Dereck, although I have hundreds of locos and a large amount of steam locos I find it ever harder to program the chuff rotation to an exceptable level, there are so many CV's now you have to alter to get the right chuff and its taken me hours to do so. I can't get my head around to understand all the CV's parameters when it comes to steam chaffs. , the earlier decoders made it a little bit more simple but as the technology improved I've drifted back. One of these days I may ask for help on the ESU forum to understand the different CV's parameters which are responsible for the right chuff movement.
I also thought with an improved Loksound decoder, manufacturers would make it easier instead of making it more difficult to program the chuffs, the Loksound from a particular steam loco.,, why can't they program it for you.

sorry can't help as I have difficulties programming it myself and explaining it to you what I've done most probably works differently with each loco.


John

The manual Lasse provided is for a Loksound 4, not a 5. The LS5 has about twice as many CVs as a Loksound 4, and they don't necessarily match up.

The LS5 manual is available here.

This is an ideal application for being able to use a program like JMRI to look at the CVs and adjust them, but unfortunately it won't work with an ms2.

If you know anyone with a DCC system, and can connect a computer that would be a great advantage.

Also get yourself onto the yahoo Loksound group. There are a number of people who are very knowledgeable about LS decoders and can help you. You may be able to find enough information just browsing the messages.

It's easy once you get the hang of it.

To really do it properly you need to either have a dyno track (too expensive) or what I do - rest the loco upside down with bared wires hooked into the slider and a wheel axle.
This lets you drive it for long enough to check the sync.

Then, follow the manual: You need to have your motor tuned first. You can change the top speed value later without it affecting sync, but not the motor voltage which is what you usually change to limit top speed so it has to be set to what you want.

Start off with a stopwatch and time one revolution, then divide the value by 4. This gives a very close estimate for your standard 2 cylinder locomotive, which is 4 chuffs a revolution.

Then set that value into CV57 and watch how close it is (for at least a dozen revolutions). Make changes as required, then up the speed and make the adjustments to CV58 as required.

My only problem is I can get CV57 (speed 1) OK but then CV58 can vary a bit between say 1/4 speed and full speed (ie. too fast at quarter speed but too fast at top speed)
You just need to make the best compromise there, depending on what speed its normally driven at.