Large Scale Central

Calling All Air Wire Gurus

Electronics Power and Sound
#41

Richard Beverly said:

Hi Bob good to know the G2 is good the 10 volts you got, means nothing other then both lights are burnt out when you hook up a good bulb it will go to 0 volts. until you turn it on and don’t forget you will get full battery voltage for you lights so if you use lgb lights use 15 volt or if you use led’s use a resistor for 15 volts. Now for the sound good to know it was the speaker was bad. for volume the toggle switch is not momentary you must hold it and it works slow. Did you try pushing 7 ? 7 should increases the sound faster then the toggle. 8 lowers sound. I myself do not put the toggle in. Keep us up dated.

Richard

Would pushing 7 and 8 lower/raise the volume even if those buttons were programmed for other functions?

#42

I don’t believe the Phoenix programmer allows you to assign multiple functions to a single function key. If F7 and F8 are programmed for other sounds, you can use the programmer to assign volume up/down to another pair of function keys. (F17 and F18?)

Note that the G2 is separate from the Phoenix, so it may be possible to have lighting functions assigned to F7 and F8 on the G2, which would also trigger whatever is programmed to F7 and F8 on the Phoenix.

Later,

K

#43

Kevin,
Been awhile since I played with Phoenix but I think that it will allow multiple assignments on a function key and show that when displayed on a computer. It will of course not show if a function key is assigned in a Airwire decoder and also in a Phoenix sound board. I usually write down all the function key assignments on a small card and keep it in the loco.

#44

Bob "Would pushing 7 and 8 lower/raise the volume even if those buttons were programmed for other functions? "

when you say function do you mean something with the G2 or a different sound simple answer is no not necessarily why did you get coal loading? If you look at the P8 handbook page 8 it gives you the DCC Function Defaults that come from phoenix but can be changed. http://www.phoenixsound.com/pdf/P8_Handbook.pdf

Richard

#45

Update 10/12/17

We installed the new speaker. The volume toggle does not work, even holding to one side for almost a minute did not increase/decrease the volume, we tried both directions for 1 min each. On the back of the TX, the installer has F7 as a “water fill” sound function and F8 as a sound mute. Neither work.

Since we dont have any of the LGB incandescent bulbs, I created an LED test light, I hooked up 2 leads, the positive with a 680ohm resistor in line (based on the LED resistor calculator) and touched it to the terminals (both forward and reverse) and nothing, pressed the 0 key and still nothing. We are getting 13.5v on those terminals and at both bulb receptacles. When I touch the test light on the battery inputs on the G2, the LED lights up. I checked it and it is the same 13.5v. Pressing 0 does nothing.

It seems that the installer reprogrammed things, it looks like the owner may need to purchase a T9000 to reprogram. If we could just get the lights working, he would be fine with that.

The owner is looking for the LGB bulbs and is going to check with a local dealer this week.

He also has a Shay that has the Airwire system and pressing 0 turns the headlight off and on.

Thoughts?

#46

I’m not sure about the G2, but I can I describe the way the newer AirWire receivers interact with the P8 in case that provides any clues.

The Airwire decoder receives a DCC data stream over RF from the throttle. If a packet is addressed to the receiving decoder, it operates the motors, lights, etc. If it’s a speed, direction, or function packet, addressed to the receiving decoder, the decoder replaces the address with “3” and retransmits it to the P8, or whatever module is attached. So in the manual when it says that changing the decoder address also changes the P8’s address, what they really mean is that the P8 is always going to see address “3”, regardless of the address of the decoder itself, but only packets addressed to the decoder of interest will be retransmitted to its attached sound module.

Even if the decoder has a function assigned to a light or other function (smoke, cruise control), it still retransmits it to the P8, so you can have a decoder function and P8 trigger/function on the same function.

#47

Sorry to hear your not having a good time Bob. Did you try any other buttons with test light? If i where you i’d hook up your led pos. to 8 and neg to 5 put loc. in forward but don’t run now push 1 thru 0 slow and see if the light lights up if not unhook 5 and put in 6 and go thru the numbers again.

Richard

Oh and Bob the T9000 is obsolete the current one is a T5000 for programming

#48

As far as the P8 goes, it sounds like it has lost its programming, or is listening on the wrong address. The volume up and down functions have to be assigned, and can be disabled in the programming software.

