Is there any DCC Manuals in laymen term? I'm not what you called "computer smart" or "eletrician smart" If things are kept nice and simple I can get anything done. I'm not saying I'm stupid or anything, I'm pulling an B+ average in College, what I'm saying is that theres some thing that I can't do unless its like, "Put the RED wire in the Blue Slot" lol. Any So anything like that?
If there is I haven't found it. This has been a problem with all computer manuals. They are written by techies for techies. The best I can do for you is give you the code for decoders. The colors of the wires are defined by the NMRA standards or RP's. I don't remember which. Everything else is defined by each manufacturer. If you want the color codes for the wires let me know. David
That would be a big help because My J's are about ready to go into operation with a first time doctor. If you want you can email it to me at SHAWNDOG_18@Hotmail.com
This is one of the MAJOR reasons I went with NCE. IMHO their manual is in plain english and is relatively straightforward.
Well after doing alot of reaserch and asking alot of question in alot of fourms, I decided to go with the NCE System, I already got their website and I'm now looking at what the best system for my layout. Hopefully I can do this without frying anything or messing anything up so bad that I'll have to replace it. Wish me luck.
The NCE manuals are, IMO, the easisest to understand. They can all (inlducing the decoder manuals) be downloaded from their web site. Colour coded wires are Red and Black to the track, Orange and Gray to the motor, White and Blue to the front light, Yellow and Blue to the rear light.
Zimo manuals are written for the end user and can be downloaded at their web page. There might even be some useful info for other DCC users, especially in the decoder manuals. Art http://www.mrsonline.net/
Sean, Nice flag If I can help you, let me know,,, I am an N scale modeler, but everything should be the same in larger scales, only bigger, right? E-mail or PM me if you desire.... Harold
I also went for the NCE because of ease of use, but their manual is also somewhat confusing to me. The good part is that the procab is very intuitive and feels good in your hand.
[Colour coded wires are Red and Black to the track, Orange and Gray to the motor, White and Blue to the front light, Yellow and Blue to the rear light.] The above is correct but let me add a little to it: Red=Right rail Black=Left rail Orange=Where the original wire from the Right rail would have connected to the motor. Gray=Where the original wire from the Left rail would have connected to the motor. David
I would use CV 29 only for locomotives that are being run incorrectly. This would apply to railroads like N & W that ran long hood in front. I would still wire the locomotive correctly, short hood in front, and then use CV29. One problem you run into is that CV29 does not work to correct miswired lights. It only tells the locomotive which end of the locomotive you consider the front. If you wire the motor backwards and the headlights correctly then CV29 will not correct for the mismatch. David [ 25. October 2002, 15:42: Message edited by: ncng ]
"I would still wire the locomotive correctly, short hood in front, and then use CV29. One problem you run into is that CV29 does not work to correct miswired lights. It only tells the locomotive which end of the locomotive you consider the front. If you wire the motor backwards and the headlights correctly then CV29 will not correct for the mismatch." ___________________________________ That is correct. CV# 29 was intended to be used to change driving direction, as You mentioned, without having to change the wires to the motors or track again. After that is done (through CV#29, Bit 0), the wrong headlight could be turned on. To correct this You need to change CV# 33 (typcl. from 1 to 2) and CV#34 (from 2 to1). Art
_____________________________________ Hi Sean. CV#29 (configuration variables #29) refers to one of many adjustments that can be done to a DCC decoder, via Your cab or a computer program such as the "PR1" or the "Adapt" (there may be others). Whether it is a steam, diesel or even electric engine doesn't matter. It is part of programing a decoders driving characteristic, lighting etc either on the "programing track" or "on the main". How many CV's You can adjust depends on the sophistication of the decoder. On a typical Zimo HO decoder, for example, there are 90 CV's that can be changed! A sound decoder will have CV's as well. On the better ones, such as the ESU sound decoder, You can even record Your own sound! Art
I know it gets confusing when everyone starts talking about programming and CVs and stuff. If you start out with the 'plug and play' types of decoders (Bachmann Spectrum steamers come to mind) it really is simply a matter of removing a plug from inside the locomotive and plugging in the decoder. If you put it in the wrong way, the loco will go backwards when you want it to go forward. In this case you can unplug the decoder and turn it 180 degrees and plug it back in. There are finer points - tricks you can use to improve performance, but the basic principle is un-plug one part, then plug in a new part. If you wire it yourself... I'm 90% sure the Red and Black can be reversed without a problem - as long as you don't cross them up on the same locomotive. The Orange and Grey go to the motor as described in an earlier post, if they are reversed the loco will go backwards when you want it to go forwards (you won’t break anything.) In this case, you can either swap the O & G or tell the decoder you goofed up and that the motor is wired backwards. (i.e. set CV29 to 0) The worst thing that can happen is a short between the Red or Black and the Gray or Orange. If the motor is not isolated from the track, the decoder will die a quick and painless death when you put your engine on the track. The good news - most of the decoder manufactures will replace a broken decoder for a few bucks, no questions asked.
