Kato N scale FEF TCS DCC problem

[peteski]

I would hope that they updated the CV value which shows revision of the decoder.

As far as switching goes (in DC or DCC), I wouldn't think that FEF-3 did *ANY* switching. It was a road engine, wasn't it? 

[C855B]

Har har. No, the slow-speed response (or lack thereof) on DC is now so bad I wouldn't even want to try coupling to a train, at risk of busting a coupler or jackknifing half a dozen cars.

Didn't read the CVs to verify firmware rev, just wanted it in running dress for a train show this weekend. But the original point about getting an "old" version now after the cows are out of the barn is probably going to vex us for a while.

[jdcolombo]

Honestly, if someone wanted to run the FEF on both DCC and DC, they ought to invest in both the TCS DCC board and the standard Kato DC board.  Switching them takes about 3 minutes.  It takes me longer to get the thing back on the track with all the wheels in the right place!

John C.

[Paradise275]

Wasn't there a comment here about NOT running the decoded loco on either DC or DCC?

Rick

[Paradise275]

Update from TCS

Thank you for your inquiry!  I would suggest that if you want to be 100% sure that you got a current K6D4 model decoder, that you should order directly from our website.  As soon as we identified the problem, we stopped shipping on the decoder until a fix was implemented.  We then went back and reprogrammed all K6D4 decoders we had on hand.

If you have any further questions, please let me know.


Warm Regards,

Mike Green

Office Manager

Train Control Systems
P.O. Box 341
845 Blooming Glen Rd
Blooming Glen, PA 18911

Phone (215) 453-9145
Fax    (215) 257-0735

tcs@tcsdcc.com

[xmonday]

My brand new N scale Kato FEF has the factory fitted TCS decoder. With my DCC throttle in the repair shop I am trying to run with DC, with no success.
With 0 to 2.0 volts DC applied the loco draws from 0 up to 90 mAs. At 2.5V, 290 mAs, at 3.0 volts, 1.15 A (!). No lights and no movement.
For comparison my Bachmann 2-10-2 at 4.5V draws 20 mAs, at 5.0 volt 40 mAs and is lit and moving slowly , and is speeding at 10 volts and 50 mAs. Very different.

Obviously FEFs with factory decoders are having issues with DCC. Can someone report how they behave with DC?   Has anyone experienced my particular type of symptom with DC?  What should I do?
 

[peteski]

That sounds more like a short to me - not a problem with the decoder.  Well, the short coudl be somewhere on the decoder.

Since it sounds like you might have a multimeter handy (and know some basic electronics), I would remove the trailing truck and the drawbar (both simply pull off) and then measure the resistance between the 2 halves of the post to which the drawbar hooks up to.  Those are halves of the frame (electrically live).  Does the meter show only couple of ohms?