RailPro > RailPro Specific Help & Discussion
LM-4S-G Erratic behavior/Intermittent "Cannot Connect"
jordanhd87:
--- Quote from: trainman605 on December 20, 2022, 08:56:54 AM ---I have no answer to your problem, but think it's 99% your track power, intermittent voltage from the track probably effects the Rail Pro module to function as it should. If it works on battery power 100% of the time then you have your answer, just my personal thoughts on this. I know what I would do if I had a track powered layout outside, change to battery power and be done with it, no track cleaning and no track power connections to deal with.
trainman
--- End quote ---
If that is the case, then Ring has designed these modules poorly and should not market this unit as being able to run off of track power. I would not have bought RailPro if I knew it couldn't run reliably from track power.
The battery topic is a whole different animal. The way I run and the duration I run, I would have some serious concessions going battery power. I am well aware and well versed on keeping track connections clean and in good conductive shape. I have tools to clean the track thoroughly and easily. Neither one of these things are a drawback in my particular case. However, constantly having to charge batteries, have limited runtime, spend another $100+ per locomotive on batteries, (not to mention finding battery solutions for running rolling stock lighting) are all big drawbacks for me.
The USAT power supply should be here tomorrow. I'll test with it and see if it fixes my issues.
Gibs:
Ok, just humor me and the rest of us, just hook up a battery temporary to your worst loco and see if it makes any difference. Its just that what you describe your issue as smacks of a power outage glitch, so lets just eliminate the easiest one to check first.
PS: I didn't see the posts above. Just a bit of FYI, Brass is in fact a terrible CONTACT conductor, why, because it will tarnish right before your eyes straight after giving it a good clean/polish. Internally brass is fine, but surface to surface not so flash. Its why its not used in any switching capacity in electrical equipment. More expensive Silver and Gold is used on contact surfaces because it will not Tarnish. Its one of the reasons guys into G Scale go Battery rather than track for power, since brass track is cheaper than whats needed, Stainless Steel Track for outside. Even Aluminium has the same problem as Brass but faster yet again.
Anyway try the new power supply but I'd still be keen to see if a battery powered loco has the same issues. If it doesn't then you will know 100% that its NOT power related but rather a Signal issue with either the Modules or the HC.
Is there any one who has a RailPro set up living close by, you could use their HC to eliminate that as well. They don't even have to be into G scale.
gregeusa:
I have G scale track power outside. I do have stainless steel and I am DCC.
Long ago, DCC decoders would go nuts with the smallest glitch in power, resetting the microprocessor in most cases.
That was 10 years ago, modern decoders no longer have that issue, having internal 5 or 3.5 volt power supplies that are designed to keep the micro alive during short glitches.
The addition of "keep-alive" capacitor banks also help really bad power pickup issues, but I have about 40-60 locos and not one has a keep-alive.
Sounds like the RP unit is sensitive to power glitches, and forcing someone to battery is like turning the clock back 10 years in design. With the overall cost of the electronics, this is an issue that can be easily and economically solved and HAS BEEN solved with other systems.
(It still needs to be proved that the behavior here needs to be "proved" that it is coming from power glitches, maybe the voltage being higher is causing the issue, we had the similar thing in G scale where track voltage is often 24 volts and many DCC manufacturers that "came from" HO had issues with the higher voltage, like SoundTraxx)
Anyway, there is no reason to "force" someone to battery for a deficient design (to be proved).
Greg
jordanhd87:
Greg - I completely agree. For what it's worth the LM-4S-G manual states maximum input voltage is 28v, and in parenthesis, absolute maximum 30v. I am well below those values @23.2 volts. Admittedly I do not have the equipment to test for transient voltage spikes, however my brother has access to an oscilloscope which we are going to look at the output on my current power supplies and see if we spot anything odd with the waveform. Also, the USAT supply is "out for delivery" so I should have that in my hands today for testing.
jordanhd87:
Hi All,
Alright I got the USAT train power 10 supply and am bench testing my locomotives on it. RP fails to connect 75% of the time if I set the voltage output to 19-20 volts. If I go full power (25v) they were all connecting. Also, reading the voltage input on the handheld, it was right at 24v (to be expected with a small drop from lights and fans running). As I was resetting my full motor current values on all of my locomotives (being that the voltage is higher), after I got it set on my last locomotive I tilted it sideways and put it back on the track. It would not reconnect. I even disconnected the track leads from the power supply and connected them to a 24v battery, and it wouldnt even connect if powered from the battery. Waited 5 minutes, tried powering it again from the battery, and it connects. At this point I don't know what to do other than pull all my modules and send them to Tim.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version