# NCE Wireless Problem - Procab Power...



## dperrott (Aug 12, 2010)

Hopefully someone can help me with this issue. NCE does not have infomation that answers these questions. Their phone is always busy to ask the question - so I thought I would try this forum again. You have always come thru in the past....

Here we go!

I am using the Power Pro 10 amp system. I am sending the signal over the rails as well as power on the rails. When the Procab Throttle (cab) is wired to the power pro system (CS02) everything works great. No issues.

I then have tried to install the RB02(antenna) through the UTP to get the wireless signal to work. I install the batteries in the cab and start up according to the directions. It works the first time only. I can address the loco and run as if I was wired. Works great.

After this point when dealing with the powering down, the problems begin.

In following the instructions, I press EXPN and select option #1. The RB02 turns off but the CAB then becomes unresponsive. It still shows the menu on the LCD screen. This remains the same until the batteries are removed. (I left it all night - 7+ hours). The Cab does not power off. when the system is started back up again, the RB02 and the CAB do not respond (until I remove the batteries and reinstall them).

On the EXPN menu option #2 is set to 2 which means to power down using the automatic shutdown functionality. Should be about 5 minutes or so. This does not work either. I have tried multiple numbers. 0 is never shut off to 9 which is 20 minutes to automatically shut off.

I also tried to power down the power pro system which does shut off the RB02. The Cab does not shut off. But when I start the system back up, the Cab does work again.

How do I get the Cab to shut off and be responsive on new startups?

Any help would be appreciated. 

Thanks, Dan


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## dperrott (Aug 12, 2010)

Another bit of info that I forgot - I don't know if it matters... 

The auto power off function works IF I leave the system powered on waiting for the CAB to power off (not real useful). Again, when the system is powered down and then powered back up, I cannot get the CAB to power up again. Holding the Emergency stop button with enter key does not work. The LCD is still displaying the last menu even thought the wireless turned off. 

Again - thanks for any help you can give me. Dan


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Are you sure you have made the right connections to the command station (CS02) The wireless repeater is connected to the cab bus terminal. and when using the the Cab directly to the command station it plugs into the control bus. I am guessing your system is the wireless system.


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## dperrott (Aug 12, 2010)

Yes - the connections are correct. 

I did get through to NCE and talked to Larry. I baffled them as well. I am sending in the Cab for them to look at. It seems there is a power management issue in the cab. The power down sequence is turning off the wireless but not the cab itself. 

I will let everyone know what I hear when I receive the feedback from them. 

Thanks! 

Dan


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Did you put batterys in the remote ?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Wow, I think I don't quite understand.

1. What do you mean "works the first time only" on the wireless side? Do you mean it works until you try to power down? 


2. When you push EXP and then select option one the CAB should turn off, not the RB02.. the RB02 will never turn off unless the power is off. Are you sure you are doing this from a wireless cab NOT plugged in?

3. Option 2 on my wireless cab is "setup radio"... again, are you doing this on a wireless cab NOT plugged in?

4. I have never seen a way to "power down" the system... you can shut off track power...

Please answer these questions, and I will try to simulate what you are doing on my system, something sounds really strange here.

Regards, Greg


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## dperrott (Aug 12, 2010)

Greg - to answer your questions... 

1. only the first time the batteries are installed. When there are not batteries in the CAB, I install them and the CAB will work wirelessly. The next time, (after power down or after auto shut-off) the CAB is totally unresponsive. The only exception is if I turn off the power (unplug the system) on the base and do not turn off the CAB, the CAB will work when the base is restarted. Basically if you power off the CAB, it will not reconnect wirelessly to the system. 

2. Yes - I agree - it is mis-stated. When I power down the cab manually (EXPN - option 1) or through the auto-shutoff (EXP option 2 - settings 1-9), the wireless shuts off in the CAB but the CAB itself remains on. The LCD does not turn off and the CAB locks up. When the batteries are removed, the CAB turns completely off. The battery removal and reinstallation will allow the CAB to reconnect (as in question 1). Note that I cannot turn the CAB back on using the emergency stop/enter key combo 

3. EXPN option 2 allows you to set the auto shut-off from 0 to 9. Zero means never shut off and 1-9 are approximately 2 minute intervals to auto shut off. For example a 5 would be autoshut off in 10 minutes. I have the CAB set to a 2 which means to power off the CAB is 4 minutes of inactivity. I am setting these controls wirelessly. 

4. Power down means that I unplug the power source thus causing all power to be shut down. This is what I mean by power down. 

Finally - I did get through to NCE today. They had me send the CAB to them They have never seen this issue. It is a power management issue in the CAB. When you power off the CAB using the EXP option 1 or EXP option 2 setting (auto shutdown), the CAB should shut down the wireless functionality and the CAB itself. The wireless is shutting down but the CAB is not. The CAB is locking up and becomes unresponsive. Note that we discovered that if I plug the CAB into the system (tethered), then the CAB will start to work again. It will not work wirelessly again until the batteries are removed and re-inserted. 

I will update everyone when I hear what the issue actually was. 

Thanks for your reply, Dan


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

1. Very strange, but you should be turning the cab off, then the power to the system (command station and booster).. turn on is the reverse, the command station, booster, and thus the rb02 must be on first. 

2. that is completely weird and sounds like a bad cab. None of my wireless ones, nor my 5 friends ones act like that. 

3. completely fine... 

4. ahh, ok, for some reason I was under the impression you thought that the cab can power down the command station, booster, rb02... that's cleared up. 

I believe you have a bad cab, never seen this problem, but, obviously it has happened to at least one person! 

By the way, I did a mod to my cab to let me force the light on all the time, you might check out my NCE section:

*http://www.elmassian.com/trains-mai...ainmenu-30* 



Note: this is a link to the main NCE page, there are 4 sub pages underneath, one of them shows the installation of a switch and simple circuit to force the backlight on, really helps for night running.


Regards, Greg


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

And I thought I was the only one that could have a problem with a new system and have a faulty item.







BTW as Greg mentioned adding the switch to the cab to keep the back light lit at night sure works great. Later RJD


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## dperrott (Aug 12, 2010)

Just spoke with Larry today. The Cab was repaired. Don't know what the exact issue was but they had to replace the primary board in the Cab to fix the issue. It was shipped out to me today. 

Can't wait to get my hands back on the Cab so that I can continue to play. 

I did want to say that it was a good experience working with NCE in resolution of the issue. Usually it is a hassle to get support from a manufacturer but it went extremely smooth. My hat is off to Larry, NCE and their team. 

Dan.


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## dperrott (Aug 12, 2010)

Finally had the time to retest the Cab. Works excellent. Wanted to say that NCE stood behind their product with excellent product support and service. Thanks again Larry! 

Now it is time to start my decoder installs that are lined up. Greg - I will probably be emailing you to tap your unbelievable expertise.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Very happy to hear all is well. Larry is great, and they absolutely stand behind their product, one of the several reasons I run NCE, built in USA and USA people answer the phone. 

Regards, Greg


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