schienenzeppelin & dcc

[nik_n_dad]

Been trying to get DCC decoder installed in this tonight.  From the directions it's simply removing the two jumpers and soldering the 4 wires, but when I put it together on the programming track, the front led\headlight comes on and the decoder's not recognized.

 

Anyone install dcc in this guy and is there a trick?

 

thanks

[alpineaustralia]

If the front led\headlight comes on but the decoder's not recognized, doesnt that mean a short somewhere?

[westfalen]

Could be a short, a poor electrical connection somewhere or a bad decoder. The headlight being on shows the loco? (is that the right word here?), is getting power from the track ok as the headlight still draws its power direct from the track. I installed a decoder in the one I picked up at a Stuttgart hobby shop last year with no problems.

[nik_n_dad]

ok, I removed the surface mount component (capacitor?) on the board that connected the two power traces where the motor connects to the board.  The LED headlight still comes on when I try to program it, but removing that component did the trick- I can now program and run the train.  (Not sure why the instructions that came with the train didn't make any mention of this).

 

Now here's my BIG problem.  I can't get the body shell to get back on.  The decoder is too big.  (I"m using a digitraxx DZ125).

 

For those of you that installed DCC, which decoder did you use?  Can you share any photos or descriptions of where you mounted the decoder?

 

Thanks!

[nik_n_dad]

good morning.

 

I hate to cross-post, but I joined a thread in a different forum here and thought perhaps I should link from since it's in sort of an odd forum.

 

I have the n-scale hobbytrain-kato scheinenzepplin, and have been struggling with getting a dcc decoder installed.  I've finally got the thing to program & run, but I can't get the shell back on (either my decoder is too big, in the wrong place or both).  Anyone install dcc in this unique train?

 

Here's the link to the other thread: http://www.jnsforum.com/index.php/topic,1516.0.html

 

Thanks for any help, and apologies for the cross-post.

[disturbman]

If you don't like it, then it will not happen! I merged the relevant posts. 

[westfalen]

ok, I removed the surface mount component (capacitor?) on the board that connected the two power traces where the motor connects to the board.  The LED headlight still comes on when I try to program it, but removing that component did the trick- I can now program and run the train.  (Not sure why the instructions that came with the train didn't make any mention of this).

 

Now here's my BIG problem.  I can't get the body shell to get back on.  The decoder is too big.  (I"m using a digitraxx DZ125).

 

For those of you that installed DCC, which decoder did you use?  Can you share any photos or descriptions of where you mounted the decoder?

 

Thanks!

I used a DZ123. The decoder fits like a glove in the cut out provided for the purpose on the underside of the mechamism. Pictures are worth a thousand words, so here's a couple.

[smg id=688 width=800]

[smg id=689 width=800]

[nik_n_dad]

Wow- wish I had thought to remove that little plastic cover last night.  Very much appreciate the tip.  (The other sites I found had it sitting on top, which doesn't make sense...)

 

Thanks again.  very much appreciated!  (Now off to get a replacement for the decoder I whacked the leads off of to make it fit)

[alpineaustralia]

Wesfalen - can you post the photos again. I  can only open the 2nd and 4th photos.

Many thanks.

[westfalen]

Wesfalen - can you post the photos again. I  can only open the 2nd and 4th photos.

Many thanks.

 

I only posted two photos. I'll have another go at the original post, still getting the hang of posting photos here.

[nik_n_dad]

So I got a new decoder, unsoldered the original install (where it was on top) & wired in a new one installed in the pocket in the bottom.  Will not program.  I used the ohmmeter and no shorts between any of the decoder wires or between the decoder and the frame (except for the 2 wires that get power to the decoder).

 

So, I took that decoder off and tried a 2nd one in the pocket, and the same thing.  The LED on the board comes on and stays on (it did that with the 1st decoder that finally did program), but it won't program.  For giggles I put the train on a dc track, and while the LED comes on, train doesn't run.

 

I'm thinking maybe I cooked the train or the board. So, I take the decoder completely off, and put the shorting clips back on, re-install the board (with no decoder) and the train runs fine.

 

I am banging my head against the wall.  I have no idea what's going wrong with this install.

 

Other than the cap that goes between power on the board, is there anything else that needs to be removed?

[westfalen]

So I got a new decoder, unsoldered the original install (where it was on top) & wired in a new one installed in the pocket in the bottom.  Will not program.  I used the ohmmeter and no shorts between any of the decoder wires or between the decoder and the frame (except for the 2 wires that get power to the decoder).

 

So, I took that decoder off and tried a 2nd one in the pocket, and the same thing.  The LED on the board comes on and stays on (it did that with the 1st decoder that finally did program), but it won't program.  For giggles I put the train on a dc track, and while the LED comes on, train doesn't run.

 

I'm thinking maybe I cooked the train or the board. So, I take the decoder completely off, and put the shorting clips back on, re-install the board (with no decoder) and the train runs fine.

 

I am banging my head against the wall.  I have no idea what's going wrong with this install.

 

Other than the cap that goes between power on the board, is there anything else that needs to be removed?

Can't think of anything you are doing wrong. Do you have a tester to check if the decoder is good.

[nik_n_dad]

No tester, but I took one of the decoders that "didn't work" in the scheinenzeppelin and installed it in an series 500 shinkansen and it works fine.  I'm really stumped on this one.  Was hoping I was doing something so stupid that i was missing it

[alpineaustralia]

It must be shorting somewhere. I can recall where but i posted a link to a site that discussed modifcation to the wheels to prevent shorting that was inherent in the design.

[nik_n_dad]

I found your link

 

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.1zu160.net/umbau/hobbytrain-schienenzeppelin.php&prev=/search%3Fq%3DSchienenzeppelin%2Bhobbytrain%2B2620%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den-us&rurl=translate.google.com&usg=ALkJrhiAa5aFCvKya0yQrj_OTMAtsIKAPQ

 

of course the internet translation is "interesting".

 

If I ever get my train running on dcc I may try some of the mods.  BUT, I can't get the decoder to work with the body off, so I don't think that's the short.  I do agree something somewhere has got to be shorting, just can't find it, and when I probe around with the ohmmeter, nothing seems shorted.

 

The only other odd observation is that when I installed the decoder on TOP of the lightboard, it worked.  When I installed a decoder and placed it in the "decoder pocket" in the bottom, it just doesn't work.  No nicks in the decoder wires and the digitrax decoder itself is wrapped in their red plastic covering, so it shouldn't be shorting in the pocket.

 

Weird, just weird.  My head hurts from banging it against the table.   ;-)