NCE screen

[Viperjim1]

Plugged in my nce pro an today and this is all I get. Tried new cables and power cord but no change. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

[Scottl]

Perhaps there is a short somewhere on your line?

[Viperjim1]

Found the problem the EPROMs was not set all the way down, and now when I put on any loco it becomes a runaway, even if I try to reset the default or program the recovery mode now it says short circuit detected but still runs.😨

[Scottl]

Not sure if that indicates some kind of damage or not. 

[C855B]

I think your finding a poorly-seated EPROM was coincidence; socketed chips tend to creep out of the sockets just from normal hot/cold cycling. They may or may not have lost contact, although pressing them back into the socket would have wiped-away possible oxidation at the pin-to-contact joints.

Now speaking to electronics like this in general... OMG, STOP! Odd behaviors like this frequently point to a power supply failure, not just the "wall wart" but internal power regulation as well. Continuing with "live testing" this way risks frying something else, including decoders. We call these "cascading failures". Without putting an oscilloscope across the rails you don't really know what voltages are out there, and for that matter you don't know if the DCC signal is even present. Sounds like it might not be, the "runaway" may very well be high DC voltage.

From everything you've described so far, you're done. Time to contact NCE for a return authorization and repair.

[peteski]

The Power Cab wallwart supply has a 12V DC output.  If you have a multimeter you can measure it at the plug.  ThE EPROM chip is not just EPROM - it is the micorcontroller itself (the brains of the entire unit).  They probably calling EPROM not to confuse the unwashed masses (and it is easier to say EPROM than microcontroller).   Or maybe for old-times sake when EPROMs and PROMs were covketed while the separate processor chips were often soldered elsewhere on the circuit bpard.

What was the last thing you did with this unit before it started misbehaving?

If the display and keyboard still work as expected but the trains run out of control I suspect that the unit is putting out 12V DC out to the track (not a proper DCC signal).

Try this: power up the unit with no locos on the track and go into programming on programming track mode.  Then put one of the misbehaving locos on the track. Does it take off?  If not, can you read any CV values?

Either way, it seems to be damaged beyond what you will be able to fix.

[Viperjim1]

Thanks for all the input thus far , I have fired everything up and put a loco on and it still runs away even when throttle is at zero. I've tried programming and it still runs while programming on main or program track. The amps are reading about .58 to .65 on the handheld. I'll have to try and measure the voltage at the wall wart as you call it . And I just bumped it before all this happened and the screen looked like that. I figured I would take the back off it wouldn't hurt and seen the EPROMs at an angle not to be properly seated so pushed it back in after grounding myself. System came back on as nothing was wrong until I put a loco on and every loco I put on does the same thing.

[Scottl]

I fried my NCE system last fall and they repaired it at no cost.  I would not hesitate to send it to them and I am sure you will be back in operations very soon.  It took about three weeks for me, including shipping to and from Canada (which was probably 19 days of the 21...).

[Viperjim1]

Thank you for all your help, I also have a wengrove system one which is now nce, I'll send that to them and have them update that to as I have the power boosters and multiple walk around a and handhelds.. The system works great the way it is but might as well update it.

[Cajonpassfan]

My advice is send it in with a note. NCE has great customer service and they often do repairs at no cost.
I just sent in two 16 year old cabs with worn out encoders and they fixed them for free, and while they were at it, replaced the oxidized battery terminals and cleaned button contacts and antenna connectors.
Try that with your 16 year old TV, phone, or dishwasher....
Takes about a month, so be patient. These guys are great.
Otto K.

[Scottl]

+1, that was my experience as well.  They updated the firmware as well.  Great service.

[Viperjim1]

I was on the phone with Ed today. From NCE very friendly fellow, walked me thru a bunch of stuff but she had to go in for surgery😞 but took the option also to send in some decoders for the 10.00 decoder exchange while I was at it hopefully she will come home soon. And thanks for all your help and advice

[mu26aeh]

I will second the call for excellent customer service at NCE ! I sent in 2 decoders for exchange a while back and had not received new ones back.  Check still not cleared in bank account.  Just so happens that Matt from NCE calls today explaining why.  They are currently out of stock of N12A2's, which was one of decoders I requested in exchange.  He said I could change it for one of the other decoders or just wait it out until they produce them again.  He said they are currently waiting for production, but could not give me a good timetable.  Told him I will wait it out, other have provided timetables and failed miserably to keep them (pointing finger at Intermountain ) .  NCE makes it easy for doing ditch lights with the A2 decoders. 

[Trainmaster247]

Yep, NCE service is great never ahd any problems and were very friendly unlike some companies.

[Viperjim1]

Well it's been 4 weeks now and haven't heard anything🤔 They say don't call , but I want to to to see if they have even gotten to it yet, as I have some decoders in for the exchange program also, so need to find out what the bill is going to be😳.