I'm slowly getting my new layout set up and have chipped one loco so far (TCS seem to have run out of chips for the moment and Bromsgrove are waiting for more to be made). However I have an old Electrotren loco that I don't think will ever be able (without complete dismantling) to be converted to DCC. I'm sure I have heard that one DC loco can be run on DCC but search as I might, I can't find out anything about it here. I've got a Bachmann Dynamis set-up. How do I/ Can I run an unchipped DC loco on DCC and is so how?
DC locos on Dynamis DCC system
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QUOTE (1ngram @ 30 Oct 2008, 15:53) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I'm slowly getting my new layout set up and have chipped one loco so far (TCS seem to have run out of chips for the moment and Bromsgrove are waiting for more to be made). However I have an old Electrotren loco that I don't think will ever be able (without complete dismantling) to be converted to DCC. I'm sure I have heard that one DC loco can be run on DCC but search as I might, I can't find out anything about it here. I've got a Bachmann Dynamis set-up. How do I/ Can I run an unchipped DC loco on DCC and is so how?
Hi 1ingram,
Welcome to the forum,
There are several good site with DCC fitting guides ........ or if its a favorite loco send it away to be chipped cost for fitting a chip can be as little as 12.50.
As to running it on DCC to my knowledge it wont but will only buzz when put on the track, if its left in a siding the motor will eventually burn out.
Hi 1ingram,
Welcome to the forum,
There are several good site with DCC fitting guides ........ or if its a favorite loco send it away to be chipped cost for fitting a chip can be as little as 12.50.
As to running it on DCC to my knowledge it wont but will only buzz when put on the track, if its left in a siding the motor will eventually burn out.
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I'm not a Dynamis user so I can't answer your direct question.
If it turns out that you can, please take great care when doing so. I think I'm right in saying that the systems that let you do this allow you to run the DC loco as loco 0, but the key word is run.
A DC loco on a DCC layout risks having its motor burnt out when just standing still on a DCC layout. This is because even when you bring loco 0 to a halt, the DCC current is always passing through the motor, even after you have brought the loco to a stop and started running a DCC controlled loco. This is exactly the same as wiring your loco across the AC outlets of your conventional control unit, andy ou wouldn' dream of doing that as that is known to burn out motors.
So unless you have your layout wired to include section switches to turn off the section with the stationary loco and remember do turn off the section, you must always take the DC loco off the layout immediately after you have brought it to rest.
Hence the normal advice is don't run a DC loco on a DCC layout as a moment's inattention may well result in a burnt out motor, or worse a melted model.
You can, with a few notable exceptions, run DCC fitted locos on DC layouts.
Keith.
If it turns out that you can, please take great care when doing so. I think I'm right in saying that the systems that let you do this allow you to run the DC loco as loco 0, but the key word is run.
A DC loco on a DCC layout risks having its motor burnt out when just standing still on a DCC layout. This is because even when you bring loco 0 to a halt, the DCC current is always passing through the motor, even after you have brought the loco to a stop and started running a DCC controlled loco. This is exactly the same as wiring your loco across the AC outlets of your conventional control unit, andy ou wouldn' dream of doing that as that is known to burn out motors.
So unless you have your layout wired to include section switches to turn off the section with the stationary loco and remember do turn off the section, you must always take the DC loco off the layout immediately after you have brought it to rest.
Hence the normal advice is don't run a DC loco on a DCC layout as a moment's inattention may well result in a burnt out motor, or worse a melted model.
You can, with a few notable exceptions, run DCC fitted locos on DC layouts.
Keith.
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QUOTE (GoingUnderground @ 30 Oct 2008, 17:15) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>but the key word is run.
Exactly - personally I would not recommend running a DC loco on DCC as address 1 even if the system in use supports it.
Exactly - personally I would not recommend running a DC loco on DCC as address 1 even if the system in use supports it.
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QUOTE (talyllyn1 @ 30 Oct 2008, 19:42) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Unlike some of the other DCC controllers, you cannot run a DC loco with the Dynamis. It's not been designed to (and for the reasons already stated is not a good idea if you want your DC loco to carry on working afterwards!).
