that would be most helpful . Thanks Ron.

Did you manage to test the track voltage for me yet Ron?

Hi reg, just done it, 15v AC, didn't register any DC ?
You may have a fault by the sounds of it, I've just bought a Prodigy Advance 2 set up and so far all OK.
Hope you can get it sorted,

Cheers
Ron

If you had 15volt AC that is what i found Ron.  What is throwing me is i thought it was supposed to be 15volt DC?
Ah well if your reading is the same as mine then my unit should be OK.
Only thing now is , why did it burn out the accessory decoders on the signals that novice brought over to try .
These plug directly on to the track ,so are supplied by the track feed.
They worked OK on the track that novice has ,also fed with a prodigy.
Thanks for looking Ron . Not sure what to do now . 

Hi Sparky,

I'm not 100% in these things but remember this is DCC you are taking a reading from. Paul ( Victoria Road fame ) can maybe clarify things here but your multimeter may throw out strange readings. I know mines does when I try testing the track voltage.

I might be completely wrong. Hopefully Paul will pick up on this and make comment. Maybe even try sending him a PM. You don't want to go roasting any more decoders.

Hope you get things sorted.

Cheers

Toto

Thanks Toto, Bit of gardening now ,but will send Paul a pm later today.
Thanks again.

Nae bother,

He's PDG at these things and hopefully there will be a perfectly rational explanation that will let you move on.

:thumbs

Toto

A normal multimeter will read DCC about 1.5 Volts low.

Every DCC modeller should have a RrampMeter, which takes account of the root mean² (RMS).

http://tonystrains.com/rrampmeter-by-dcc-specialties/

Ahhhhhh yes ........ Just what I was thinking. ..... Get one of them.

I've got two, Toto.

One is wired in series with the DCC system and gives a read out of the current draw at all times.

The other one is for track checking.

Not at these prices!

http://www.digitrains.co.uk/ecommerce/dcc-accessories/metering-and-testing/rrampmeter-v2.aspx

(and it's out of stock anyway).


I would have thought Reg, that if there was a problem with the track voltage you would have loco decoder problems as well.

From reading elsewhere, 15v AC is (although wrong) a common result when using a standard multimeter on DCC. Any DC reading is irrelevant as the DC current only exists between the decoder and motor within the loco.

From what Gaugemaster have told you, if an accessory decoder has burnt out it is therefore almost certainly a short.

I don't have and haven't seen these signals, but since Ron has the same signals installed perhaps he could post a picture of the track connections to the signals on his set up.

Might give a clue to the problem.



Ed

Hi Ed, I simply have each of the 2 wires soldered to the main bus wires, I then use the controller to set address's and a sort of 'U' wire to set the light colour.

Hope that helps?

Cheers
Ron

[user=1775]g0ibi[/user] wrote:

Hi Ed, I simply have each of the 2 wires soldered to the main bus wires, I then use the controller to set address's and a sort of 'U' wire to set the light colour.

Hope that helps?

Cheers
Ron

Dunno, any help Reg?

Well yes lads that is a help in a way.
I just need to wonder now why The accessory decoder on the signal burnt up.  We did use the method you describe of shorting out the connections to bring the desired colour on.

Hi Max,

Just read up on the Rramp meter. Very handy indeed. I've sent away ( stateside ) for the mark 3 with the battery back up. I think I'll incorporate it on the main incoming feed between the NCE controller and the layout to see what is being drawn. I could also take it out the circuit ( join it through ) and use the meter to take readings all over the layout in order to work out volts drop etc as well.

Great little invention.

Sorry for pinching your thread Sparky.:thumbs

Cheers

Toto

That,s OK Toto.  I think i will just carry on using the prodigy as it drives loco,s alright, but i will use a separate plug in 15volt tranny for signals . 
Thanks to those that took an interest.:thumbs

Hi Sparky,

There may be further comment yet as a definitive reason would be good to ensure that you don't go frying any more decoders. Expensive things.

It would be good to understand why it's happening.

Fingers crossed.

Toto

Thanks Toto .  One of the guys may come up with the Answer.   Gougemaster don,t want to know.

Hi Sparky

The 15V AC reading is about right, normal multimeters are calibrated for a 50 - 60 Hz sine wave, DCC uses a square wave at approx 7.1kHz considerably higher than the mains hence the error, the Rrampmeter is designed to work at the DCC frequencies and a square wave.

I have some more reading of your thread to find out what your problem was. Just started reading (from the last page back :roll:)

Be back later - dont panic, if your loco's are working then the system is basically sound, just need to track down the culprit.

Paul

Hi Reg

Only had to go one post back :roll:

Which model of signal was it ?

As someone has already mentioned looks like a short.

Paul