Got two TCS AMD4 decoders for my Atlas Trainmasters. These are, allegedly, a simple install similar to the SD35 and SD9 installs which takes the same decoder. I installed the decoders in both Trainmaster locomotives. Neither of the locomotives will move. The lights work even when direction of travel is changed the lights will change with it but that is it. Similar decoders, (different AMD4's) worked fine in my SD35's and my SD9's but no go in the Trainmasters. I'm wondering if I got two bad decoders? I can find no scorch marks on the decoders I should mention that on the programing track I can read the address (003) but all values are shown as 000. I can change the values but that has no effect. Anyone have any ideas?
Did you try applying a small amount of solder to the power pick-up pads on the decoder? That is sometimes necessary in order for the pads to make good electrical contact with the frame. You can sometimes achieve the same result by very carefully bending the frame downward in the area of the pick-up pads. - Jeff
The lights on the decoder board function properly so I doubt if it is a conductivity or contact issue between the frame and the decoder. It is possibly a contact issue with the motor contacts or a bad decoder. Since the motor contacts are under the board and not visible I cannot tell if they are making proper contact.
With the AMD4 decoder there should be two small slots in the decoder board where the motor lead tabs must be feed through- Sometimes hard to do. Then just a small( and I do mean SMALL) bit of solder on the tab to the board. I would also do the pickup tabs as stated above. With out the solder at these places you just looking for problems if or when the loco get jarred around and looses contact.
I agree with Woodone. I also wrap the frame with Kapton tape at the top near where the motor leads could touch. I've installed more than 30 of the AMD4 decoders and they work great. Sometimes the installation is finicky and it is usually the motor leads or the 4 contact points on the decoder where they get the power from the frame halves. A drop of solder really helps in most situations.
The motor contact strips on both locomotives appear to be shorter than on the SD35's. So it may be a contact issue between the decoder and the motor leads. The units run fine with the analog light board but not with the decoder. I have two analog SD35's that I will try these decoders in. If they work then I'll just lengthen the motor contact strips in the Trainmasters.
Well the boards did not work in the SD35's either. Got the same result as with the Trainmasters lights on but nothing else. So these will go back.
What's the issue? I'm close to 85% TCS decoders now and with the 3 I've had a problem, I've sent it back to them using their excellent warranty and received a replacement in a week or two. I haven't gotten into speed matching or some of the more advanced programming so if it's along those lines, I have no idea.
All Atlas Diesel Locomotives that Utilize a Drop-In Decoder Atlas diesel locomotives that feature a drop-in decoder installation have a potential issue with the motor brush leads making good contact with the motor pads on the bottom of the decoder; the motor brush leads can move. This may result in no or intermittent operation. Repeated attempts to align the motor brush leads may or may not be successful. Recent decoders for Atlas locomotives have slots into which the motor tabs can be inserted. Inserting the tabs in the slots, installing the decoder in the frame and then fastening the two halves of the frames together successfully can be very difficult, and frustrating. The best solution is to solder wires between the decoder motor pads and the motor brush leads. Use a very small gauge stranded wire for this purpose (such as the wire used in Digitrax wired decoders). About ¾" long is enough. Strip 1/16" insulation from the ends of each wire. Cut the motor brush leads back about ¼" so they cannot interfere with the solder connection to the decoder motor pads. Solder one wire to the left motor brush lead, then to the left decoder motor pad. Repeat for the right side. Be sure there are no solder bridges between the two decoder motor pads. You must be sure that neither the installed wires nor the copper brush leads can touch the metal frame or you will destroy the decoder. Use small pieces of Kapton tape to prevent shorts. Some recent Atlas locomotives have small metal clips mounted on the four corners of the light board where they contact the frame. Removing the light board may cause the clips to come off the light board (fly off never to be found again; order replacements from Atlas). These clips are very difficult to attach to the decoder so they will stay in place. The solution is to spot solder then in place using a little solder as possible, and then install the decoder. Even after doing this the above issues with the motor tabs may be encountered. https://nrmrc.org/dcc/decoder-installation
Ryan, this may be more of an issue based on volume. But what I have seen lately, friends of mine had see as well. 1 - did not work at all when placed in 4 byte address 2 - would not accept a speed table entry 3 - even with CV5 set to 255, the locomotive, which ran fine on DC, barley gets to 10 smph 4 - waited over 2 months for a warranty replacement, still not here I have installed hundreds of decoders in all sorts of locomotives, I do know what I am doing. I solder all motor leads to the decoders. I have used Digitrax, Lenz, Zimo and TCS decoders. And I have had infantile failure for all manufacturers. I stopped using Digitrax because of all the failures I was seeing with the decoders they baked in the Pizza oven they used for flow soldering in their original location. One Lenz and one Zimo decoder out of hundreds each has failed. TCS was doing pretty well, but I guess they lost focus on the motion decoders chasing all the WOW Sound stuff for the HO market. The commonality with all of the issues with the TCS decoders is with version 88 of the microcode.
