[upnick]

Hi all,

I fitted a 4 outlet loudspeaker lever terminal block to the front frame of the boards last night to supply 12DV & DCC power for a small pull out shelf with a length of track for testing locos on DC before conversion and to house my ESU decoder tester.

Supply for the tester come from the main layout bus wires, after connecting up i tested two decoders using the NCE Procab control though no locos were on the layout.
Is it possible to read decoders and reset for example to 03 using it this way and not to conflict with any locos on the layout or does it need connecting to the programme wire feeds to the base unit or is it in the right place now ?

 

[BVM]

With this set-up I would have thought that the NCE would only work in "prog on the main" mode which means that you cannot read what is already on the decoder but you can reset the value and you can "read" the last value reset.

 

[Richard Johnson]

*** You should connect the decoder tester to the programming track output. There are two simple reasons for this: (1) for initial setup reading of CVs is important, and this needs Programme track mode. (2) The programming track output is current limited and if there is an installation error, then you will not blow the decoder.

So... direct track power should not be the primary connection for the tester. (actually its redundant as a tester in POM mode - yo micht just as well put the loco on the track rather than a test track)

If you also want to be able to test loco's then connect the tester via a DPDT switch so that it can be connected either way at the flick of the switch.

Re programming other loco's. There is no risk with the NCE Powerhouse Pro system. NCE is I think unique in that you can change ANYTHING on the main, while the loco is running if you like, even the loco number.

You will not accidentally programme other loco's as the first thing POM asks is "which loco do you want to programme" and once you make that decision/selection, that is the ONLY loco that will be affected.

This is of course not the case with programming track mode, so you really should use it on a separated track / for your tester

Regards

Richard

QUOTE (upnick @ 30 Dec 2008, 01:31) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi all,

I fitted a 4 outlet loudspeaker lever terminal block to the front frame of the boards last night to supply 12DV & DCC power for a small pull out shelf with a length of track for testing locos on DC before conversion and to house my ESU decoder tester.

Supply for the tester come from the main layout bus wires, after connecting up i tested two decoders using the NCE Procab control though no locos were on the layout.
Is it possible to read decoders and reset for example to 03 using it this way and not to conflict with any locos on the layout or does it need connecting to the programme wire feeds to the base unit or is it in the right place now ?

 

[zmil]

Hi Nick

I'm glad Richard answered this question , his answers always make sense!

good idea for the tester though

Regards

Zmil

 

[upnick]

QUOTE *** You should connect the decoder tester to the programming track output. There are two simple reasons for this: (1) for initial setup reading of CVs is important, and this needs Programme track mode. (2) The programming track output is current limited and if there is an installation error, then you will not blow the decoder.

QUOTE

Hi Richard many thanks for the information i already have a programme track at the front of the layout on a DPDT switch for locos on the layout .....
So connecting the tester to the programme wires will allow me to go in programme mode and reset a decoder through the tester fooling the system into thinking it is a loco ?

 

[Richard Johnson]

Yes, that will do it - although resetting doesn't need a motor - its a simple CV command that doesn't need readback

Richard

 

[upnick]

Good practical advice as ever thanks Richard i'll sort it this afternoon and get on making the shelf for the tester to sit on under the bench

along with the NCE and power supply for the points