Hi I am new to dcc but know as it say in the manual that you can not run dc locos on the Dynamis some of the others you can but you need to be careful as other have ,I have been using a Hornby select which you can and I did with no harm to locos but the Hornby is not very good enough said but found it a good way to start in dcc, I am happy with the Dynamis the only drawback you can not read back CV s
Hi I am new to dcc but know as it say in the manual that you can not run dc locos on the Dynamis some of the others you can but you need to be careful as other have ,I have been using a Hornby select which you can and I did with no harm to locos but the Hornby is not very good enough said but found it a good way to start in dcc, I am happy with the Dynamis the only drawback you can not read back CV s
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QUOTE (noblenoel @ 31 Oct 2008, 23:17) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>the only drawback you can not read back CV s
For those who have controllers which cannot read CV's a simple card index system (or Excel Sheet) could be used to keep a record of CV's ?
For those who have controllers which cannot read CV's a simple card index system (or Excel Sheet) could be used to keep a record of CV's ?
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QUOTE (Brian Considine @ 1 Nov 2008, 09:14) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>For those who have controllers which cannot read CV's a simple card index system (or Excel Sheet) could be used to keep a record of CV's ?
Hi thanks Brian for the tip never through of it so copied some sheets out of the back of book Aspects of Modelling by Ian Morton which I may add I have found to be very good for a beginner, on found it on Amazon
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Hi thanks Brian for the tip never through of it so copied some sheets out of the back of book Aspects of Modelling by Ian Morton which I may add I have found to be very good for a beginner, on found it on Amazon
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QUOTE (Oakydoke @ 1 Nov 2008, 13:18) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>It's not a good feature to have anyway, for the reasons already given, and maufacturers are now leaving this feature out of new systems.
On the other hand, ZIMO have recently added some new code into the software in their decoders to improve running on DC. They have also improved the reaction to any built-in chokes (coils) and capacitors. See the ZIMO September Newsletter for more details. So there must still be a demand for running on DC.
If you want to run your favourite DCC loco on a club layout which is still DC, then this is a requirement, and I don't see it going away soon. I am not convinced that dropping this is a good idea. It's just quite hard to do well and probably needs some components you will not find on the cheaper decoders.
On the other hand, ZIMO have recently added some new code into the software in their decoders to improve running on DC. They have also improved the reaction to any built-in chokes (coils) and capacitors. See the ZIMO September Newsletter for more details. So there must still be a demand for running on DC.
If you want to run your favourite DCC loco on a club layout which is still DC, then this is a requirement, and I don't see it going away soon. I am not convinced that dropping this is a good idea. It's just quite hard to do well and probably needs some components you will not find on the cheaper decoders.
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There are two issues here ;
1) To run a DC loco on a DCC system (if the system supports this) which generally most people agree that it is not recommended.
2) To run a DCC loco on a DC system - most decoders support this & there should be no problems.
1) To run a DC loco on a DCC system (if the system supports this) which generally most people agree that it is not recommended.
2) To run a DCC loco on a DC system - most decoders support this & there should be no problems.
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QUOTE (John @ 2 Nov 2008, 03:51) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>On the other hand, ZIMO have recently added some new code into the software in their decoders to improve running on DC. They have also improved the reaction to any built-in chokes (coils) and capacitors. See the ZIMO September Newsletter for more details. So there must still be a demand for running on DC.
If you want to run your favourite DCC loco on a club layout which is still DC, then this is a requirement, and I don't see it going away soon. I am not convinced that dropping this is a good idea. It's just quite hard to do well and probably needs some components you will not find on the cheaper decoders.
***TCS decoders have always run perfectly on DC, in fact most loco's also run better on DC once a DCC chip is installed. Its been a promotionally positive point of TCS use for many years. This "better on DC than before" also happens with ESU and others, as aspects of the decoders motor control such as back EMF are also partially retained.
Many other decoders at all price points also work happily on DC, and this ability is and will remain important for a while yet.
This has nothing to do with the subject of capacitors and chokes, which affect decoders running under DCC in the main.
If you want to run your favourite DCC loco on a club layout which is still DC, then this is a requirement, and I don't see it going away soon. I am not convinced that dropping this is a good idea. It's just quite hard to do well and probably needs some components you will not find on the cheaper decoders.
***TCS decoders have always run perfectly on DC, in fact most loco's also run better on DC once a DCC chip is installed. Its been a promotionally positive point of TCS use for many years. This "better on DC than before" also happens with ESU and others, as aspects of the decoders motor control such as back EMF are also partially retained.
Many other decoders at all price points also work happily on DC, and this ability is and will remain important for a while yet.
This has nothing to do with the subject of capacitors and chokes, which affect decoders running under DCC in the main.
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