Problem with ESU Loksound EM13 style decoder

[Ivo]

Hello all,

 

As of last week I am trying to install an ESU LokSound decoder (type 58731) into my Kato Class 800 (the british one, not shinkansen). I had good hopes, put it down on my testbank with the Lokprogrammer and sounds worked. but the motor didn't. Fiddled a bit with the motor tabs, and I now get it to work with CV54=0, it sends itself almost of the testbank and stops. but whenever I try to apply throttle in the Drivers Cab nothing happens, sound comes on but loc doens't move. Already made sure the brakes are not applied, and I've disabled consist option. I am running out of options, what do I test now?

[Wolf]

Make sure the motor tabs hit the correct spot in the decoder. I found the EM13 ESU version a tad "short" on the connection for the motors and had to bend the connectors quite a bit on the two occasions I used it.

[Ivo]

Thanks for your reply, I can assure you the tabs are making contact. I bent the tabs quite a bit. I'll try to take some photo's tonight. I think this might be a bit more of a software issue since it does respond to CV54, I'll also drop a screenshot of the CV list ranging from 50 to 60. Hopefully someone has the answer for me, as this is the first time I'm dipping my toes in DCC.

[Wolf]

Can someone explain to me what exactly CV54 is supposed to do? Esu decoders should work out of the Box without any CV need to be adjusted.

Edited April 3 by Wolf

[Martijn Meerts]

CV54 is an auto-tuning type of thing. Basically, you write 0 into CV54, hit F1, and the train will speed off at full speed for a short distance. Based on that, the decoder will fill out some values in the BEMF related CVs to fine tune the motor control.

 

It can be a bit unreliable, and doing it definitely doesn't make the train run optimal, but it's a pretty decent baseline to do further manual fine tuning. It's not needed to do this for an ESU decoder to function, but considering the trains runs when setting CV54 to 0, the install itself should be fine.

 

 

Have you tried doing a factory reset of the decoder?

 

[Ivo]

I'm afraid to do a factory reset, since I have a custom sound from England on the decoder and I don't want to lose it (Couldn't find anything about it online, well, if it would reset the sound that is). Should I be worried about losing the sound if I do a factory reset?

[Wolf]

Depends how it was programmed. ESU LokProgrammer has an option "Replace Factory Settings" (or whatever its called in english, I only know the german Version).

 

If it was programmed with that, they became the new factory default and as such remain on factory reset.

 

If not. Well, then not.

 

You should ask whoever programmed you the custom file if it was saved properly if you are super afraid.

[Ivo]

Hello all! I found it! Somehow in the motor settings there was no profile selected and the back EMF was off... It is now running after a week of puzzling. Thanks all for your help though. Now to get it to run smooth on low speeds...