# Aristo TE setup causing major head scratching



## Sampug394 (Dec 30, 2010)

First off, I'll describe the current test setup that is not currently working right for me:

Aristo ART-5450 DC power supply is wired to an ART-5471 receiver, which goes to an ART-5401 controller, which goes to the track.


For the life of me, I cannot figure out why the controller is acting strange, and making my test locomotive go to full throttle unless I press Emergency Stop on the transmitter, and why when changing to the opposite direction it simply stops. Changing it back again makes it jump for a moment, and with one direction, both lights on the controller are on, and the other, they aren't! Switching the direction manually on the controller simply flips the problem to the opposite polarity!

One thing to also note is that the load meter on the power supply doesn't light up at all at any point in the botched tests.


I am certain that some part of this setup is the weakest link, and am also certain that everything is wired correctly, but if anybody has insight that can help, please share, because the acquisition of an Aristo transmitter and receiver in good condition and for a good price is not exactly something I want to replace, especially since the setup is destined for my garden railroad in the future.


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## Ted Doskaris (Oct 7, 2008)

Sampug,

From your description, you appear to have much of what is exemplified in the picture shown below.
It includes an ART-5470 system on the left (having hand held transmitter & ART-5471 receiver), and on the right the ART-5401 controller ( top box) with ART-5450 power supply (bottom box). 


















You describe that the "Aristo ART-5450 DC power supply is wired to an ART-5471 receiver, which goes to an ART-5401 controller".

The ART-5401 controller is shown below:









From your description it seems you are using one power supply connected to two control devices in a daisy-chain fashion!

Only one control device should be connected:

Connect the power supply to only the ART-5401 controller with that controller connected to the track.
The knob on this type controller is used for speed control for a loco on the track.

OR

Connect the power supply to only the ART-5471 receiver (that is a controller) with this receiver connected to the track via its dedicated terminals for track wires.
The hand held transmitter is used to remotely command the ART-5471 receiver that can speed control a loco on the track

Shown below is a setup of mine that uses the 10 amp Ultima ART-5460 power supply connected to the ART-5471 receiver (Hand held transmitter is shown, too). 
The receiver is connected to the track.










Links for selected Aristo Craft manuals are listed below:

3.5 amp ART-5450 Power Supply manual at below link:
http://www.aristocraft.com/techinfo/manuals pdf/55450_powersupply.pdf

Train Engineer with Walk Around Control System ART-5470
http://aristocraft.com/techinfo/pdf/55470_instructions.pdf

ART-5470 Year 1996 version:
http://aristocraft.com/techinfo/manuals pdf/5470-1996.pdf

ART-5470Year 1994 version:
http://aristocraft.com/techinfo/manuals pdf/5470-1994.pdf


I hope this is of help,
-Ted


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Even though the directions state that only one unit can be powered when setting track and frequencies, I have never disconnected my receivers when programming them. 
I have 3 TE receivers, and 3 55475's on all the time and I can program any one without disconnecting any. 

Biggest issue I have had is power supplies too close to receiver when reprogramming. 3 foot of separation is needed. 

However I think the receiver is bad and has a shorted component as the train goes full speed instantly.


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## Ted Doskaris (Oct 7, 2008)

I agree with Dan about the programming aspect of a receiver, but not to mislead Sampug - he stated: "...Aristo ART-5450 DC power supply is wired to an ART-5471 receiver, which goes to an ART-5401 controller, which goes to the track."

This is fundamentally incorrect to do as I interpret this statement to mean that the ART-5471 receiver (that is also a controller) output is connected to the ART-5401 controller input. 

Again, only one controller should be used - not two, and whichever type is used should be connected to the power supply with its dedicated output terminals connected to the track. 

-Ted


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## Sampug394 (Dec 30, 2010)

Is there a difference between the larger and smaller 5471 receivers? I appear to have a smaller version, and just like what was mentioned earlier, the trains immediately blast ahead at full speed with no regard to the 5450-to-5471-to-track setup. Not even the emergency stop button works now...

Is something shorting? Should I dare investigate the insides of the receiver?


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## Sampug394 (Dec 30, 2010)

...That's interesting. The smaller receiver says 'for use with ART-5470 TE system', and looking at the back of the transmitter, it bears 'ART-5473'.


Would this mismatch be the source of my troubles?


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## Sampug394 (Dec 30, 2010)

And an exploration into the insides of the receiver later, my patience has worn even thinner. Either this ART-5471 is malfunctioning, or I'm just not using it right, as I don't have a clue as to why it isn't working right.


If anybody is willing to trade receivers or something, please let me know...


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## Ted Doskaris (Oct 7, 2008)

Posted By Sampug394 on 05 Feb 2012 04:03 PM 
...That's interesting. The smaller receiver says 'for use with ART-5470 TE system', and looking at the back of the transmitter, it bears 'ART-5473'. Would this mismatch be the source of my troubles? 

Sampug,

1) What do you mean by "smaller receiver"? The ART-5471 receiver is physically the same size for its various evolutionary changes. The hand held transmitter model number is ART-5473. The ART-5471 receiver and the ART-5473 transmitter constitude the ART-5470 system. BTW, A cooling fan is an option that is mounted on top of the ART-5471 receiver - that would make it appear bigger.


