BLI T1, dead again

[propmeup1]

 ,  Well it happened again to one of my three T1s. Same exact thing that has happen to several on my BLI engines.   The T1 was in for repair, new decoder,   a few months ago. Two of them for that mater.  Upon returning they ran great for several months now,. No issues what so ever.  I was really getting sucked in thinking that BLI has fixed them for good. 
    Last night she was running around and suddenly stopped dead.  Runs in reverse only. nothing fwd. All the sounds are there but just won't move fwd.   I tried the reset with the button in the tender and CV8 with 8 value.
    My BLI engines are getting to the point where it almost feels like a car I had when I was 18, Chevy Vega.  Every time I would get in it I would almost say a prayer hoping it would start.  I can't count how much i've spent on postage just returning engines to BLI over the past five years.
   Does anyone else have this much trouble with BLI engines.    So far the three 2-8-2s are perfect runners but i'm sure i just now jinxed myself.

[C855B]

[jdcolombo]

My advice:

Strip out the BLI Paragon decoder and replace it with an ESU LokSound.  You've probably spent enough in postage sending the engines back and forth, not to mention the lost run time, to do this.

I took the Paragons out of my BLI PA's and my BLI Mikes, and have never had a problem since.  Plus they sound better and run better with the ESU's.  I've been replacing the Paragons in a bunch of HO stuff for friends, because they are just as flakey in that scale. 

It's gotten to the point where I mentally just price in the cost of a LokSound for a BLI engine.  Then I decide if I want it at that price.  Makes my life much calmer.

John C.

[propmeup1]

I have a spare Tsunami 2 here. I'll try that one.  Some like chocolate and some like vanilla. Tsunamis sound better to my ear but i still can't tune a guitar without a tuner.   Too bad they won't sell them without decoders. So now my $295 loco will go up another $107 but yes i've spent that in shipping just the two centipede sets over and over four time.

[propmeup1]

I was thinking and i know that's a dangerous pass time.  If you ever look at BLI's refurb store how many locos are there. Got to wonder how they stay going with all the refurbs they get and shipping cost.   

[peteski]

I was thinking and i know that's a dangerous pass time.  If you ever look at BLI's refurb store how many locos are there. Got to wonder how they stay going with all the refurbs they get and shipping cost.

By charging a huge markup on their models! Those super-nice and wonderful Paragon3 decoders they force-feed to the modelers probably cost them $20 a piece. So, they have a nice cushion.


All kidding aside (I have no clue about how much those really cost), the symptom you describing could be a blown transistor (or 2) in the H-bridge circuit.  That is the part of a decoder which drives the motor.  It contains a pair of transistors for each travel direction.    If one transistor (or a pair, for the same direction) blow, the loco will move one way, but not the other.  But if course the is not really helpful to you, since those are not user-serviceable parts (even if you could get the parts).  I suppose there could be other causes of the problem, but this one seems most likely.

[propmeup1]

that does make sense.   

[Point353]

If one transistor (or a pair, for the same direction) blow, the loco will move one way, but not the other.  But if course the is not really helpful to you, since those are not user-serviceable parts (even if you could get the parts).  I suppose there could be other causes of the problem, but this one seems most likely.

It might be possible to repair the decoder if you could find out the part number for the transistor.
Digi-Key and/or Mouser would likely have either the same part or a suitable substitute available.
Parts cost should be no more than a couple of dollars.

Some shops that repair laptop computers have the capability to work on surface mount devices.
You'd have to inquire if they would take on the task and compare whatever they might charge with the cost of a new decoder.

[peteski]

It might be possible to repair the decoder if you could find out the part number for the transistor.
Digi-Key and/or Mouser would likely have either the same part or a suitable substitute available.
Parts cost should be no more than a couple of dollars.

Some shops that repair laptop computers have the capability to work on surface mount devices.
You'd have to inquire if they would take on the task and compare whatever they might charge with the cost of a new decoder.

My diagnosis was only an educated guess, so we don't really know whether the actual problem is blown transistor.  Even if it is, the tiny SMD packages have very little identifying information on them, so finding a replacement part would also be difficult (unless BLI provided the part number).  Those transistors are often (but not always) MOSFET, but they could be either N- or P-channel.  Again, more research and some reverse engineering of the circuit would be needed.

[bbunge]

How do you know that isn't a running gear problem?  I've had several steamers get out of quarter and will only run in one direction.

Just wondering.

Bob

[propmeup1]

That was the first thing I checked. Also in reverse there was no wobble nor any before she stopped dead.  But that's a good point you made.  I always look at the gear to make sure it's all in order.

[eja]

This thread, and many other similar ones, are why I will never purchase a BLI locomotive unless they can demonstrate a huge improvement in their quality control.

Despite the very detailed locomotives, at the price they are sold for, the buyer deserves much more !

[basementcalling]

It's gotten to the point where I mentally just price in the cost of a LokSound for a BLI engine.  Then I decide if I want it at that price.  Makes my life much calmer.

John C.

And this is why the I will never buy a BLI, or maybe any manufacturer's, factory sound equipped engine. They are already overpriced because of the sound mark up, but to have to spend another $80-100 bucks on a different decoder? I get queasy just thinking about it.

[propmeup1]

I do explain how i feel about their locos to BLI when I contact them and I do hope someone at BLI is a member of TRW and reads all of these complaints.

[OldEastRR]

Wait! The loco was just operating as the prototype did .... problems, fixes, problem, fixes, problem, fixes -- then scrap yard. BLI nailed it!