TCS dead decoders

[diezmon]

So, getting back into the hobby again after a few years.   I've pulled out locos and am trying to give everything a test run.

I have three(nscale) TCS decoder installs that no longer work.   A CN-GP, M1, and K3D3.  On two of them, one of the headlights is constantly lit.  but no control whatsoever.

I have JMRI installed and attempted to read the CV's on all three.  Two of them had no response, and one was halfway through, then bam, no more worky. 

I'm guessing they're just hosed. But why, or is there something else I should try?   They worked four years ago..  I'm baffled.  Baffled, I say.

[AKNscale]

I would tear down the locos, clean them out really well, lube them, then check all of your contacts. They probably just need cleaned. That would be my first step before anything.

[tehachapifan]

I'm not a JMRI user and I'm sometimes confused by how consisting works, but could they possibly be set to a consist address? I know I sometimes think a decoder has gone off the deep end and then I remember it's set to a consist address and all is good again.

[diezmon]

I would tear down the locos, clean them out really well, lube them, then check all of your contacts. They probably just need cleaned. That would be my first step before anything.

I should do that anyway.. it's odd that just the headlight is on though. 

[diezmon]

I'm not a JMRI user and I'm sometimes confused by how consisting works, but could they possibly be set to a consist address? I know I sometimes think a decoder has gone off the deep end and then I remember it's set to a consist address and all is good again.

nope, none of them are consisted.  JMRI has a neat feature where it'll read the decoder and show all the settings in their UI.   it's pretty sweet, when it works 

Of of the units, a Bachmann  2-8-0, I'd put in the decoder, tested it all out.. ran it for about five minutes, then put it back in the case.  that was four years ago.  Now it's just.. dead.

[tehachapifan]

Well, worth a shot anyway. Short of that, I tend to agree with the clean/check contact points approach. I'm no expert on electronics by any means, but it seems odd that they would work prior to storage and not after if not the contact points, unless they were exposed to moisture or something. BTW, like the Pulp reference in your signature!

[diezmon]

BTW, like the Pulp reference in your signature!

 

[djconway]

I've had decoders "forget" while in long term storage, I was able to revive the decoders by doing a full reset.
I've hade some decoders installed in 1996 sit for up to 9 years that came back.

[mighalpern]

i would clean the wheels and the track.  JMRI might not be able to read the decoders when its not a clean contact.
factory reset has worked for me when decoders loose their mind after sitting in a box for a year or two.

[AKNscale]

Of of the units, a Bachmann  2-8-0, I'd put in the decoder, tested it all out.. ran it for about five minutes, then put it back in the case.  that was four years ago.  Now it's just.. dead.

Well, worth a shot anyway. Short of that, I tend to agree with the clean/check contact points approach. I'm no expert on electronics by any means, but it seems odd that they would work prior to storage and not after if not the contact points, unless they were exposed to moisture or something.

Not too surprising as most of the used locos I’ve bought, that haven’t been run for a while, end up with dried out/crusty lube that requires only a clean/re-lube to get it back to running shape.

[peteski]

One quick thing you can try (assuming that the DC mode is enabled on the decoder) is to try running in on DC.  Take a 9V battery and touch it to the wheels and see if the loco runs.

The electric contact would be the 1st suspect (although the headlights being on is puzzling because that seems to indicate that the decoder is getting power from the track).  If the contacts to the track and motor are clean then the decoder should be seen on the programming track (to read and write CVs), even if the mechanism is seized.  Also, I don't trust DecoderPro - I would try to read and write the CVs directly from your DCC system.  Like others have said, try a full reset of the decoder.

There is another possibility which would render the decoder dead permanently.  Maybe they were exposed to a voltage spike strong enough to damage their circuitry. The other possibility is that the decoders are miniature computers. The program that makes them work is stored in a Flash memory inside the microcontroller chip.  That program should be retained by the chip for many decades, but it might be possible that some of the data was "forgotten" and the programming is scrambled. Since it is the actual code that runs the decoder, there is no way the end user can reset or reprogram. 

The probability that either of the above scenarios happened is extremely unlikely, but possible.  If all attempts to resuscitate them fail, I think NCE has a generous return policy, so you could sent them in for repair/replacement.

[Greg Elmassian]

It was suggested, but not responded to, a factory reset, even if you cannot read the CVs

Also, I think you can do a reset with POM.

Greg

[peteski]

It was suggested, but not responded to, a factory reset, even if you cannot read the CVs

Also, I think you can do a reset with POM.

Greg

Blindly hoping that it still retained its address?  I would say that if you cannot read it o reset it on programming track (where the address is not even used) then the decoder is kaput.

[Greg Elmassian]

Sometimes blind hope is all you have! 

Most likely he knew the address of the loco before it misbehaved (I know I do).

But I did not say POM only.... read carefully.

1. reset was suggested
2. the OP never specifically said he tried it
3. so by inference I'm asking if he tried it
4. I gave a caveat about a reset via POM

My post was intended to be helpful to the OP, was yours?   

Greg

[Wutter]

I know its been more than one year, but TCS has that warranty where after the first year they still have a replacement program that would be cheaper than the brand new cost of the decoders?

If nothing else works, maybe try that route? https://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Customer_Info/Warranty/warranty.html