A DCC experience

dturnerfish

New Member
Well, I received my second train in the mail today. A Kato E8 with decoder. Slightly used train from eBay.

I re-hooked up my DCC system and tried it out for the first time. Everything worked out wonderfuly. The only problem I had was a few power losses in certain areas. At first I thought it was wiring, since the track seemed clean, but it ended up just being dirty track. DCC is very picky about clean track. I could not see any hint that it was dirty, but after I used my bright boy I had no issues.

One question:

I was told it had a lenz decoder. I took off the shell and could see no company markings on the chip. I did not have access to a Lenz manual, but did have access to a digitrax manual. I was able to program everything from (using digitrax CVs) Speed tables to FX lighting effects. Are the CVs used by digitrax and Lenz that close, or does it really look like I have digitrax decoder?
 

MasonJar

It's not rocket surgery
The NMRA has DCC standards, which I believe originalted with Lenz. In any case, that explains why the CVs are the same across the board.

Andrew
 

CalFlash

Member
Not knowing what system you have and if you have the capability of reading back the CVs, the manufacturer number is one of the first things to display when programing. Not having any Lenz decoders, I don't know what their manuf # is but it should be readily available.
 

dturnerfish

New Member
Thank good idea.

According to the digitrax manual CV8 in the manual is Manufactors ID and CV7 is Version ID.

CV8 = 129
CV7 = 107

Any idea how to match these?


DT
 

steamhead

Active Member
You hit the nail on the head...Dirty track is bad for DC, and terrible for DCC. The answer to your prayers for KEEPING track clean is as close as a trip to eBay, searcH for HO TRACK GUARD and your problems will disappear, as if by magic...
Don't pass this opportunity up!! GO NOW!!

Gus.
 
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