Problem with FVM Gevo

[justTRAINcRaZy]

I bought one. Opened the box and sat it on the track to test before putting in the decoder and it dead shorted the system.
Same as if I had done the quarter test. Tried several new Katos, no problem. Am I missing something?? It should still test run as a DC unit on DCC with address 00, not just dead short.

I sent an email to FVM, but no reply so far. Their website only offers an email address, fax# or carrier pigeon co-ordinates, no phone number.

So, do I send it back to MBK or wait on FVM? If I have to send it back, it will cost me the $ to ship it back (although MBK may reimburse), plus I now have a decoder that will fit nothing else I own and has an 18% restocking fee.

KB

[Sokramiketes]

The FVM Gevo's won't run on address 00, something to do with the arrangement of the components (diode I think)on the light board that, like you found out, only shorts when trying to force AC power to look like DC.  It does not cause problems on pure DC or once the decoder is installed for DCC.

Do a quick inspection of the motor leads to make sure they arn't shorting on the frame, but otherwise go ahead and install the decoder and everything should function normally.

[justTRAINcRaZy]

Thanks. That's what I've been trying to find out. Didn't want to blow the decoder out of the box. I didn't have my Ohmeter with me or I would've checked it better.

[ednadolski]

Which decoder are you using?

Also - how do the ditch lights work?   The ones on my GEVO seemed kinda dim (running on plain DC).

[justTRAINcRaZy]

I have a Digitrax DZ125IN, but I never got that far. About 1/2 second after the front truck touched the track and the PM42 started beeping, I took it off. Tried once more and put it back in the box. Will let you know about the ditch lights if/when I get that far.

Kevin

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I've heard you should also be safe and cover the frame in tape back there too.

[flight2000]

I installed the decoder last night in mine and there are no issues with clearance between the frame and the decoder.  Didn't see anything in the instruction manual reference kapton tape either, but I didn't look very hard...  :

Brian

[justTRAINcRaZy]

Thanks Mike Skibbe, you were 100% right. I pulled off the factory plug and sat it on the rails to be sure and no short. Then plugged up the decoder and it worked fine.

KB

[u18b]

The FVM Gevo's won't run on address 00, something to do with the arrangement of the components (diode I think)on the light board that, like you found out, only shorts when trying to force AC power to look like DC.  It does not cause problems on pure DC or once the decoder is installed for DCC.

Do a quick inspection of the motor leads to make sure they aren't shorting on the frame, but otherwise go ahead and install the decoder and everything should function normally.

I'm not an expert on the subtleties on DCC wiring, but you know there are two ways to wire the lights in DCC.  You can use the blue wire or you can NOT use the blue wire and thus somehow hook up the lights an alternate way.

Well, with this plug, the blue wire is NOT USED.  The lights are hooked up the alternate way for DCC.

So I'm just wondering if that might explain the observed behavior of why a DCC command station won't allow this loco to run at address 00  (which I would not do anyway-- but that's another story).

[Sokramiketes]

Thanks Mike Skibbe, you were 100% right. I pulled off the factory plug and sat it on the rails to be sure and no short. Then plugged up the decoder and it worked fine.

KB

No problem, glad to hear it's OK!

[Erik W]

So I'm just wondering if that might explain the observed behavior of why a DCC command station won't allow this loco to run at address 00  (which I would not do anyway-- but that's another story).

I'm with you, if it doesn't have the decoder installed, I won't run it on my DCC equipped layout.  In fact, I won't even set it on the track.

Erik

[justTRAINcRaZy]

I agree about not running DC in a DCC layout, but I sit them on the track out of the box just long enough to see that they are not DOA and then put in the decoder. Bad idea?

[ednadolski]

How about just getting a cheap DC power pack and a strip of flextrack to test for DOA?

[mcjaco]

For short periods of time there's nothing wrong with putting a DC unit on DCC layout.  It won't damage it.
Used to do it all the time when DCC was in it's infancy.