Did I just fry my decoder?

[craigolio1]

So I got my loco all wired up with a bunch of LEDs, meticulously testing at each stage. I had the shell on with the front lights lit and was lovingly tucking some wires in so I could put the cab on. There was a flicker, the lights on the front are now stuck on, regardless of fxn 0's state, they don't respond to direction and the loco won't move.

It's a DZ123 if that matters. I can't see it but I'm pretty sure I scratched the coating off a bit of magnet wire or something and shorted it out. All other exposed solder connections were covered with liquid tape.

Thoughts?

Thanks.

Craig.

[peteski]

Assuming that the possible short occurred to one of the track pickups (via the frame half) then if the wire that shorted was tied to a function output that should have just blown that function's output transistor. But if it was the blue wire (positive function common wire) then that could have blown the decoder to the point that it will be brain dead.  Those are just couple of hypotesis.

I know that you don't want to hear this, but the best thing to do would be to remove the decoder out of the loco and test it out as a standalone decoder.

[craigolio1]

Thanks for the reply.

It would have shorted against a frame half for sure. And it could have been either wire you mention.

The decoder has been removed and I will test it but I'm not optimistic. I have since applied Kapton tape to that portion of the frame so it doesn't happen again.

Craig

[Paradise275]

Send it back to Digitrax for their goof proof warranty.

Rick

[craigolio1]

I looked into that but it's more than a year old and it's only a $20 decoder.  Even if it were within the warranty period it wouldn't be worth the shipping and effort.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

Craig.

[mmyers]

I send my fried decoders in a first class envelope. Cheap enough and what the heck, it's already broken.

[craigolio1]

The website says within a year which I am not, and I don't have the receipt. Will they still take it?

[peteski]

Contact them by email and ask.  I believe that they will "repair"  (replace really) and Digitrax decoder for something like $18 plus shipping charge.

To me this was no bargain since for that price I can pick up a new decoder from several online vendors.

[craigolio1]

That's what I read, and decided for myself as well. I'm picking up a DZ126 tomorrow. All things going as planed I should have this loco done tomorrow night.

Thanks.

[mcjaco]

I'm in the same boat.  I bought 4 DN163AO's last year, installed them at a show, and they never worked right.  Finally had an expert look at them, and he said they're no good.  Now I'm out $17 per decoder, because I don't keep receipts for over a year. 

Not sure it's worth the hassle of sending them in, or just buying new ones.

[craigolio1]

She's back on the rails, well...  she would be if I had a layout.  But it works and all exposed metal surfaces are covered in Kapton tape.

I'll see what happens when I try assembly 2.0.  If it works I'll post a picture on the Weekend Update.

Craig