# Questions and frustrations about programming QSI magnum



## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

I got my QSI Magnum w/ G wire installed the other day. It worked great until I tried to program it. Now upon startup my loco goes into reverse and runs full throttle until i shut it off with the battery switch. 

I tried to do two simple things 1: change the address and 2: switch to manual chuff. The address "appears" to be changed on the computer interface but my airwire controller can't pick it up. and I couldn't even find the option to change it to manual chuff mode. 

At times all I get are error codes, then the interface will work then nothing. Then it will say it can't find the interface then it will work. I called QSI and the person on the other end of the phone knew less than I did. All in all it has been a very frustrating experience for me. and if I can't get it straightened out soon I'm gonna dump the stuff and just wait for the new airwire.

For the record the loco is a B-mann K-27. It was gutted and rewired. I have a QSI Magnum w/ G wire an Airwire T9000 transmitter and am on 14.8v LIon battery power. oh and I have the QSI quantum programmer. 

any help or tips on or off line would be greatly appreciated.

Terry


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

You do not say specifically, but the error codes are coming from using the QSI programmer, right? 

You are disabling the airwire receiver when you use the programmer, right? You have a disable switch, or have unplugged the connection cable right? 

Let's start there. 

Regards, Greg


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## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah I have a disable switch plus I have direct wired the programmer to the decoder. Quick question about that switch; on the g wire card the switch pads are "open" so should the switch be closed to work or open? 

Oh and yes the error codes come from the programmer


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Shorting those pads disables the radio, a must for operating the programmer. 

Can you read the information from the decoder ok from the programmer? Are you going through the track or a different connection for the programmer? 

You might have to turn off lights... 

Regards, Greg


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## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

Shorting out, so I want the switch closed. Got that. Sometimes I can read the decoder sometimes not. I'm not going through the track, I made a programming jack and when turned on enables the programmer and disables the battery and "shorts" the radio reciever. I have tested it with an ohm meter and it is working. Even moving the plug and shaking the car it reads true. 

While typing this I have been working on the car. It appears I have lost freq 7 (the one I was using) why I don't know but on diff freqs I can again control the loco. Now if I can only figure out the programming. and why it drops the programmer interface. 

and by the way thx for the help. 
Terry


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## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

The next thing I have noticed is that the programmer will only stay connected for a short amount of time and if it sits idle it will disconnect. I have to unplug the usb and plug it back in then it works. 

I still haven't found where I can change over to manual chuff yet either.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

That sounds like a computer issue... you did get the USB driver and install it separately? sometimes that is messed up... what operating system? 

I have never had my programmer disconnect... 

Regards, Greg


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Terry, I was able to change the steam chuff from voltage control to trigger control by changing the CV's. Greg walked me through the process almost a year ago. However, I've lost that information from the RAM/ROM between my ears.

Greg was most helpful with the process. CV's are a totally different language for me and I have a hard enough time with American English.   

The 0-4-4-0 that I programmed is still running very nicely under that original program.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I believe that programming tip is on my site, but I think he has a much more fundamental problem, I have NEVER had the programmer disconnect, and have left it on for hours. I'm sure this is the root cause. 

Regards, Greg 

(and of course, I can help you get the programming going.... don't fret, will will figure this one out)


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## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

ok, new day... 

Without being totally frustrated, I'll try to describe whats going on. I apologize if it gets confusing, I type slow so I out think my fingers. 

When I got the programmer, I installed the disc, for whatever reason my PC won't do auto start on discs so I installed the Q1, Q2 and QCV (the only three downloads I found) when I plugged in the USB interface my PC automaticly installed the drivers for it. I got an error that said something to the effect of "not a verified user could corrupt your pc. (i didn't fret too much, most non HP things I put on there say this) 

When I first plugged in the loco in I got nothing. Finally after unplugging and plugging the USB jack in the loco turned on under programmer power. 
You may be right about my pc being part of the problem, as I was watching my tool bar it kept connecting and reconnecting through it's USB internet remote connection. I believe that shuld stay on all the time. But, I don't know enough about computers to find where to fix that. Oh and my computer is an HP with windows XP. It is older but I haven't had any real problems with it. It's my spare and I keep it on my train bench for doing this kind of stuff. 

After I got the programmer to read the loco, I figured out how to program the address. When I'm not completly pissed off I can think with a clear head. Then I lost control of the loco. This was due to freq switch problems. I fixed that. All was working again so I jumped back in to try to switch over the chuf control. This is when everything started going to ****. (again) 

The person I had talked to at QSI had mentioned something about updating the firmware and a "confidence test". When talking to them I thought they meant my confidence. Lol. I saw the button for confidence test then to update the firmware so I did these more out of desparation that anything. (At 1 am I start to do strange stuff, don't ask) 
Now, the loco will run on address 3, I assume updating the firmware reset the decoder to defaults, but the programmer cannot find the decoder when I plug it in. I get an error reading "SI not found" or "cannot connect to programmer". Again when I plug in the loco the programmer does not take control of it, but if I unplug and plug in the programmer it will read the loco information. I just can't do anything with it. 

I'm sure it is a good system and that the problem is on my end, but man o man, their instruction books tell you nothing to try to help. I'm in the same boat as Stan, I just can't understand CV language. I'm currently wishing I waited for Airwire to release their new reciever. 

And thanks again for the help, 
Terry


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yes, you have a computer/program installation problem. First, uninstall the Q1 software from the ADD/REMOVE programs icon in the control panel (windows). 

Then you need to use the Q2upgrade program if you are downloading firmware/sounds to your QSI.... and whenever you do, it will reset all decoder settings to default, including the address of 3. Makes it like an out of the box decoder. 

To set the loco address, you use the Quantum CV manager program, or you can try it through your AirWire. 

Your computer should NEVER disconnect from the programmer... it is possible that you have a flakey USB on the HP, and using a different port may help. Be sure that the power cube is plugged into the programmer BEFORE you connect the USB, otherwise it can do funny things to your USB port. 

You really have a computer issue, and will probably continue to have problems until you resolve it. 

Have you done all your XP updates? Are you on service pack 3? Any hardware updates? (This means do windows update and select "custom" to be sure you are not missing something important). 

If you get really stuck, I can call you some day after work and give you a hand... 

Regards, Greg


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## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

I've tried different usb ports and get the same thing. I'm gonna haul everything upstairs and try it on the new computer. Oh, an if I do get it to work, how do I program the manual chuff? 

Thanks, 
Terry


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I have a sort of "cheat cheat" on my site of most-used programming, and tips. 



*http://www.elmassian.com/trains-mainmenu-27/dcc-battery-rc-electronics-mainmenu-225/dcc-mainmenu-29/specific-manufacturers/qsi-equipment-mainmenu-239*

Scroll down the page.

Regards, Greg


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## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

For today, Greg is the man. (maybe tomorrow too!) thx for all the help, it works great! (no thanks to me)


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

No problemo, I learned several valuable things myself, and I got to run the CV manager package! Once we learned the "secret handshake" we moved fast! 

I'll update the above referenced web page tonight or tomorrow.. lots more valuable tips learned! 

Regards, Greg


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