Digitrax DB150 help

[mu26aeh]

I'm not sure if I'm just dumb or there's an issue.  I got my DB150 today and hooked up power supply and track leads.  Unit beeps, green power light comes on, track status light is off, and offline light is red.  I only have a UT4 throttle, so there is no button to turn track power off/on, like on the DT402.  I can't get track powered.  So I read about jumping config A and ground together to configure it as a booster.  It beeps 5 times ( I think ), indicating short, shuts down.  I remove jumper, and I got track power !  Everything works until I power down or flip mode switch to sleep.  When I flip back to run, I have no track power again.  Same thing happens when I unplug unit and turn back on. 

This is very frustrating for me with open house coming up and Digitrax wouldn't give me a solid timetable on return of my Zephyr, which may be clouding my thought process as to hooking this thing up.

[Rich Businger]

The UT4 was designed by modelers and they did not want the option to turn on or off track power or thrown turnouts.  For the DB150 to function properly, you really need a DT40x series throttle to turn on and off track power.  What you're doing may work, but not how it is supposed to be done.

Since you are under pressure for an open house, why don't you get your track power on and then leave the DB150 powered up in an operable state and not change the mode switch or remove power?

Digitrax publishes that repairs take 30 days.


Rich
 

[mu26aeh]

That's what I've come to figure out I'm going to do.  I did not realize the UT4's weren't readily compatible with the DB150's.  Digitrax had my Zephyr for about 2 weeks so I just explained my situation and asked for a simple update, thinking maybe they understood my need for it and could check progress.  All I was told was it takes 30 working days for repairs, please give techs more time.  I told them I understood that, was just hoping they could say 1) it's still in packing box waiting to be looked at 2)It has been taken out of shipping box and tech is testing for troubles 3) Tech has found troubles and should take x number of days for repair and shipment etc.

[John]

do you by any chance have a locobuffer?
 

Or a PR3


where do you live?

[peteski]

That's what I've come to figure out I'm going to do.  I did not realize the UT4's weren't readily compatible with the DB150's. 

Being compatible or having a full functionality are 2 distinct things. Since the basic throttle UT4 has very few function keys, it is not able to fully control all the settings of the command station.  It is a simple throttle designed for basic operation.  You can't even program decoders with it. But it is fully compatible with DB150 (as the DB150 is able to recognize all of the possible functions UT4 is capable of transmitting).

[mmyers]

I would do as Rich said. Just jump Config A to Ground and get track power on. Disconnect them and leave the DB150 powered up and in Run stage. Heck you could get fancy and put a switch in the jumper. Be careful to properly dispatch your trains as you will have no way to close Op Switches to reset. I would also be aware that trains on the track may run away while that jumper is connected.
Don't worry about the 5 beeps. that's actually not a short it indicates no loconet present which is correct when A is jumped to ground. As soon as you remove the jumper, the DB150's command station connects and loconet is active.

Martin Myers

[mu26aeh]

By readily compatible, I was referring to the fact that you can't power the tracks with the UT4.  If I had my Zephyr, of course all this would be moot point.  Of course it had to decide to crap out weeks before an open house. 

I do not have a PR3 or locobuffer John.  I'm in Gettysburg, PA.  I've had my Zephyr system for years but never had much of a layout to use it on, so there was no need/desire to expand it. 

In emailing back and forth with Ed K, we've set up a meet at his place to go over some things and he is allowing me to borrow a DT400 for the open house.      As I told him, all this fancy technology, I need a primer course on using it.  I'm use to just hooking up track leads to transformer and plugging it in, and running trains.

Ed K to the rescue 

[John]

Ok .. you are set then .. I have an old DT100 you could use as well ..

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ed K to the rescue 

Happy to help! I figured I could use the modeling karma...