Loksound select micro 73800 will not run motor full speed

[Steveruger45]

Been playing with a problem loco. Atlas SD60.   It is fitted with a select micro 73800 and will not take the motor over about half speed.  I've done various steps and tests along the way including:- reset, load a different file from a similar loco running well, changed the motor for a good spare, checked all the wiring and replaced most of the wires, disconnected the caps, took the loco apart (several times) changed the wheels for kato wheels and gauged them (was meaning to do that anyway), trucks run freely, no issues with the drive worms/universals etc.   Now i'm stumped and thinking decoder is at fault.  Cant see anything burnt and it still runs and sounds great upto half throttle.  Oh yes its not my throttle, all other locos run great.   Has anyone come across this conundrum before?  Any ideas?    Thanks   

[tehachapifan]

Any chance "switching mode" is activated?

[peteski]

So the sounds and other functions (beside the motor) are working correctly?

[jdcolombo]

Check CV 53 - the "reference voltage" CV.  This CV should correspond roughly to 10 times your track voltage - if your track voltage is 14v, it should be 140.  If it IS 140 and you still are not getting full voltage to the motor, try increasing the value in CV53 by 30 and see if that makes a difference.

Note that the one thing you haven't done is change the decoder (at least, I didn't see that on your list of troubleshooting steps).  If you have a spare decoder, try it.  If the engine works fine with the other decoder, then you have a decoder problem of some sort.

John C.

[Steveruger45]

Thanks for the replies guys.
Yes, Switching mode not activated, tried F7 a few times, no difference. 
Yes, Everything is working fine except for the speed.  Same happens even when I put a different locos file in this decoder.
I have Cv53 is set to 120, like all my locos. I set it back up to 140, after an auto tune no difference, but I will try upping it some more.

It does seem to me that full voltage is not getting through the decoder. 

When I do an auto tune the loco doesn’t go very far, about 2 feet only that’s about half the normal distance and it doesn’t get to the normal speed before stopping and ringing the bell.  When I checked cv53, after the auto tune, it read only 34.   Normally I get around 60 to 70 and then I set that back to 120.  Cv54 was also very high in the 200’s.

Never had this before.   So next is change the decoder, as I think I have eliminated any other possibilities, at least what I can think of.   I even changed some of the decoder wires that looked like they may have broke a strand or two with all the tearing apart and putting back together that’s been going on, thinking maybe that might raise resistance  to current flow somewhere.

I did run this loco on someone’s digitrax layout before this and I’m now wondering if that could have done something to the decoder.  It ran fine on his layout and with his digitrax throttles.

[peteski]

Thanks for the replies guys.
Yes, Switching mode not activated, tried F7 a few times, no difference. 
Yes, Everything is working fine except for the speed.  Same happens even when I put a different locos file in this decoder.
I have Cv53 is set to 120, like all my locos. I set it back up to 140, after an auto tune no difference, but I will try upping it some more.

It does seem to me that full voltage is not getting through the decoder. 

When I do an auto tune the loco doesn’t go very far, about 2 feet only that’s about half the normal distance and it doesn’t get to the normal speed before stopping and ringing the bell.  When I checked cv53, after the auto tune, it read only 34.   Normally I get around 60 to 70 and then I set that back to 120.  Cv54 was also very high in the 200’s.

Never had this before.   So next is change the decoder, as I think I have eliminated any other possibilities, at least what I can think of.   I even changed some of the decoder wires that looked like they may have broke a strand or two with all the tearing apart and putting back together that’s been going on, thinking maybe that might raise resistance  to current flow somewhere.

I did run this loco on someone’s digitrax layout before this and I’m now wondering if that could have done something to the decoder.  It ran fine on his layout and with his digitrax throttles.

Yes, like John mentioned, try new decoder if you have a spare one.  All the things you describe seem to point to the decoder.
Since you mentioned enabling and disabling the switching speed, I find it curious that it made no difference. I would have thought that even if the decoder ran the motor slow in normal mode, switching speed would have caused to run it extra slow.

I don't think that a DCC trackl power can damage a decoder, unless the voltage is cranked way up (for H0 or 0 scale). But then I would expect the decoder to just fry (blown caps or diodes for example), not to just behave strangely.

[RBrodzinsky]

Use LokProgrammer to force a reset, and force load microcode?

