Help wanted: Digitrax DB200+ Booster Loconet Issue

[kiwi_bnsf]

Hi there,

I have a bizarre issue with a Digitrax system at a friend's layout. He has just purchased two brand new DB200+ boosters, and we can't get either of them working.

He already has a DCS100 command station, and a DB150 booster. Eeverything runs fine, the loco net is okay, and we can use an older DT400 and brand new DT402 without any problems. The DCS100 is a few years old, but is the later model with the removable wiring terminals.

As soon as we connect either of the new DB200+ boosters to the Loconet, the loco net light on the DCS100 goes out, and the DT400 (or DT402) drops out to an error or no display. As soon as we unplug the DB200+ from the Loconet, everything returns to normal.

We have completely reset the DCS100 (via OpSw 39). We have even tried reduced the wiring to the bare minimum (i.e. no connections to the track). We have tried both to the brand new DB200+ units, and we get the same issue.

Just to confirm:
   - the DCS100 and DB200+ are on independent power supplies
   - the loco net cables are tested and we get full lights with an LT4
   - the DB200+ has the jumper between sync and ground
   - we have tried joining the grounds on the DCS100 and DB200+ with no change
   - we have tried reducing things to just the DCS100 and DB200+ and a throttle
   - we have tried multiple loco net cables

The issue occurs even if we connect the DB200+ to the loco net when the DB200+ has no power.

If we do power up the DB200+ without the loconet plugged in, we get constant beeping from the booster indicating a lack of Loconet, but this stops as soon as we plug in the loco net. We do get a track power light on the DB200+ and we get voltage on the tracks, however we can't send any loco net commands.

Monitoring the loco net via JMRI shows no traffic as soon as the DB200+ is connected. The DT400 (or DT402) both become unresponsive as soon as the DB200+ is connected to the loco net.


I've Googled this issue, and re-read the Digitrax documentation, but can't see what the cause might be.

Am I missing something really fundamental?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Kind Regards

Tim

[PAL_Houston]

I am curious:  did you make your Loconet cables, or buy factory ones?

[mmyers]

Tim,
 Have you gotten chance to try those special rail sync only cables? Just wondering if it worked.

Martin Myers

[kiwi_bnsf]

Hi there,

We've not had a chance to test yet - just trying to find a time that works for everyone.

To date we've only tested with Digitrax-brand and home-crimped fully-wired straight-thru RJ11 cables.

I will be sure to post an update once we find out more.

Cheers

Tim

[kiwi_bnsf]

Hi there,

Just in case anyone ever searches and finds this thread, the end-result was a factory fault with the loconet sockets on both the boosters.

We swapped all cables, terminal blocks, and were able to reproduce the fault with a different (Zephyr Xtra) command station.

The only workaround was to connect only the white and blue wires (outermost of the six loconet cables), and this yielded a reliable booster-only loconet cable (rail sync only). As soon as known-good Loconet cable with all six wires was used, the Loconet would go offline on the command station.

Thanks to Martin Myers on the Digitrax Yahoo Group for the fix.

Cheers

Tim