2) Please verify that you are NOT connecting the ART-5471 "receiver" to the ART-5401 "controller" device that has the knob. 


Thank you, 


-Ted


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## Sampug394 (Dec 30, 2010)

Posted By Ted Doskaris on 05 Feb 2012 06:47 PM 
Posted By Sampug394 on 05 Feb 2012 04:03 PM 
...That's interesting. The smaller receiver says 'for use with ART-5470 TE system', and looking at the back of the transmitter, it bears 'ART-5473'. Would this mismatch be the source of my troubles? 

Sampug,

1) What do you mean by "smaller receiver"? The ART-5471 receiver is physically the same size for its various evolutionary changes. The hand held transmitter model number is ART-5473. The ART-5471 receiver and the ART-5473 transmitter constitude the ART-5470 system. BTW, A cooling fan is an option that is mounted on top of the ART-5471 receiver - that would make it appear bigger.


2) Please verify that you are NOT connecting the ART-5471 "receiver" to the ART-5401 "controller" device that has the knob. 


Thank you, 


-Ted 


The 5401 controller has long since been removed from the equation, and the receiver I speak of looks like this; http://www.trainweb.org/girr/tips/t...71_top.jpg as opposed to one of these: http://www.trainweb.org/girr/tips/tips1/new_te_rx.jpg

Definitely a difference between the two...


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## Ted Doskaris (Oct 7, 2008)

Sampug,

Thank you for clarifying that you are using only one receiver / controller device and that it does, indeed, appear to be physically different than current versions from your picture URL:












So with the this receiver now properly connected, it looks like it is defective.

-Ted


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

I have 4 different black 27mhz transmitters, and 2 different receivers. 

The transmitters ar as follows: 
first one had track 1/2 switch and was made in Korea, and no frequency jumpers inside. 
Second version had track 1/2 switch and had 3 jumpers inside for frequency selection. (select 0-7) 
Third was the 10 track/10 frequency always on 
4th version has power on/off switch and was 10 track/10 frequency. 

Receiver shown above had a set of switches/jumpers on the front for frequency matching with the second version. 
And a din socket for the early version of remote switch control. 
Note that inside is a 10 amp fuse, but this version in the metal case max'd out at 4 amps. 

See George Schreyers site for a lot on info on the older TE systems.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

As I understand the question, the output of a knob control speed controller was being used to power a track side TE? 
If so one should reconsider that approach as the knob controller has a PWM output which the TE will not like. The TE requires a smooth DC input as the TE innards will likely get "confused". 
Just like many DCC decoders will get confused with PWM input.


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## Sampug394 (Dec 30, 2010)

If the possibility of my receiver being defective is true, what exactly should I do about it?


Assuming it can be fixed, would anybody be willing to swap?


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## Ted Doskaris (Oct 7, 2008)

Sampug,

Contact Aristo-Craft at 973-351-9800 and ask for Navin in Customer Service.
They may ask that you send your receiver to them for a price quote to fix it.

With your present system having only a 3.5 amp power supply and receiver with 4 amp or so capability, your limited to running more locos, or maybe running a passenger train with lights.

With your model being so old you may consider getting a newer version system that has 10 amp capability while you still can. Though all versions are out of production, I was able to purchased the newest version not too long ago from Trainworld in New York (at phone 800-541-7010).

THE TRAIN ENGINEER WALK AROUND TRANSMITTER & RECEIVER
ARISTO-CRAFT Number CRE55470
Trainworld Price $193.99

-Ted


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## TinMan2000 (Jan 5, 2015)

An N-scale club I belong to is now having their ART-5471 receivers go from 0 volts to max volts (16) with 1 push of the "fast" button on the throttle. It appears that one of the electronic components has failed. Crest no longer repairs these units, but is willing to sell us new systems. What we are hoping to do is acquire a schematic and along with the parts #s, possibly repair these units ourselves or find someone who can. Also, one of our receivers does not switch direction. Using several different throttles by changing the codes did not fix the problem. So this must mean another bad component in the receiver.
Any help would be appreciated. The club is on the path to switching to DCC, but we still have many hold outs due to the cost of frame milling and the prices of the decoders themselves. (N-scale does not have the luxury of space for the decoders as the larger scales do.)
Thank you.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

When asking about the 5471 receivers, be sure to mention whether these are metal or plastic cases.
Metal case is good for up to 4 amps, plastic case is up to 10 amps but only with a fan installed!!
For N scale either will work but these do get programmed differently.
Metal case I believe is transistors, plastic case is mosfets, so metal case is easier to fix if the output transistor is bad. Metal case is a heat sink for the transistors.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Usually when a power supply fails and only provides full voltage, the power transistors/MOSFETs/whatever has/have failed/shorted in the "full on" position.

My MRC 6200 did this and replacing the MOSFETs fixed the problem. Those would be the first components I'd replace.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep, you have one of the oldest TE receivers, and it's most likely cooked, and Aristo (Crest-Electronics.com) no longer repairs them.

Sorry, but unless you want to experiment and look for burned up components inside, you should toss it and buy a replacement.

Regards, Greg


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