Model Railroading > DCC zepher dsc50 "full" issues. Any ideas?

I have been running my newly constructed model railroad with my Zepher DSC50 for the past 6 months and It has been working great. I was able to run up to 5 trains at a time plus the walthers 130 foot turntable, all off of that unit. Now, usually, I was running a maximum of 4 trains, and with that number I never got a "full" error message or anything.

About a week ago, my troubles began, and they have only spiraled downhill. The first thing that happened was my turntable started turning a full revolution everytime I would power up the layout. It would always stop in a strange position in between tracks. Finally, it got stuck, and upon turning the turntable bridge over, I realized it had some ballast material stuck in the gears that were jamming the motor. I removed the bridge to clean it. In the meantime, my DSC50 stopped being able to power more than 2 trains. Any more than 2, and I get a "Full" message... In fact, I get a "Full" message even with only two trains running, but I am still able to control them.
Cleaning the turntable bridge gears and contacts helped the turntable operation, but it still starts turning automatically when I turn on track power.

Other than cleaning the railroad, I can't think of what other fix I might need to perform. Could I have blown out the booster in the DSC50? I'm not an electrical engineer, so for me, this is all about learning new skills and learning how the stuff works. I've been into trains for years, but I am basically a beginner at the electrical wiring.

Keep in mind that this all happened after several months of smooth operations.

Thanks.

This sounds like "Slot max" and I suspect you've been adding locos to your DCC running but not Dispatching locos ("disp" on the Throttle) when you stop running them. I suggest a reset of the Zephyr to clear the locos. I asked how to do this here on Train Orders several month's ago?

Make sure you "dispatch" your locos from the system when you are finished running - the Zephyr will not hold very many locos and will hit slot max quite quickly. I think it is 10 or 20 locos and the more recent model of the Zephyr holds more. Did you buy a new and recent model or did you buy a used one? The new model coming out has seen some people sell their old Zephyrs.

Rick

Release some locomotives. When you are done running an engine push loco then exit. If you do not do that regularly your buffer in the controller is full of past engine numbers.

There is a way to bring up a history of the locos the controller has used. Then you can bring it back up and release it with loco, exit. I have forgotten the commands for that but it is in the manual.

It is a good habit to break up every consist and release every locomotive when you are done with it. Think of it as good housekeeping.

Posted from Windows Phone OS 7

That sounds like a good suggestion. I'm going to go try to do this now.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/29/14 15:10 by steam290.

I had a similar issue with my Zephyr a while ago. I called digitrax after I tried various options and they suggested resetting it. I did and it fixed everything.

There are enough controls and option switches that you might have hit the wrong one inadvertantly or, it might have gotten into a logic feedback 'state', which can also happen. My issue has never resurfaced since my reset.

Joel Brazy
Coatesville, PA

If you are talking about the "Slot Max" problem, it has nothing to do with the electrical capacity, and everything to do with the number of "slots" in the system for locomotives. The default setting is a frustratingly low 22 slots, but on most Digitrax systems that can be upped to 120 slots by reprogramming using the option switches. There are also options switches to clear all the current slots. The best way to maintain the system is to not only "dispatch" the trains, but to "exit" them. Dispatching them still leaves them on the system for a time, but if you press "loco" and then "exit", that removes them from the system right away.

Slot Max is one of Digitrax's most annoying problems, and a google search will yield a ton of advise. It's always fun on a club layout when the command station just up decides to reset itself to 22 slots from 120 slots on a club layout. Then you have to get everyone to stop running while you reprogram the command station back to 120 slots. Having JMRI plugged into the loconet is actually a great way to manage slots on a system, you can free up the addresses much easier. It also makes it easier to reset the command station back to 120 slots.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

It is in the manual to reset the Zephyr.

http://www.digitrax.com/static/apps/products/starter-sets/zep/documents/ZephyrManual.pdf

Page 46.

Bruce

I tried exiting out of every loco I can think of and it solved the problem right away. Thanks! Next line of business will be to reset the system.

Posted from iPhone

Try OpSw36 and you should solve your problems.
Had to do that from time to time when I owned a Zephyr.

If I remember correctly, you can use Decoder Pro to clear the slots but probably quicker to do OpSw36.
Suggest you do NOT do OpSw39 as you will lose any settings you have made to the command station.

Regards...

Dave Burroughs
Hamilton, ON

I am in the market for a DCC for a planded new layout. Should I stay away from Zepher?

No, it is a good started set and it is affordable. It is easily expandable and as the layout grows it might be used in a roundhouse area or branchline zone or even moved to the work bench for programming and installation duties.

Posted from Windows Phone OS 7