to mine and can put on a scratch pad a basic wiring diagram I would appreciate all the help. I do have another Airwire decoder coming as well I have a Phoenix 2K2 (holding off on the P5 for now) I will be useing on my second attempt.
Again thanks for your help. I can use all the advise I can get.
Glen
Well I think I have done it. I let the smoke out of my Airwire reciever(decoder), in laymans terms I fried it. I am pretty handy with the tools and basic electronics know how but I fumbled on this one. This is very discouraging conidering I have wired more locomitives, RC cars and boats, and so on without ever frying anything.
This is what I am working with. I have a Airwire reciever(decoder), Phoenix P5, and a 14.4 volt battery all to be installed in a brass tender. I followed all the instructions. All components where isolated from the metal frame of the tender. The decoder I mounted with velcro tape as well I mounted the P5 the same way. I hooked everything up according to the directions. I made sure my polarity was correct, double, triple checked it going to the decoder. Placed the jumber just like the Airwire says. I confirmed all my hook ups from the decoder to the P5 where just like the direction shown. I flipped the switch and within seconds I had a puff of smoke and orange glow emitting from the decoder. Prior to my fatal test I had not done the following. I did not make any connections to lights, chuff trigger or the motor. I did connect a volt meter to the motor posts on the Airwire decoder, just for testing purposes.
I did manage to gather conflicting direction on hooking up the P5. According to the Phoenix instructions there is two green wires coming off P5 that connect to terminal 4&5 on the Airewire, I connected those. As well there is two power leads being connected to the same power source as the Airwire. In my case that would be the 14.4 volt battery. From what my the supplier that sold me everything says the P5 gathers power from the Airwire through the DCC leads at terminal 4&5 on the Airewire decoder board and I should not have connected the P5 to the power source at all.
Is this true? If this is true could that have caused me to destroy the decoder? If it is, then the direction that came with the Phoenix are misprinted. I did contact Phoenix and they tell me the hook up I did for the P5 was correct and should not have caused the problem. I tried contacting CVP Products (maker of the Airwire). They do not answer the phone all day yesterday or today and have not called me back. Slight disappointment there.
After I realized what had happened I tried in vaine to track my err down. No luck. I disconnected everything. I also attempted to test the P5, like the Phoenix instruction tell you to, and it appears that it could be fried as well. I hooked up my battery and speaker like the Phoenix direction show and get nothing, not a peep out of the speaker. Tried the volumn up and down and nothing.
Below is a top view of the decoder with the pen marking the part that smoked.
Below is the bottom view of the decoder with pen marking the part that smoked & burned.
I need help, I do not want to do this again. If you have installed similar to mine and can put on a scratch pad a basic wiring diagram I would appreciate all the help. I do have another Airwire decoder coming as well I have a Phoenix 2K2 (holding off on the P5 for now) I will be useing on my second attempt.
Again thanks for your help. I can use all the advise I can get.
Glen
