marklin-users.net community | Forum

 
Welcome to the forum   
Welcome Guest! To enable all features please Login or Register.

Notification

Icon
Error
Did I kill the mfx decoder?
Share
Options
View
Go to last post in this topic Go to first unread post in this topic
Previous Topic Next Topic
Offline MartinS  
#1 Posted : 07 January 2025 21:03:17(UTC)
Retweet
MartinS

Sweden   
Joined: 27/05/2020(UTC)
Posts: 12
Location: Linkoping
Hi all,

Before realizing that the mDecoderTool is only for the mSD/3 decoders, I took out a factory-installed mfx+ decoder from a loco and connected to the decoder, in an attempt to read its contents. Of course the decoder tool failed to read the decoder, and I put it back in the loco. But now the loco seems completely unresponsive. Did I kill the decoder by using the decoder tool on it?

Regards,
Martin
Back to top

Wish to join the discussion?! Login to your marklin-users.net community | Forum accountor Register a new forum account. Or Connect via Facebook  
Back to top  
Offline JohnjeanB  
#2 Posted : 07 January 2025 21:36:32(UTC)
Retweet
JohnjeanB

France   
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC)
Posts: 3,550
Location: Paris, France
Hello Martin
No cristal ball here but it seems to me that chances are the decoder has only been garbled (not sure here) especially when only trying to read variables)
The factory-installed decoders are the same as the mSD3 ones but some programming is locked
I would try a decoder reset using DCC, address 03 and writing CV8 = 8

Make sure the decoder has been installed the correct way w/o bent pins
My little experience in dying MFX decoders is that they lose some fonctionalities and when resetting they never register anew
Cheers
Jean
My layout videos
latest vid
marshalling yard
My Layout
Back to top
Offline MartinS  
#3 Posted : 07 January 2025 23:10:10(UTC)
Retweet
MartinS

Sweden   
Joined: 27/05/2020(UTC)
Posts: 12
Location: Linkoping
Ok, thanks for the tip. But I think this is one of the older decoders without DCC. At least the loco manual (37756, or rather the 26805 set) doesn't mention DCC support.

Well, I'll try to fiddle with it a bit more before I start thinking about replacing the decoder.


Regards,
Martin
Back to top
Offline bph  
#4 Posted : 07 January 2025 23:38:49(UTC)
Retweet
bph

Norway   
Joined: 04/08/2018(UTC)
Posts: 1,144
Originally Posted by: MartinS Go to Quoted Post
Hi all,

Before realizing that the mDecoderTool is only for the mSD/3 decoders, I took out a factory-installed mfx+ decoder from a loco and connected to the decoder, in an attempt to read its contents. Of course the decoder tool failed to read the decoder, and I put it back in the loco. But now the loco seems completely unresponsive. Did I kill the decoder by using the decoder tool on it?

Regards,
Martin


Using the mDecoderTool with a factory installed decoder does not kill it. You can use the mDecoderTool + 60971 to upgrade the firmware in the factory installed mfx+ decoders and use "show decoder data". but unfortunately little else.
Did you upgrade the decoder firmware ? what controller do you use ?

if the decoder is truly dead, it might have been because of something else, e.g shorting something, static electricity other faults etc.

try the reset JohnjeanB suggested, but try to use MM protocol.




Back to top
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by bph
Offline kiwiAlan  
#5 Posted : 08 January 2025 01:35:00(UTC)
Retweet
kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,455
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: bph Go to Quoted Post
Originally Posted by: MartinS Go to Quoted Post
Hi all,

Before realizing that the mDecoderTool is only for the mSD/3 decoders, I took out a factory-installed mfx+ decoder from a loco and connected to the decoder, in an attempt to read its contents. Of course the decoder tool failed to read the decoder, and I put it back in the loco. But now the loco seems completely unresponsive. Did I kill the decoder by using the decoder tool on it?

Regards,
Martin


Using the mDecoderTool with a factory installed decoder does not kill it. You can use the mDecoderTool + 60971 to upgrade the firmware in the factory installed mfx+ decoders and use "show decoder data". but unfortunately little else.
Did you upgrade the decoder firmware ? what controller do you use ?

if the decoder is truly dead, it might have been because of something else, e.g shorting something, static electricity other faults etc.

try the reset JohnjeanB suggested, but try to use MM protocol.


My suspicion is that the decoder is not an msd/3 but the first generation msd, which also do mfx+. Unfortunately they don't seem to have built the necessary into the the programmer to identify these decoders.
Back to top
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by kiwiAlan
Offline mike c  
#6 Posted : 08 January 2025 02:54:06(UTC)
Retweet
mike c

Canada   
Joined: 28/11/2007(UTC)
Posts: 8,216
Location: Montreal, QC
You have to be careful when working on decoders. I mistakenly popped the decoder of my 37342 Re 4/4II back upside down. I quickly removed it and put it back the right way, but it was too late. Fortunately I had saved the project and was able to load it onto a similar ESU decoder. The locomotive does not know the difference today.

Regards

Mike C
Back to top
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by mike c
Offline MartinS  
#7 Posted : 08 January 2025 10:46:41(UTC)
Retweet
MartinS

Sweden   
Joined: 27/05/2020(UTC)
Posts: 12
Location: Linkoping

Quote:

My suspicion is that the decoder is not an msd/3 but the first generation msd, which also do mfx+. Unfortunately they don't seem to have built the necessary into the the programmer to identify these decoders.


Yes, I think so too.
Back to top
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by MartinS
Offline MartinS  
#8 Posted : 08 January 2025 10:50:14(UTC)
Retweet
MartinS

Sweden   
Joined: 27/05/2020(UTC)
Posts: 12
Location: Linkoping
Originally Posted by: mike c Go to Quoted Post
You have to be careful when working on decoders. I mistakenly popped the decoder of my 37342 Re 4/4II back upside down. I quickly removed it and put it back the right way, but it was too late. Fortunately I had saved the project and was able to load it onto a similar ESU decoder. The locomotive does not know the difference today.

Regards

Mike C


Right. I actually also put it on upside down on the decoder tool at first, but I can't quite remember if I turned on the power before realizing this and turned around the decoder. So I might have damaged it that way. Well, I will try the reset and some more to see if I can get in back in order.
Thanks for the feedback!
Back to top
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by MartinS
Users browsing this topic
Guest
Forum Jump  
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.

| Powered by YAF.NET | YAF.NET © 2003-2025, Yet Another Forum.NET
This page was generated in 0.435 seconds.