Gary mentioned these stay alive's a few weeks back. So always wanting to have smooth running with sound locomotives I decided to give them a go. They will work fine with Zimo, ESUv4 decoders which I have now tested them on over several hours, but having tried and failed to get one to work correctly with a DCC Concepts OWN Brand Zen Buddah, . I contacted them to be told that there is a known firmware problem with "older" decoders, which will be corrected when they produce a new run of their decoders in the next few months. The problem is that when fitted to a zen buddah (and several other sizes of decoder from dcc concepts) when the power is interrupted (ie dirty track) the loco immediately stops and then goes in reverse direction at high speed. Now this issue is some times associated with a decoder been set up for both dc and dcc use, so by altering cv29 to stop the decoder been used on dc track this problem can be stopped. Which indeed it will in this case BUT it also means there is no stay alive what so ever. NOW THIS RAISES A FEW QUESTIONS- 1)Why did they sell me both these items together which they recommended for an o gauge locomotive...knowing there was an issue with the decoder compatibility. 2) Why have they not been fully tested on all available decoders in the market place? , even more worrying when it is not working with one of their own brands. Do they not do tests in house? Apparently not. So buyer beware...make sure you ask them if their High powered stay alive will work with the decoder you intend to fit it to
Thanks for the heads up Kimbo. It is Buddah decoders that I have for all my Heljan O gauge loco's. I have sound for my Heljan class 37 albeit not fitted yet. I'll need to look into it. As you say, to sell you the decoder and stay alive which clearly have a compatibility issue is just wrong. On that basis, what is the alternative to using a Buddah decoder ? Cheers Toto
Hi Toto, could be used to test locos on DCC or used in a large locomotive which has no pickup issues, but as for mine its going back for a refund as I need it to work with a stay alive.
Kim thanks for the heads Up also noted a few other products that they use to swear by like PS2 power supply are no longer listed on there web site. Re the KA Seems like a common complaint with DCC concepts keep alive Decoders attempts, there first atempt at advertising a KA decoder was a flop I tried one it was worse than a standard non KA decoder in a 2-4-0 well tank loco, others I know purchased expecting would help with dead frogs on Peco points and had No effect at all. I've had more luck adding KA's to old decoders by opening up older soundtraxx and TCS decoders don't get as long out of them as with a TCS dedicated KA decoder but saves getting all new Decoders I've got one TCS that the loco will run for 10 -15 seconds with the TCS KA2.
Kim, post your words into Model Rail Forum http://www.modelrailforum.com/forums/index.php?act=home where Richard Johnson of DCCconcepts hangs out and see what response you get there.
Toto wrote: The KA 2, May not work with this decoder from what Kim is sugesting it's more related to the Decoders working parameters and how it's set up to deal with interrupted power supply. Generaly if you can work out the right part of the rectifier (-) on the board and the (+) base you can install a KA that will work.
