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DCC Engine Runs In Reverse?
Les asks readers:
“My DCC engine only runs in reverse. I bought a used Lifeline Proto 2000 Series SD60M engine with DCC (no sound). I use an MRC Tech 6 Sound Controller 2.0 power pack. The engine checked out fine on the store’s test track and I have had no problem with the MRC on both my DC and DCC Sound engines. But the SD60 will only run in reverse and only in the Standard Mode. It does not move, light up, etc. in DCC Mode. There is no manual for the SD60, and I have no real skill with programming DCC. Can someone help with getting the engine to run as it should? Thank you very much.”
2 Responses to DCC Engine Runs In Reverse?
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This is a weird problem. Since you bought it used, I wonder if the DCC decoder is factory installed or was put in by some user? Either way, since it worked fine at the store, and not at home, it could be that something changed inside the engine. A wire might be getting caught in a gear in the forward direction, but not reverse. I doubt you have a bad connection because it still works, but the decoder may need to be reset to clear this “glitch”. You can program decoders to run reverse, but it would still be able to go forward, and yours don’t. You need to have it checked out by someone with Decoder programming experience. But in the mean time, I would pull off the shell and do an inspection of the installation. You can go back to the store and see if it still works fine there. If it does, then you may have a DCC system compatibility issue with the decoder in your loco on you home layout.
Strange is right, If it runs in standard DC both ways then it is not the motor. Have you done a Factory reset of the engine. Go to CV 008 and set it to 008. That will set the chip back to factory default setting like it is when you get the chip. Check to see that the gray and orange wire from the chip goes to the motor contacts and the red and the black go to the plus and negative of the wheels. The rest of the wires are for other things such as lights. Oh Yes while you are checking it out most motors were grounded to the frame before DCC was installed. MAKE sure that the motor is insulated from the frame and only the orange and gray wire will give it its power. from Newman