New install issues

[William Brillinger]

Note: I edited the photo size in the post above so the images could be fully seen without scrolling. (I set width=800)

[Alan]

It appears the case melted above the SMD tantalum capacitor (A337J). Tantalum caps get very hot when reversed biased or sometimes even explode.

I had another thought tonight while resting my mind (read dozing) before checking back here, which I'll get to. Alan, the melting of the case is on the 6 pin end, not the 9 pin end where A337J is.  My theory is the audio amplifier was being over driven (too little speaker resistance?). Given that the melting of the case is exactly in line with the speaker wires on the 6 pin JST gives some credit to my theory. On the reverse side of the board, ACN E AL (10 pin IC  top right of picture of board underside) is the vicinity of where the heat was generated. The melt even has the same shape as ACN E AL.

- Tim

Makes perfect sense and the evidence fits the crime. I feel like I just watched an episode of Monk.

[Blueleader]

Well I just tossed that speaker into the garbage to be safe, even though it tested at 8 ohms resistance. Thanks again for the input guys. Since I can't verify a specific issue through observation and/or vu meter I'm just going to put the loco on the shelf and run it only in DC. I cannot afford to burn up modules. I think I will start off with a much lower priced diesel GP9 or GP38 I have and wire it for RP and testing everything very carefully first. I contacted RP and got an RMA # for the HC-2. They suggested checking for and using the find product using password feature...Which I have tried already and besides I never set a password when I used the cl1.
I just shipped the kit back to Ring for the faulty HC-2 and that cost me $20 in shipping costs. DCC is looking better by the minute.

[TwinStar]

No amount of 'I've never had this problem' will make you feel better. But this is interesting as this is a rare anomaly with RE. I'm curious to see what the culprit is.

But don't think DCC doesn't have these problems as well. In fact, they have more. I've been involved in Free-mo for a decade now and there probably isn't a larger user of Digitrax equipment of which I've owned my fair share. I had two DB100a boosters die that I had to send both back for repair and once they were unsupported I had to cannibalize one to save the other. I had a hardware failure on a UR92 antenna and a memory and battery replacement issue on a DCS100. Just this weekend by buddies DT402D throttle had buttons 4-7 fail and it's going to head back to the shop. This recent Free-mo setup also had three locomotives die and one runway 'who is controlling my locomotive' while the owner grabbed his train moment.  And that's just what I saw in one day out of three. None of this stuff is perfect but I find RailPro to be far, far better.   

This is unfortunate and I'm curious to see what the final culprit is.

[Alan]

...
This is unfortunate and I'm curious to see what the final culprit is.

As am I.

[PatP]

...
This is unfortunate and I'm curious to see what the final culprit is.

Me as well. Sorry for the bad experience.

Be sure and let us know what they find, and Ring will let you know. I found out today that the LM-3S I messed up a couple of weeks ago was "cause by shorting one of the motor wire to another power wire", which was my OCD trying to use the white wire on the 6-pin for a light output. I mean that's what the one on the 9-pin is for.

PatP

[G8B4Life]

Makes perfect sense and the evidence fits the crime. I feel like I just watched an episode of Monk.

I too would like to know the final outcome.

Never watched Monk, but searching SMD codes to try and see what's what with the IC that we think is in question, I believe it's one of this family: https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/products/analog/audio/MAX9700D.html. This is probably more interest to Alan than everyone else. If that is indeed the IC on the board (remember, speculation it is) I imagine that given it's output rating it wouldn't take much to overdrive it.

Looking at Blueleaders pic, is it possible that the speaker was resting somewhere against the model and it could have vibrated enough to short the speaker terminals to the frame of the loco or something else? It would explain a sudden loss of impedance (I should have used that term yesterday) which would overdrive the amplifier very quickly.

DCC is looking better by the minute.

Blueleader, I am very sad to hear that comment. I think you'd be much more frustrated by DCC from the outset though. Now, if the HC was faulty straight from the box then ideally either Trainworld (if you had sent it back to them) or RE should really cover your return postage. They may not be required to by law but I'd certainly be asking for it.

- Tim

[nodcc4me]

DCC is looking better by the minute.

"Blueleader, I am very sad to hear that comment. I think you'd be much more frustrated by DCC from the outset though."
- Tim
[/quote]
Yes, that is a saddening comment. It is nice to be able to remove DCC equipped locomotives from the box, place them on the rails and watch them run, but making settings modifications is a nightmare, even with JMRI. I have watched my DCC friends struggle for hours to get an engine to run the way they want it to. Don't even mention speed matching.

Installing a LM and speaker can be a challenge, particularly when hard wiring, but once that's done, settings are a breeze. I wouldn't trade RP for DCC under any circumstances. Perhaps at some point, we'll be able to buy RP equipped locomotives with sound, but I would think that is a ways off.

[Blueleader]

I'm just frustrated that after saving for 6 months I get a new HC that won't work and somehow fried a module. My Dad was an electrical engineer and excellent mechanic and he taught me everything over decades. I can and have wired a house and a 37 Ford pickup we restored together keeping the flathead V8 and rebuilt starters and rebuilt 12 ALCO Athearn PA1 all running great with led lights added and on and on. I can weld, prep and paint a car flawlessly, build my on high performance pc's, kill a deer at 400 yards with one shot in a wind, rebuild a V8 motor in a day adding a supercharger and program it with an SCT tuner, save lives with my USAF combat medic training...And I have, build a beautiful piece of furniture or restore an antique Victor Victrola...because I have, and on and on. All of this I can easily prove as skills I have and shows that I pay attention to details and have exceptional intelligence...with 2 college Bachelors Degrees in Science and a Masters to back it up 😊 So I will give it another try but if I get back a faulty HC its over and I will stick with Smart DC for several more years.

[KPack]

Tim will take care of you, I wouldn't sweat it.  Very unusual for there to be hardware problems but it can certainly happen.

I had a brand new LM-2S fry once for no apparent reason.  Same thing as you but without the melting.  Everything was properly installed (I've installed tons of these) and I doubled checked the wiring.  Locomotive ran fine during testing, then I just had it sitting on the track with the sound idling... Next thing I know I hear a quick screech and magic smoke coming out of the top of the loco. Quickly pulled it off the track and the module was toast.

Sent it back to Tim and he found that there was an errant piece of solder that had somehow broken loose inside and shorted out a couple things.  Tim took care it and all is well.

Kevin

[darryl.trains]

Anyone that decides to go back to DCC, heaven forbid, there is always a resale market for used or new RP products. Ask me how I know?  The old fardt in Yuma

[Blueleader]

Anyone that has had an HC repaired...How long did it take? They took delivery of my new HC Thursday and I haven't heard a word from them.

[KPack]

Mine was a few days, but that was years ago before Ring had a much larger customer base.  Keep in mind also that Tim is right at the tail end of a massive software update that has been consuming all of his time.  Shoot him an email as a reminder and ask for a status update.  He'll get back with you today I'm sure.

-Kevin

[William Brillinger]

Usually it only takes a few days, but Ring is not the best about sending out followup emails. It could already be on it's way back to you.

You can call Tim Ring at (219) 322-0279 and find out right away.

[PatP]

Anyone that has had an HC repaired...How long did it take? They took delivery of my new HC Thursday and I haven't heard a word from them.

Haven't had an HC repaired but, just got back an LM-3S that I shorted out. Took a couple of weeks. Got an email when they were shipping it back explaining what they found.

PatP