LGB 25182 Direct Decoder Interface Help

[R. Wolfe]

I have a question about adding two LGB 55021 decoders to a DCC Direct Interface 25182 Mogul with sound. This is the one that also requires the use of two 55026 Interface Cables.

I installed one decoder in the loco using the interface cable and one in the tender with interface cable. Everything works but I am unable to trigger the bell or whistle via DCC. I am unable to turn sound off via dcc function 4. Bell & whistle still work with the track magnets. There is no indications of a bad sound board that I can see other than no DCC sound control.

The instructions say Function 1 for whistle, 2 for bell, 3 for smoke, 4 turn sound on / off, 5 turn firebox on /off. The decoder in the tender is getting power and I can change cv's so I know it's communicating. I also tested the function output pins on the decoder and they are working.

The two micro switches on the tender and locomotive boards are also set to off. Everything is wired according to the instructions. I even tried factoy reseting the decoders and still same issue.

Is there any special programing or cv changes that need to be made for this set up to work correctly? I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction. FYI, I am using a Massoth system that supports Serial control as well as parallel. Thanks, Richard.

 

[PhilP]

Have you tried 'pulsing' the F1 button on your throttle?

This will simulate serial pulses..

PhilP

 

[R. Wolfe]

Yes, pressed F1 one time to try to activate the whistle and two times to try and activate the bell with no luck. I can do f1 three times and it will turn smoke on / off & f1 five times to turn firebox on/ off but nothing else. The lights turn on and off via 9. The whistle and bell trigger just fine with track magnets. I guess I will just live with it for now. I am just happy to be able to drive the thing via wireless DCC. I have several other locos with sound / DCC so nothing to lose sleep over. I gave it a shot. I could probably add a Massoth function decoder and hard wire it in to trigger bell and whistle but that would be taking the easy way out. Better to gain knowlege the hard way sometimes otherwise you will never learn. Thanks, Sir.

 

[wandgrudd]

Set cv49 to 11 for fast pulse should then work.

 

[R. Wolfe]

Thanks, will try it later today.

 

[R. Wolfe]

CV49 to 11 made no difference. Still not ringing bell or whistle. I still find it hard to believe something is wrong with the tender sound board as it works perfectly in analog and with the track magnets. This uses the newer board that has built in capaciters. There is no 9-volt battery like the 2019s & 2219s had. The tender sound board has 2 red DIP micro switches on it and I don't know what they do. They were both all ready set to "off" when I opened the tender up. Maybe they need to be switched to "on" but most times the manual wants all board mounted DIP switches set to "off" when adding a DCC Decoder to them. The instructions did not say anything specific about the tender other than it requires it's own separate 55021 & 55026 interface cable. I don't know if anyone else has any expereince with these tender boards or not but I will assume they probably should stay in the off position.

 

[Loco]

You might find information in this thread:

Roco z21 with LGB "serial" system via Massoth eMotion L

After my MTS-I died, I upgraded to a Roco z21 XL which I've mostly been very happy with. Caveat: Roco's idea of state-of-the-art home networking is still stuck about 5 years ago. The z21 ships with a companion home wireless gateway and a fixed IP address that matches the settings on the...

www.gscalecentral.net

 

[Dan]

What system are you using as you are pushing F1 multiple times, that is what the MTSI required. All the rest of the MTS systems will do parallel mode but assume serial on first time on the rails, one must activate parallel mode on new setups, (F then 9).

 

[R. Wolfe]

Massoth.

 

[R. Wolfe]

Problem Solved!! Yes!!! It goes against everything I was taught but here it is. You have to set the address for both the locomotive & tender together on the programing track at the same time. I set the locomotive first to address 18. I then tried to set the tender to address 18 but it would not set. I then hooked a motor block to the tender decoder and it changed to address 18. Now they are address matched. Still no work. Repeated same steps again but this time address 3. Still no work. Next I placed the Locomotive and tender hooked to motor block all together on the programing track and again chose CV1 and set to 3 at the same time togheter. It worked! I disconnected the motor block from the tender and plugged the decoder wires back to the tender board. With locomotive and tender on track at same time, I changed address to 18 and it worked. Problem solved!