What Do You Do If A Decoder Stops Communicating

[David-356293]

Dear All,

I have, so far, fitted HM7000 DCC sound decoders in 4 of my locos. Before today they were all working ok when, while I was doing some train movements of non-DCC locos using analogue control, one of my decoders stopped communicating with my iPad.

I have since read various warnings that you shouldn't power DCC fitted locos from a variable DC analogue supply so I'm wondering if I may have fried the decoder?

I've tried all I can think of to re-establish communication but the comms are just not getting through.

Is there anything I can do to get this decoder working again or is it now only fit for the bin?

Any assistance would be much appreciated.

[Fishmanoz]

First, don’t use an analog controller, either a recommended DC PSU or a DCC controller. You shouldn’t have fried it but it won’t work reliably that way.

Then go to the Manuals on the Site sticky near the top of the forum and bring up the Troubleshooting Guide. That should get you going.

[96RAF]

If you are using your analogue controller to power your Bluetooth decoders then you obviously haven’t read and complied with the latest advice, which has been widely advertised on this and other forums and product pages and how-to guides since early days.

To operate the decoder needs to be powered up above a threshold boot voltage. Each time you turn your controller up and down the track voltage varies and the Bluetooth decoders boot up then run down. No wonder you are losing contact with them.

To work correctly the Bluetooth decoders need a constant supply of either DC~c voltage from a DCC controller or a fixed DC supply from a suitable PSU that has proven overload and short circuit protection. All this is clearly documented.

[David-356293]

Fishmanoz - Thank you very much for the useful suggestion, I'll give it a try.

[Fishmanoz]

No probs David, glad it’s helped.