[wazzou]

Use LokProgrammer to force a reset, and force load microcode?

I'm curious, how much does a LokProgrmmer cost?
Does it replace JMRI?  If not, does it function well with it?

[peteski]

I'm curious, how much does a LokProgrmmer cost?
Does it replace JMRI?  If not, does it function well with it?

LokProgrammer is ESU proprietary device which only runs with ESU software. JMRI does not talk to it.  While it can program generic CVs for any decoder, it only uploads sound files onto ESU decoders. It also has a DCC throttle function for testing (any brand decoder-equipped) models on the programming track

[Steveruger45]

Use LokProgrammer to force a reset, and force load microcode?

Hi Rick,   Thanks for chipping in.  Not sure I understand what you mean.  Pls explain.  Thanks

[reinhardtjh]

I'm curious, how much does a LokProgrmmer cost?
Does it replace JMRI?  If not, does it function well with it?

LokProgrammer is ESU proprietary device which only runs with ESU software. JMRI does not talk to it.  While it can program generic CVs for any decoder, it only uploads sound files onto ESU decoders. It also has a DCC throttle function for testing (any brand decoder-equipped) models on the programming track

To add to Peteski's answer.  You can find them discounted to around $140-ish (Streamlined Backshop - $143.95, Yankee Dabbler $136.79 and others).

It does not work with JMRI.  It operates with ESU's LokProgrammer software which is a Windows program.  If you're a Mac or Linux user you can run a Windows VM such as VirtualBox, VMWare Fusion or Parallels with Windows 7/8 (Ugh)/10 Virtual Machine.

As Peteski said, the LokProgrammer is required to load sound files and also update firmware in ESU products (LokSound, LokPilot and their accessory products).

[reinhardtjh]

Use LokProgrammer to force a reset, and force load microcode?

Hi Rick,   Thanks for chipping in.  Not sure I understand what you mean.  Pls explain.  Thanks

Steve,  The LokProgrammer hardware/software can do a CV8 type reset plus you can make it reload the decoder firmware.  V5.0.10 has a firmware upgrade anyway so it couldn't (fingers-crossed) hurt anyway.  I think the firmware applies to the V4 and Select, but maybe not.  In any case you can still reload it.

[RBrodzinsky]

Steve,  The LokProgrammer hardware/software can do a CV8 type reset plus you can make it reload the decoder firmware.  V5.0.10 has a firmware upgrade anyway so it couldn't (fingers-crossed) hurt anyway.  I think the firmware applies to the V4 and Select, but maybe not.  In any case you can still reload it.

What John said!  Since it really sounds like the decoder has gotten a bit scrambled, was suggesting trying to force it back to normal.

[Steveruger45]

What John said!  Since it really sounds like the decoder has gotten a bit scrambled, was suggesting trying to force it back to normal.

Thanks Rick and John, aha, I believe I did all what you explained already but as my brain is also getting scrambled on this one I will do it again and be sure to interrupt power to the loco after and see.
If I have to ditch this decoder I will replace it with a 73100 as I have a few lying around and put a bigger speaker in the back too while I’m at it.
 I may keep the decoder for a switcher that doesn’t go more than half throttle anyway because everything else works or use it in a boxcar as a sound car.

Perhaps some foreign government is hacking into my stuff now as well as our elections, although I didn’t see that in the press. 🤫😁
Oh oh, paranoia now slipping in.  😀

Seriously though, Thanks all for the input.   I will advise what I find for anyone’s future reference.

[Steveruger45]

Yes, like John mentioned, try new decoder if you have a spare one.  All the things you describe seem to point to the decoder.
Since you mentioned enabling and disabling the switching speed, I find it curious that it made no difference. I would have thought that even if the decoder ran the motor slow in normal mode, switching speed would have caused to run it extra slow.

I don't think that a DCC trackl power can damage a decoder, unless the voltage is cranked way up (for H0 or 0 scale). But then I would expect the decoder to just fry (blown caps or diodes for example), not to just behave strangely.

Thanks Pete, yeah I think the switching speed has a threshold to reach first before activating and it goes slow anyway and doesn’t reach it. I don’t know for sure but I’m going to retry that a bit more intently.  I’m wondering if that function has somehow become permanently switched on in the decoder.

Yes I didn’t think running it on a digitrax layout caused any harm but it is the only loco I have run on someone else’s layout.