Railway_Ron Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 Hi People, I need your help. I tried building a DCC layout about 3 years ago but give up . (found it very frustrating), anyway I’m trying again. I have gone right back to the start with new baseboards.I have laid out a small section of track and connected my E-link. Power to the track Ok. Placed a small 0-6-0 Diesel shutter on the track and using the laptop asked it to run. I can hear the motor start – it’s getting power, them it stops. This happens with three other 0-6-0 loco’s that I have.There all sitting on top off the power point. I’ve tried giving them a little nudge – Nothing. If I connect an Elite controller & whack the power right up and give am engine a nudge, there all of like the clappers, but at extreme slow speed (that’s a feature that DCC is all about) they all give up.What’s best for cleaning the track and wheels on the loco’s? Any other suggestions> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDS Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 Are the Loco's lubricated - because after 3 years it is likely that the lubrication has dried up. Do not over lubricate though (they do say if you can see the lubrication, you have put too much on) and only use recommended Model Train lubrication. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Ruifrok Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 After a good clean, sparingly new oil and new brushes, your locs should be running fine on a clean track. However ceratin 0-6-0's may have still trouble at certain points because of limited pick-up of electricity through the wheels. In that case consider a loc buffer. This is a small unit (about the size of a DCC controller) with a small reservoir of electricity in it which assists the engine when it doesn't pick up any from the track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 ...also known as stay alive capacitors.plenty of information on this forum about them if you search on stay alive or super capacitors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_ Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 Might be a stupid question but you do have DCC decoders installed in the locos don't your? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Railway_Ron Posted March 7, 2016 Author Share Posted March 7, 2016 Thanks of the tips, I'll try anything. I've used a Track Rubber and is doesn’t appear to make much difference. All the loco's are fitted with DCC Chips. I don't think there is a major issue with the pick ups. The 0-6-0 shunter, last night I turned the loco upside down. Took the live wires out of the track power connector and with the help of my wife, holding the wires to the front set of wheels, using my laptop slowly turned up the speed and the loco came to life. Wheels turned slowly at first and as I increase the speed the loco got faster. Direct power works fine. Is it possible that I need to increase the power through the track?. Although saying that, my test track is no longer than 3ft, so I can't understand why they won't run.Keep the suggestions coming? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poliss Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 No, you don't need to increase power to the track. The power from the controller to the track to the track is always 15v AC. Check with a multimeter that the 15v AC is actually making it to the track. A multimeter won't give you an entirely accurate reading, but it will serve for the purpose in hand.What kind of power clip/track are you using. The analogue/DC versions interfere with the 'signal'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 You are using a DCC power track or power clip aren't you, not a DC one? DC ones have a capacitor across the track connections that interferes with DCC signals and would give exactly the symptoms you have with it working via direct power. Easy to fix: flip open the cover on the little black box between the rails or connections, then clip off the capacitor at its legs. And irrespective, no, you don't need to increase the power to the track, at least not until you are running more locos than you can keep control of at the one time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 Great minds poliss, and at the same time too. The clue is it works from direct power but not the track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 Direct power can be a good indicator that the problem lies elsewhere, but I had a Class 56 that would run fine on the rolling road where there was no resistance, but on the track it didn't have the puff to drag its own weight around, until I gave it the neo magnet treatment. so if you are trying the wheels up testing method also add a little resistance to the wheels with finger pressure to gauge torque. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Railway_Ron Posted March 11, 2016 Author Share Posted March 11, 2016 Thanks again guy’s, the info is great. 😀 The power clip I’m using is the DCC one that came in the E-link set. I have three of these power clips and have tried all of them with the same results. Fishmanoz I’ll try your tip about the capacitor and I’ll keep fiddling about until I work it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 If they are all DCC clips Ron, they won't contain capacitors. The capacitor is only in DC clips and is the difference between the two. Bit given it works when you apply power directly to the wheels, your problem is very clearly the power getting to the track. There will be a connection problem somewhere and it won't be because the controller isn't supplying enough power, assuming you are using its track output, not the programming output, it will be between the controller and the rails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 I remember a previous post where the OP had a similar track connection problem. He found that if he pushed the wires TOO far into the track connector socket, he lost power. He pulled the wires out of the socket slightly and wiggled them about a bit as 'Arkwright' would say..Another vote me thinks for direct to rail soldered wire connections..Arkwright a UK TV comedy character for non UK forum readers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yelrow Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 Surely, it was j j jiggle it. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 Quite correct John.....well remembered........I was c c close though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choralc Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 Before j-j-jigg'lin' the w-wires have a strong cuppa with s-some j-j-j-jamacian g-g--ginger biscuits! Some of those R8206/R8241power track spring clip terminals fail pretty quickly in not making a strong clamp to the wires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 We've had a f f fair dose of Arkwright out here too you know. Wouldn't be going to Wobbly though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 I'm sure I remember that some digital power clips were incorrectly fitted with capacitors, so it might pay for the o/p to check his anyway. I must admit though it would seem unlikely that all three would be affected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 Good thought Hairy. I don't remember that myself, I do remember some early Western Master with eLink and RM sets coming with a DC power track in the set. If you go into RM Help window, Latest News, and scroll back to very early news, you'll find the instructions there on flipping open the box between the rails and removing the capacitor. The power clip instructions are very similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 I seem to think the fix it advice was in the help section of the RM screen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 I just said it is in Help in Latest News? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 @fishysorry I thought you were referring to the news page on the main site... 😳 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Ah, now I understand why you thought you were saying something different to me, when in fact we were saying the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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