# RCS-Sierra Questions



## BillBrakeman (Jan 3, 2008)

I am using a RCS EVO3 and a Sierra steam system in my Bmann "Annie" and have two questions. 

1. Sometimes the whistle or bell effects will activate on their own. When they do this, sometimes the effect goes off once, other times it just keeps on going and going. The only way to stop it is to toggle the RCS unit off and on.  How do I keep it from happening?  

2. I know this has been mentioned before, but how do I keep the Sierra unit from going into "stand-by" mode when it is parked on a siding? I would like to have the engine sounds continue to idle. 

Bill


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

1) In over 16 years, I have never seen that. 
The unit (EVO or RCS) MUST receive a decipherable transmission to engage the output driver. 
Are you doing anything else with your 2-channel gear when this occurs, like, maybe, we could figure out the transmitter is dragging one function? 
Did you set the trim tabs properly? 

2) Crack the throttle, or, remove wires from pins 7 & 8 and insulate, then run a wire from pin 4 to either 7 or 8 on the Sierra. 
This give Sierra battery input voltage as keep-alive to motor inputs.


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## Jim Kelly (Jan 2, 2008)

Awakening an old post with similar problem. 

I have a Reeds control unit using a Ranger III FM remote and Sierra Diesel sound system. 
The bell and horn come on randomly and often. I've reset the Sierra to factory original settings and tried the track voltage option but same problem. 
Then changed horn and bell to "switched" from the Ranger but it doesn't seem to make a difference. 


Appreciate any ideas as to cause and cure...


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

If you are not set to trigger the bell and whistle manually, and are dependent upon track (motor) inputs, it will do that. 
Setting "filter rate" will correct it.


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## Jim Kelly (Jan 2, 2008)

Thank you for advice...I'm trying to do bell/whistle manually from the Ranger remote, but didn't make that clear in my post. 

I set the unit to switched (manually?) for horn and bell but they still come on randomly, as if there is a voltage leak. 

Tomorrow, I'll try to adjust filter rate and then let you know what happened.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

If the Reeds has the sound trigger options built in it will likely be RF or motor "noise" interference producing spasmodic signal spikes to the point the control unit is fooled into thinking it has received a valid command and switches the function on. Then it drops out and switches the function off. The next signal spike switches it back on again. Etc Etc.


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## SlateCreek (Jan 2, 2008)

Hooked up a reed switch to trigger the grade crossing whistle AND the bell on a Climax once. Spliced the bell and whistle triggers together, and ran them to the reed switch, then back to common. When the Soundtraxx battery would run down, the bell would come on, and NEVER stop and/or the grade crossing whistle would repeat over and over again. Fully charged it didn't do it. Never knew why.... but it seems like what Tony's talking about. 

(Note: this was a track powered unit.... no RCS gear involved.) 

Matthew (OV) 

Oh, and to my knowledge, there's no way to stretch the idle time on a Sierra (STEAM. Diesel will do it, it's one of the programming parameters.) Too bad, too.


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

I'm in tyhe house, no handbook handy. 
There are three settings for whistle, bell, and blowdown. 
You need to have it set to whatever it is with the red "LED" off.


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## Jim Kelly (Jan 2, 2008)

Just ran the test. Didn't work, horn and bell still random and they don't trigger at all from the remote. 

Here's what I've done: reset to factory settings, then changed horn, bell, and dynamic brake option from the factory default to OFF 
which is the sensor switch control so channel 1 on the remote will switch on the horn and bell. 

Then set filter rate to 2 (manual states "range of 1 - 12 with larger numbers corresponding to a lower filter rate). So the setting is a very high filter rate 
(default setting is 10, mine's 2). 

The manual states "a low rate (mine is high) ... may result in the horn being activated inadvertantly." And "If you find the horn blows excessively, try increasing the filter rate" which I did. 

So it seems the problem could be RF or motor noise (thanks Tony) or a faulty Reed's or Sierra unit or maybe old wiring is leaking voltage somehow. 

So any further ideas welcome. 

And this question: A capacitor wired across the motor inputs should block the motor noise (I think) but how do you handle RF interference? 

Thanks again. And I'm too old for this, should have learned it a long time ago!


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim. 
let me ask you this. 
1. Does the Reeds have the sound trigger functions built in? If not how are you triggering the sound functions from Ch # 1? 
2. Are you still using the Sierra battery? 
3. If not and you are powering the Sierra from the traction batteries, have you isolated the motor drive output of the Reeds with an opto isolator. Needed because the Sierra cannot read pwm output and will get "confused". 
The 2 stick R/C you are using has a much higher RF output than any of the proprietary R/C's on the market so range should not be a problem. However, the problem with low cost AM 2 stick R/C is they are susceptible to atmospheric interference which can disrupt what the on board processor is doing. That is usually overcome with suitable algorythms written into the controller operating program. I cannot comment whether or not the Reeds does that adequately. 
A simple capacitor across the motor terminals may be sufficient to suppress motor "noise" which can affect how the program operates. 
Probably not. 
You may need to add RF chokes is series with the motor leads, one on each lead.


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