# Phoenix P8 on track power.



## dorrdon (Jun 26, 2012)

I've put a phoenix P8 into an Aristocraft USRA long tender.

I'm using a CRE 55465 power supply to power the track, and have hooked up the P8 to track power by soldering to the track points on the card in the tender.

When I turn on the power, I get sound which responds to the volume switch, but with a background whine that gets louder and louder. After about 40 seconds to a minute, the steam sound stops, but the whine keeps going.

Is this because the CRE 55465 puts out PWC - and I need to put one of those PWC to Linear adapters between the track power and the P8?

I'm new to all this, but thought I was doing pretty good, until the sound cut out.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Don


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yes you are on the right track 

Greg


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

The P8 is for constant power. How do you control speed of the loco.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm sitting outside smoking a cigar so I've forgotten which is dcc only and which is track power sorry!


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

You get smoke breaks? I would freeze my butt tonight. More snow on the way.


The P8 works great with the Revolution.


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

The P8 is not designed for track power. A PB11 would be beter suited.

See the first FAQ on the Phoenix knowledge bas page 

http://kb.phoenixsound.com/index.php?id=55 

Alan


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Does the P8 need the filter board from Aristo when running from the Revo? 

Greg 

p.s. short sleeve weather here in San Diego, was working on fixing the weird wiring in a PCC car and squeezing an QSI into it... found some disconcerting things with the PCC wiring... nothing some circuit and PCB mods won't fix.


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

Greg, Mike 

I don't think he mentioned a Revo...? If it is, i'm out. haven't used one myself.

P.S. 32 degrees C here and 80% humidity

Alan


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Does the P8 need the filter board from Aristo when running from the Revo? 
Greg, I've never read anything which would indicate it would. Paul Norton's use of resistors with the 2K2 interface to the Revo he showed in the thread over on LSC was the first time I've ever seen any mention of a modification to the straight connection from the Revo output to the Phoenix inputs on any of their boards. I checked Phoenix's knowledge database for more info on that, and found some diagrams that mention them, but for instance, Paul's installation uses resistors, but the diagram I found shows diodes, so I'm not sure what's really going on there. (None of the product manuals for the various boards make any mention of it.) I've used the Revo with 2K2, P5, P8, and PB9 boards with no issues, and I'm powering them all from 14.8 v. Li-Ion batteries. I do get some weirdness every once in a while with a few of my P8 board installations, but they seem to be specific to the sound files themselves. (i.e., when I load a different sound file, the issue goes away.) Don't know what that's all about, nor do I know if it might be related to the "suggestion" to use resistors or diodes. At this point, I'm taking an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" attitude relative to on-board electronics. 

Later, 

K


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

CRE55465 is Aristocrafts Crest linear power supply. No pwc here. 

Also, it was stated the P8 was tied to track power as was the 55465. 

So, the P8 just saw full track power dependent on the CRE55465 switch setting of 13.8, 18 or 23 volts. 

Was the engine tied to the tender or was this just a test of the tender with sound? 

Was the P8 programmed for a input sensor for speed so all you get is standing sounds.


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## dorrdon (Jun 26, 2012)

Thanks for the quick response everyone.

This was just a test using the tender - using constant track power. The diagrams for the P8 say battery or track power - is this an error in the instructions?
During this test: 
C1:1 and C1:2 were connected to track power.
C1:3 and C1:5 were connected to a phoenix speaker (I replaced the factory aristo speaker with the phoenix one the store provided with the P8.)
C3 was plugged into the jack.
C2:8 - C2:10 were connected to the volume control.
All other wire ends were bare.

Volume control worked.

Speed control will be via revolution receiver in the loco. (I'm building a coupling harness to connect the revo receiver to the P8 in the tender; C2:3 - C2:6 .)

C1:6 and C1:7 on the P8 are bare, as will be using C2:1 and C2:2 for chuff.

P8 was programmed by the store where I bought it. It appeared to work fine at the store when plugged into their test equipment.

Thanks,

Don


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## dorrdon (Jun 26, 2012)

I'm just another newbie impatient idiot.

When I leave the power on, I get various sound effects coming in and out.

I've tested c2:1-6, and all appear to work correctly.

Sorry if I've wasted anyone's time.

Thank you,

Don D.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

The question on power is it constant or analog. Constant power can be from track or battery. If using the Revolution it is considered constant.


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## tmejia (Jan 2, 2008)

I looked at my P8 Manual and on page 6 - The Basic Bench Test

It shows one side of the power supply connected to C1:1 AND C1:6 and the other power wire connected to C1:2 AND C1:7. Above 9 volts steam systems will play idle sounds and diesel units will rev up.

Phoenix also has a note
"If you only connect power to C1:1 & C1:2 and do not feed anything to the speed pins (C1:6, C1:7) you will not get any sound. Please keep this in mind as you test and install the system"

Tommy








Rio Gracie


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## dorrdon (Jun 26, 2012)

Sorry, I guess I need to make myself clearer - there is no problem, I was just impatient, not waiting long enough to hear all the sounds. 
I believe everything is working as it should. 

Thanks, 

Don


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