Kato FEF Slow Speed with Hard-wired ESU LokPilot

[Sdynamo]

Marc,

Where are you getting your decoders?  I see SBS4DCC has some but he doesn't have the 77.  A quick Google search gives a number of websites not in English.

For those of you working with Lok decoders and the programmer, or want to compare JD's findings to the manual here are the CV correlations:

LokSound Select BEMF CV notes

CV 52 = Regulation parameter  "K Slow"
CV 53 = Regulation reference
CV 54 = Regulation parameter  "K"
CV 55 = Regulation parameter  "I"
CV 56 = Regulation influence

[nstars]

I'm getting the decoders directly from CT Elektronik. The website is www.tran.at. Unfortunately the site is in German and he also doesn't accept credit cards. I normally pay with a bank transfer which is ver common and relatively easy in Europe. Fyi the DCX77z is brand new and is not yet available at most dealers. My guess is it wil be available in the near future.

Just adding to your remark concerning the settings of John, the value of 128 in cv 56 means that BEMF is set at 50 percent.

[lashedup]

So I have a Tsunami 750 heavy steam sitting on my workbench to install in the Kato FEF. John, did you hold off on sound for this reason? Or just wanted to try a standard decoder first after the reports of issues with slow speed?

I'm still catching up here, but I'm assuming the following -

1. We are talking about the Kato factory DCC units having poor slow speed performance?
2. BEMF has been disabled?
3. Start voltage has been checked/adjusted to make sure it isn't set too high for some reason?

To get some nice control in general with all my DCC equipped stuff I use the following settings:

CV2 set between 10 and 20
CV 5 set to 100-120 depending on the top speed you want. This value will set you at about 40mph top end.
CV6 to 60-80.
CV55 to 120
CV56 to 80
CV 57 to 2

CV2, CV5 and CV6 can be adjusted for speed matching locos.

-jamie

[jdcolombo]

Hi Jamie.

I have a heavy steam TSU that I'm going to install as well, but I'll do one of my usual two-decoder installs for this - I use one decoder for the motor, mounted in the boiler, and use the TSU for sound only.  I know this sounds like a waste, but I have not had great luck with motor control from the TSU series, and in this particular case, doing things this way avoids running wires to the tender.

The problems people have reported with slow speed control stem from the BEMF implementation in the TCS decoder designed for the FEF.  I had similar problems with a standard ESU LokPilot decoder, until I adjusted the BEMF parameters.   I have now done a test with both Zimo and CT Electronik and will post a new thread with results.

John C.

[nstars]

Hi Jamie.

I have a heavy steam TSU that I'm going to install as well, but I'll do one of my usual two-decoder installs for this - I use one decoder for the motor, mounted in the boiler, and use the TSU for sound only.  I know this sounds like a waste, but I have not had great luck with motor control from the TSU series, and in this particular case, doing things this way avoids running wires to the tender.

The problems people have reported with slow speed control stem from the BEMF implementation in the TCS decoder designed for the FEF.  I had similar problems with a standard ESU LokPilot decoder, until I adjusted the BEMF parameters.   I have now done a test with both Zimo and CT Electronik and will post a new thread with results.

John C.

John,

If you do install the Tsunami, I would suggest to also try a complete different way of programming. It's a trick we learned at a clinic during a NMRA convention. With Decoder Pro this is very simple to accomplish and if you don't like it, you can always return to the previous programming. We have a couple of locomotives with coreless motors programmed in this way and we like the operating experience it gives. And the slow speed running is quite good. BTW this only works in a single decoder setup or a double decoder with the second decoder also a Soundtraxx silent decoder. We use the following settings:

CV3 = 100
CV4 = 160
CV61 = 255

If you do this, the F11 button will act as a brake button. Setting F11 will result result in nice and controlled stop. At start up you have to release F11 to start the engine again. In this way the dynamic steam exhaust will perform at its best.

Marc