Hi all,

Not the best week for me regarding ESU purchases.

First I had my first ESU locomotive arriving on my doorstep.

A beautiful V200 in blue and beige. In came in a large box from a well known shop in Germany (Modellbahn Shop-Lippe). From them it was packed extreme well for the journey down under in 3 separate boxes with appropriate air plastic bags in between each box. Unfortunately as I got closer to the treasure chest I could hear rumbling loose items. As I open the final ESU box the loco was in pretty bad shape. Lots of lose items broken off. The pickup shoe completely bend and both couplers damage. Some of the bogies was also bend. Apparently ESU ship these engineering loco with a hard plastic bottom with a screw that is screwed into the underside of the loco. Unfortunately mine had come loose or broken off (unable to locate it in the box) and then the loco can move freely around in the ESU box without any padding what so ever.

Anyway the loco is now on the way back to Germany for replacement. I asked the shop to open the ESU box and add some bubble wrap etc. inside the box in case the same ting happens again. The shop has been very kind and will take care of all the cost etc.

Then yesterday evening I just completed installing a loksound decoder (V4 - DCC) in my DSB MY. I wanted a ESU "Full Throttle" feature so downloaded a similar US engine sound and uploaded to decoder. All working perfectly and excellent sound and it is such a pleasure to use Lokprogrammer software. My final task was then to auto calibrate the engine. For those who are not aware of the feature this automatically adjust all the PID (and K) settings by performing a calibration run. You write 0 in CV 54. Put F1 on and the loco will zoom away in max speed for a couple of seconds. Unfortunately I had the engine direction set up wrongly so it became a very short ride till it reach then of the line and a crash landing on the plywood.... Then the software on my PC crashed. After restarting I managed to reload the file again, but notice there was no connection to Lokprogrammer. A quick visual check showed all LED lights off. I had been powered by a new Marklin transformer (6647) using the yellow and brown wire. I tried instead to power it with the little power adaptor that is included, but no luck either here.

The loco is still working fine from my CS3. I am not sure if the crash created shortcut on the programming track but something must have happen to overload the Lokprogrammer? There was no possibility of connection between programming and main tracks and I would assume a shortcut on programming track would not permanently damage the Lokprogrammer. Or maybe it was just a coincidence and I should not use the Marklin transformer for power?

So that will have to go back to Germany as well for repair.

Anyway - life is short and we only live ones so I'll try and be cheerful and hope that my new ESU purchased will have more luck next time around. But I would be interested if anyone know what may have caused my Lokprogrammer to malfunction?

Also the Lokprogrammer is going back to Kieskemper Germany. Do you think they would be ok with English email?

Brgds Lasse

Hi Anders,

Thanks - the v200 was brand new from the shop (item 31086).

Brgds Lasse

Hi John,

According to manual you can either connect the included power adaptor or a model train transformer (there is a small green plug to connect wires).

However they don't mention anything in regards to polarity.

They recommend using a model transformer for larger gauge to ensure there is enough power.

Correct I had the Lokprogrammer connected to PC via a serial com/USB cable. The output from LokProgrammer was then connected to the programming tracks.

It was working fine for a few weeks.

Brgds Lasse