[NewtotheHobby]

Hello guys, i'm new here and generally dont ever post on forums but I felt I needed to ask this question due to no reletive information found online, maybe I didnt look hard enough but I did spend a decent amount of time looking.
Okay so I have three brand new locos that are experiencing the same issue so I know it's not a fault in the loco, well unless the unlucky event that all are faulty. I have a power track connected to the z21 and four straight tracks connect to the power track. I have programmed the loco to the track, I also checked the input voltage on the track through the z21 app and it was set to 20, I later figured out that the basic z21 does not have the option to change direct voltage to the track.
So the situation looks like this, if I have the loco on low speed running from one end of the track to the other, lights flicker and it loses power after. Sometimes it doesnt completely lose power and the loco gidders, shakes? The power loss is random to a degree. If I physically move the loco slightly on track backwerds or forwards it reconnects to the current? And it can be moved again with controller to lose power again after it runs for a short distance, as if it doesnt have constant power. The tracks are new and clean barly used. I got the tracks and z21 from a starter set. I have not connected the z21 to wifi becuase I use wifi from my mobile device perhaps thats the problem? I have not updated it? didnt seem to find anything about that online as well? I know theres power running to the tracks becuase I can hear it if I put my forearm on any part of the track. Could the z21 be faulty? or a short in the power track or somewhere in the z21? Everythings new and barely used.

I thought it might be a few faulty tracks so I switched those out where the power failure accured the most and it just caused the power failure to happen on different sections of the small stretch of track. This is my first time dealing with DC or DCC or this hobby in any sort so I dont have any experience to compare the behaviour and what to expect. I feel as this is something uncommon and shouldnt happen considering the price alone. I changed the location of the power track "that feeds the current to the track" to the end of the four straight tracks and most power failures happend right by the power track or somewhere in the middle of the four, last time I messed around with it. I'm not sure if thats any help.

This happens using the Wlanmaus and the app on my andriod phone.

I hope to hear back from the community and I hope it's a issue that can be resolved easly.
Thank you for your time.

 

[Julian2011]

Hi and welcome.
Looking at what you have written, it looks like track, which could do with a gentle clean. There are various options to see if this is the problem.
1, Track rubber, cheap from most railway model shops. A few types will scratch the rail tops, so having to sort the wheat from the chaff is simply too much bother for me.
2. A clean cotton cloth dipped into alcohol [of some sort] Isopropanol, rubbing alcohol, surgical spirit... basically any de-greaser.
3. A commercial track cleaner kit, Google helps here.
4. A track cleaner wagon, of which there are a number, but for what you want - very expensive.

Given the circumstances that are described, the cloth and alcohol would seem to be the quickest and cheapest.

Whilst cleaning the track, it would also seem to be a good idea to take some de-greaser on a Q-Tip and give the loco wheels a thorough clean, too.

If cleaning doesn't improve the running, there are a few other things to try, perhaps you could let us know how it works out for.

Julian

 

[dwb]

HI there and welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear that you're having problems when just starting out.

The juddering etc. suggests interruptions to the power supply to the loco. From what you've written I suspect that one or more of the rail joiners are not making a good connection because you say that the problem 'moves' as you switch the tracks around.

If there's only one dodgy connection and you make a circle with the track then the current can arrive from the opposite direction and at least it will work for a while but ultimately the connection will have to be addressed.

David

 

[Julian2011]

In addition to what David has said, I notice that you mention Power Track. Is that a Roco one with the track-bed, it may be worth checking the connections around the fitment. If it is another make, the same applies, and it may be worth seeing if there is a capacitor, which can sometimes cause a problem [not very likely, but may be worth a look if all else fails.]

Julian

 

[dwb]

notice that you mention Power Track

If it is the Roco 'Power Track', check it is the 'digital' one - 42517 - plain wires and not the 'analog' one which has RFI suppression components as well. If all the bits came from a digital starter set then I would expect it to have the 42517. If it was all purchased as separate parts then it's definitely worth checking as the RFI suppression will corrupt the digital signal.

David

 

[34C]

...This is my first time dealing with DC or DCC or this hobby in any sort so I dont have any experience to compare the behaviour and what to expect...

This is the critical aspect in respect of what you are experiencing. All your purchases are new, and have the same problem: all of the rail surfaces, and the tyres and pick up contact areas have manufacturing residues on them which degrade conduction. This wasn't such a problem on DC power, but in DCC operation the decoders will cut out on power loss, and then restart if power is recovered.

I have been in this hobby a good long while, and very carefully test run and clean (as DWB has already explained above) all new purchases, track, locos, rolling stock: they have to perform completely reliably before they are 'released' for general service. The manufacturers - bless their little cotton socks - are more than somewhat reluctant to honestly admit this.

On a more general note, 'clip on' electrical connections are not long term reliable. An essential skill for this hobby is electrical soldering, it makes much of what is otherwise frustrating, very simple.

HTH, and keep asking questions

 

[kristopher1805]

I use black Z21, the power connectors are an issue, I use Peco ones clipped into the track without issue these replace the fishplates/joiners, I wonder if you use the Hornby item which is a problem, from your note above I assume you have 4 long straights and an actual power track which is a short jobby, anyway whatever power connection you use stop using it and buy the peco items and there are no suppressors or anything else just wires to the track, the other item may be the track joiners, we cannot tell how old these are but they go black eventually and then are useless, replace these with new, - and clean the track with solvent, I doubt your problems will persist.