# P8 Chuff Trigger Problem



## sandbarn (Feb 13, 2010)

I’m having a problem getting the chuff trigger from the rear axle of the loco to trigger the chuff in the sound card.


What I have installed is;
Bachmann Spectrum 4-4-0 - #81399
Beltrol – BTL-3rA ESC
Beltrol – U300 polyswitch
Phoenix – P8 Sound Card Kit
All-Battery - Li-Ion 18650 14.8V 2200 mAh 4 cell battery pack
RadioShack – 1k resistor
Spektrum – AR500 receiver
Spektrum – DX5e transmitter


In preparing the locomotive for the installation of the Battery/RC components, I removed all track pickup wires as well as the smoke unit, the reversing switch, the fire box light, and the large PCB in the boiler. Basically stripping all the electronics from the loco and tender leaving only the wires to the motor, chuff trigger, and headlight (to which I added the 1k resistor).


I have followed the wiring diagram from Tony (RCS http://www.beltrol-rc.com/PDF/ECLIPSE/Sound-Specific/Phoenix-P8/ECL-3r-p8.pdf) exactly with three exceptions. First, the Bachmann 4-4-0 does not have a reverse headlight, so that connection was not made. Second, I placed the polyswitch in the positive line between the RCS Power In – Motor Control board and a connector I installed to plug the battery into. Third, I did not use the #U-BIK Kit as I have several battery packs that can be easily swapped out by just lifting the wood load off the tender, unplugging the battery and plugging in another.


I’ve checked the continuity of the trigger wires/wipers and they are correct (resistance switches between open and short as the axle turns). I also have the Phoenix computer interface and have installed the software. When I use the Phoenix software to trigger the chuff it works just fine, however when I try to trigger the chuff with the locos axle turning, nothing happens. I’ve even tried shorting the trigger pins at the plug into the sound card with no success. 


Since this is a new installation, and my first attempt at installing RC/Battery/Sound, I suspect I’ve done something wrong. But I haven’t been able to figure it out. Can anyone help? 


On my own, my next option would be to send the P8 back and get another one. But I don’t want to do that if I’ve done something incorrectly. I’m hoping someone will say “Hey, stupid, do this and it will just fine!”.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Hello Lloyd. 

1. You need to make sure you have assigned the chuff correctly. I make it the first trigger wire beside the common ground wire. 
2. You need to make sure that the chuff trigger is set to trigger low. 

The circuit is made between the chuff trigger wire and the ground wire. 

Also I believe it is advisable to disable all the DCC functions and set the DCC address to 0 (zero). 
The earlier P5 had a problem of erratic operation caused by the DCC functions cross referencing. 
I understand that problem was fixed in software but I still do it anyway.


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## sandbarn (Feb 13, 2010)

Thanks Tony,

You got me looking at the hookup and programming again. I have a second P8 for my 2-8-0 (that I will be starting soon), so I swapped the sound cards and tried it again. Same result, no chuff. Again however, when connected to the programming software it did work. I figured the likelihood of me having two bad P8 cards was too great, I need to look elsewhere. By unplugging each of the two connectors between the loco and the sound card I found I could get it to work by manually shorting the wires.

 I eventually found the problem. It was a stray single strand of a #22 wire shorting the top side of the connector circuit board under the front of the tender. I couldn't even see it until I put on some strong magnifying glasses. As soon as I removed the strand everything started working just fine. 

Once I got it working correctly, I was amazed at the variety of sounds the chuff triggers. Almost everything the P8 does is amazing (I wish there was some way to record your own station announcement). But all in all I'm very happy with the way everything has come together. I'm still learning how to use the ECS, but now that everything is working, time and experience should diminish my ignorance (maybe







).


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Lloyd. 
I expected it to be something fairly straightforward. 

Might I make a suggestion that when hooking up wires and you need to bare the ends for screw terminal, always twist the wire and lightly tin with solder.


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