I finished a Sierra sound system install in the F3 today and decided that rather than just buttoning it up and using the default values, I wanted to customize the system to the advantage of the various features, such as throttle span to voltage, when the system powers up, when the bell rings, etc.
These are programmed by setting the train on the track with the motor off, and the setting track voltage for the parameter (e.g., when the bell begins to ring) then pressing a switch to lock the setting.
The problem is when using supercaps, you only have at most a couple minutes at most to set the parameters before you run out of charge. And when you’re setting things such as the bell voltage range from 2 - 6 volts, you can run out of charge before you finish the setting.
I found that the solution was to simply use a 6 volt, AA pack to jumper the supercap when setting these parameters. The unit then programs as normal and the settings are retained in memory even after removal of the AA pack.