TrainController questions


The system that TC is connected to is LocoNet on com8 which is the loco buffer port.
Do I need to set it to something else.
2700 address's and nothing yet.
 
rzw0wr said:
The system that TC is connected to is LocoNet on com8 which is the loco buffer port.
Do I need to set it to something else.
2700 address's and nothing yet.
Click to expand...

That system would be either "1: LocoNet" or "2: LocoNet".

And you used the same system for the Block Contact Indicator Connection?
 
It scanned over 3000 address's and did not find anything.
I only have one LocoNet system on TC. Should I have set up something I didn't?
 
Keep in mind that unless the DC power pack is powering the rails of the block (check with bulb or voltmeter) and the power pack has a option to provide "pulse" power the coil will not sense the current flowing through the resistor.

Things to check:

- TC connected and online to LocoBuffer
- LocoBuffer connected to SSB Gateway
- SSB Gateway connected to WatchMan units
- Each WatchMan assigned a unique address (10001, 10002, etc) - use the DecoderPro "Confirm" feature to double check.
- Each WatchMan has been configured on the pages "BOD 1-4" and "BOD 5-8" - use the DecoderPro "Confirm" feature to double check.
- TC Block Contact Indicator Connection is using the correct TC LocoNet system ("1: LocoNet" or "2: LocoNet").
- TC Block Contact Indicator Connection is using the entry the mentions BDL16.
 
rzw0wr said:
It scanned over 3000 address's and did not find anything.
I only have one LocoNet system on TC. Should I have set up something I didn't?
Click to expand...

If you only have the one LocoNet system and it is configured to use the COM port for the LocoBuffer then one system is fine for testing.

See my other post just before this one for other things to check. We need to be sure that the WatchMan units are configured on the "BOD 1-4" and "BOD 5-8" pages correctly.
 
I check that there voltage to the track. On my meter on AC, 8.9 volts.
Buffer is connected with flat black cable.
Watchman all have green lights, so they are on.
Need to check Decoder Pro for address and configuration.
I don't understand 1 LocoNet and 2 loconet.
TC block contact indicator Connection set to BDL16.

About your bed time isn't it?
 
One other thing to do. Using DecoderPro, for each WatchMan set the port type to "Driver" on the "I/O 2A" page. This will insure that there is no conflicting information coming from that port into TC.
 
rzw0wr said:
I check that there voltage to the track. On my meter on AC, 8.9 volts.
Buffer is connected with flat black cable.
Watchman all have green lights, so they are on.
Click to expand...
That all sounds good.

rzw0wr said:
Need to check Decoder Pro for address and configuration.
Click to expand...
Yes that would be good.

rzw0wr said:
I don't understand 1 LocoNet and 2 loconet.
TC block contact indicator Connection set to BDL16.
Click to expand...
Didn't mean to confuse. I was thinking you had the original TC LocoNet system that you entered for your PR3/DCS-100 setup and had added a SECOND TC LocoNet system for the LocoBuffer/SSB Gateway setup.

When you do this you will end up with two TC LocoNet systems, "1: LocoNet" and "2: LocoNet".

For testing you only need the one TC LocoNet system that uses the COM port for the LocoBuffer.

rzw0wr said:
About your bed time isn't it?
Click to expand...

Yep but was hoping to get you to the point where one Block was working - figured once we reach that point you would be able to do the others without any trouble.
 
rzw0wr said:
OK.
Where is "confirm" in Decoder Pro?
Click to expand...

Now you are asking me to go from memory. I'm at my Daughter's house and have no hardware, thus DecoderPro doesn't show any of the buttons which would actually perform the Read/Write/Confirm operations.

I've never done a WatchMan but the things I have done always had a number of buttons at the bottom of the page I was working on for Writing/Reading/Confirming.

You don't see those?

You have to have JMRI connected to the LocoBuffer and be working in "Ops Programming" mode (as opposed to just "Edit" mode).
 
I think I will go to bed.

Talk to you later.

And yes you will get it working - we just have to get all the settings right - don't get discouraged.
 
OK. I will look around and make sure where I am in Decoder Pro.

Thanks for your help and have a good visit.

Good night fcwilt.
see you tomorrow if you are on.

Thanks for all of your help.
 
OK I did a little poking around and found a way to get Decoder Pro to use a LocoNet Simulator which allowed the buttons to appear.

See Attached:

On the screen shot with all the roster entries you can see, in the lower right, the 3 modes in can work in:
- Programming Track
- Programming on Main
- Edit Only

If memory serves me "Programming on Main" is the correct mode.

On screen shot of the WatchMan CV page you can see the Confirm buttons.

So you would set the values on the various other pages, Save them, which should save them in the decoder file, and then Write them, which should update the values in the WatchMan.

Then you would switch to the CV page and "Compare Full Sheet" and look for any issues, values the differ between the file and the device.
 

Attachments

  • Decoder Pro CV Page.jpg
    Decoder Pro CV Page.jpg
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  • Decoder Pro Program Mode.jpg
    Decoder Pro Program Mode.jpg
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Deleted Watchman1 again.
Disconnected Watchman2.
Connected coils to Watchman1
Made new Default.
Copied default to Watchman1.
Wrote all CVs to Watchman1.
This should have set Watchman1 to the factory defaults.
Changed BOD tabs to Detector.
Changed input numbers 1 through 8.
The RR-CirKits said I could use AC to check the Block detectors.
I switched the wires to the AC side of my power supply after disconnecting my AR1.
Scanning for address.

Decoder Pro appears to be talking to the Watchman.
TC appears not to be.
I get an error about system problem. Something like command station not responding.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
When you used DecoderPro to Write the changes to WatchMan1 did it seem to go OK?

Did you try Confirm to see if the changes took?

Did you shutdown DecoderPro before starting TC? Only one of them can use the COM port to the LocoBuffer at a time.
 
Yes
Yes and yes.
The instructions for the Watchman says that you can set sensitivity for the Watchman.
They say you can auto set this.
I tried and this does not appear to work.
Next I am going to check the ohms on the coils and wires.
Should come out to about 2 ohms.
 
Yes,
I removed all Watchman from the layout.
I remembered that Watchman3 was the only one that the COM light lite up.
I replaced Watchman1 with Watchman3.
I am scanning now.
 
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