#49

Eric G2 is different the P8 has to be on the same address for it to work.

Richard

#50

Oh, ok. Disregard. I wonder if there is a mismatch between the decoder and P8 addresses. Though rereading the thread, he did say that they got the bell and horn to work at one point. Idle and chuff would would work even in the case of an address mismatch.

It would be helpful to dump the P8 to the software and see how it’s set up. I wonder if someone in the club has an interface cable.

#51

Yes Eric that would tell a lot not just the address.

Richard

#52

Richard Beverly said:

Sorry to hear your not having a good time Bob. Did you try any other buttons with test light? If i where you i’d hook up your led pos. to 8 and neg to 5 put loc. in forward but don’t run now push 1 thru 0 slow and see if the light lights up if not unhook 5 and put in 6 and go thru the numbers again.

Richard

Oh and Bob the T9000 is obsolete the current one is a T5000 for programming

I had the light hooked up to 5 and 8 and the throttle set to forward…pressed all buttons 0-9, sounds (bell, whistle, crossing whistle) all worked yet no lights. I hooked up to 6 and 7, throttle in reverse, tried all the buttons and no lights. What is strange is we are getting 13.5v at the light sockets. The owner recenly changed to Li-ion battery packs (14.4v) The LED test light I made only needed 3.2v for the LED to light.

Thanks for all the help/advice

#53

Bob you are going to get voltage on till you hook up a good light then it will go to 0 you need to put the resistor back on the led. The only other thing that you can do is make sure RF1300 is on the same speed step as the decoder.

Richard

#54

Since the lights are wired with common positive voltage, the terminals for each should go to ground when the lights are meant to be on. When you say that you are getting 13.5v at the light socket, is that with respect to ground, or actually across the two contacts in the socket? If it’s with respect to ground (battery -), then it’s normal, since one side of the lamp is always connected to terminal 8, which is held at battery + (13.5v).

#55

yes, if the G2 function “output” is not on, then you will read (with respect to the minus battery terminal) full battery voltage at the function “output” and on either side of the bulb, since with no current flowing, the full voltage will be everywhere in the circuit.

With the “output” enabled, you should measure 0 volts at the function “output” (TM#2 terminal 5 for front headlight) but still full voltage on the common (TM#2 terminal 8)

Just to confirm, the G2 has been through a full reset right?

Greg

#56

Eric Reuter said:

Since the lights are wired with common positive voltage, the terminals for each should go to ground when the lights are meant to be on. When you say that you are getting 13.5v at the light socket, is that with respect to ground, or actually across the two contacts in the socket? If it’s with respect to ground (battery -), then it’s normal, since one side of the lamp is always connected to terminal 8, which is held at battery + (13.5v).

Eric I thank Bob is getting 13.5v across the two contacts i believe he has said this before and i have said this is normal I have a G2 in front of me and checked it again. With the G2 turned on with no load I get battery voltage between 5 and 8. Now hook up a good light (load) with off I get 0 voltage between 5 and 8 same goes for 6 and 8 , 7 is same as 8 . Now hit 0 the light comes on full voltage 5 and 8 same goes in reverse for 6 and 8 . This is why i told him he had some bad bulbs.

Richard

#57

Thanks for all of the help…

Greg - Yes, full reset of the board.

Get full 13.5v at both terminal 5 and 8 and 6 and 8 as well as as the bulb sockets, both front and rear.

I think until we can find some LGB bulbs, we are stuck for now. Not sure why the LED light I hooked up didnt work, unless the G2 is not sending the signal (most likely)

I think the owner is looking at picking up a T5000 TX so we can reprogram things (especially the volume)

I’ll report back once we get the bulbs

#58

Bob did you check to make sure the 1300 was on speed step 28 the G2 with a reset will on speed step 28. I do not know why but if you are not on the same speed step with the

G2 the lights will not work right.

Richard

#59

Richard Beverly said:

Bob did you check to make sure the 1300 was on speed step 28 the G2 with a reset will on speed step 28. I do not know why but if you are not on the same speed step with the

G2 the lights will not work right.

Richard

Richard,

I was just reading about that, I will look into that the next time we work on the unit.

Thanks