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My Digitrax DB150 booster and all related system components continue to operate fine. However, recently whenever I first power up the booster (not the track) I get eight alarm beeps! Now, the operations booklet that comes with the Empire set doesn't even mention this specific eight beep code (Sect 5.11 Audible Sounds pg31/32). The booklet for the DB100 does however! For the DB100 the beep alarm code means "Memory ECC/checksum fail.......this is a technical diagnostic": whatever that means.
So, what do I do about the new alarm beeps? Have I inadvertently changed an Op switch code?? What do you guys think? Thanks for your feedback.
Eric
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Hi Eric,
How are things on the Algoma & Rideau (besides the DCC I mean)?
I looked at my Digitrax documentation, and at the Digitrax KNowledge base (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://tsd.digitrax.com/index.php?s=audible+alarm&c=0">http://tsd.digitrax.com/index.php?s=audible+alarm&c=0</a><!-- m -->) and like you could not find an answer for DB150/Super Empire Builder. Is it possible that it is a combination (e.g. 1+7 beeps)? Does it happen all the time? Does it impact operations?
I would maybe take your question with the above info over to the Digitrax Yahoo group. There are some helpful guys there - including a couple of OVAR/HOTrak members.
Good luck!
Andrew
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My guess is that there is a problem with your DCC system's internal memory, Is there a way to do a factory reset on your DCC system?
Justin Miller
Modeling the Lebanon Industrial Railway (LIRY)
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Hey Andrew. I may have to try the Yahoo group again but I found that my email was getting inundated with everyones questions and replies. I am still trouble shooting the alarm beeps and it is a puzzler as it doesn't always happen! I am also unplugging all the throttles and trying it to see if I can isolate it that way (assuming it may be a throttle). No buttons seem stuck. I am quite confident that is is eight beeps and not 1+7 as you suggest. Justin, if there is a way to reset the booster memory I don't know how to do this and it is not stated in the manual. Any of you other fellas have ideas on the intermittent eight alarm beep issue?
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I did a quick search at the Yahoo D'trax group, and the most common incidence of beeps is 7 and 9. Couldn't find any for 8....
Gus (LC&P).
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Justin Miller
Modeling the Lebanon Industrial Railway (LIRY)
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Thanks Gus and Justin for your comments and the web link. I will continue the investigation. Just was informed by Digitrax Tech Dept. that they do not know what the 8 alarm beeps are either!!?? They suggest just ignore it and continue to operate! Will advise all when I figure out what is what.
Thx
Eric
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Sure it IS 8, and you're not missing a weak first one? It could be excessive load on the Loconet - try disconnecting any Loconet cables on the DB150 and plugging just the throttle in to one port, and then power it on. See if you get the beeps then. If not, work backwards and gradually reconnect things until the beeps return.
My friend's DCS100 emits an odd number of beeps not listed in the manual if he leaves all his throttles plugged in (he has no aux power to his UP5's, but he only has 2 throttles plus a UR90 IR receiver). My DB150 gives the 'missing Loconet' beeps when I power my system on but I am using it as a booster only and my Zephyr is the command station, and I turn everything on at exactly the same time with an X10 module (if you think I'm crawling under the layout every time to flip on a power strip, think again), and the Zephyr needs a half second to power up and generate a stable Loconet signal. So the DB150 beeps, then I turn on track power and all is fine.
--Randy
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Randy,
Thx for your thoughts on this issue. I have nine UP5 loconets, six throttles, an AR1 and PM42 on the layout. I had earlier disconnected all the throttles one at a time and reversed the process trying to track down the issue just as you suggested. Unfortunately, the alarms seem to be intermittent when everything is hooked up. Since it doesn't appear to alarm when some of my throttles are disconnected I likely will start that protocol of disconnecting some after each session. I am still inclines to think the problem is associated with one of the throttles but which one!?
When Digitrax themselves cannot tell me about the eight distinct beeps then I really get wondering.
Eric
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Are any of the throttles DT300's? Many of the DT300's were made in the days of those counterfeit cheap capacitors from China and since the only capacitors of any size are used ont he power circuitry of the throttle, you could have a blown capacitor or two in one of them, which may cause a problem. Usually it makes the throttle itself behave oddly too, though.
Did it beep with everything disconnected? Or only intermittantly when it's all plugged in? Witht hat much stuff I assume you have power run tot he UP5's and aren't trying to run 6 throttles with no extra power plugged in. It could be intermittent because of what turns on first - if the DB150 ends up powering up before the aux power on the panels stabilizes, it may briefly overload the Loconet, but other times when you flip it all on, the aux power comes up first and you get no beeps. Also, contraty to the isntructiosn, the RIGHT way to run aux power to the UP5 panels is to use 2 wires and attach coax connectors to them and plug them into the power jack. The suggested way in the manual is to run a single wire to allt he UP5's - that leaves the ground int he thin telephone wire of the Loconet cable. I have a 14V power supply feeding a bus run around the layout with taps off at each UP5 location although it's not all hooked up yet since I only have 2 throttles and usually I'm operating alone so only 1 is plugged in.
--Randy
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Randy,
Thx for your thoughts on the alarm beep issue. As you suggest, I am also suspecting a throttle malfunction. The alarms do not come in when the throttles are all disconnected from the UP5s! I have two DT300s and I also suspect one of them may be the cause. Over the coming weeks I shall continue to valid, if I can, which is the offending throttle. Will advise of results.
Eric
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Thx to all of you for your thoughts. I am now 99% sure that the source of the problem beeps was one of my DT300 throttles. I shall sent it away for Digitrax to inspect I guess but maybe just buy a newer model also!!.
Eric
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Well Digitrax repaired the throttle by replacing two components!! No more alarm beeps so hopefully thats the end of it.
Eric
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Hi Eric,
Glad you got it resolved, and thanks for letting us know.
Andrew
