Digitrax DN163A3 User manual

DN163A3
Fits Atlas MP-15DC N Scale
Locomotives
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Fe ea at tu ur re es s: :
nDigitrax LocoMotion™ System-Your locomotives look like the real thing.
The Digitrax LocoMotion™ System makes them run like the real thing, too!
Torque Compensation for smooth as silk silent operation.
128 Speed Step operation (14 or 28 steps can also be used).
Momentum with acceleration and deceleration.
Normal Direction of Travel is user selectable.
Switching Speed feature for easier and faster access to yard speeds.
3 Step Speed Tables set start, mid and max voltage for custom control.
28 Step Speed Tables with 256 level resolution for precise control.
nScaleable Speed Stabilization (Back EMF) with simple setup & 256 level
resolution.
nSuperSonic™ motor drive for silent operation.
nFX3Function outputs for prototypical lighting effects and on/off control:
Constant Brightness Lighting with directional or independent control.
Realistic Effects like Ditch lights, Mars lights, strobes, and many more.
FX3 & Standard Function Qualifiers operate functions based on direction,
F0 on or off, direction and F0, and whether loco is moving.
Function Remapping for custom function setup.
Master Light Switch turns off all lights & functions with one keystroke.
Advanced Consist Function Controls
nTransponder equipped ready for transponding on your layout.
nAll Mode Programming with Operations Mode Read Back reads back CV
values right on the mainline.
nDecoder Reset CV with or without speed table reset.
nMotor Isolation Protection prevents damage to your decoder.
nBasic, Advanced & UniVersal Consisting
n2 Digit and 4 Digit Addressing
nDCC Compatible
nFCC Part 15, Class B RFI compliant
©2007 Digitrax, Inc www.digitrax.com 1
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N Scale
Mobile Decoder
1.25 Amp/2 Amp Peak
2 FX3Functions, 0.5 Amp

©2007 Digitrax, Inc www.digitrax.com 2
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Pa ar rt ts sL Li is st t
1 DN163A3 Decoder 1 Instruction sheet
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See the Digitrax Decoder Manual for complete decoder test procedures, instal-
lation instructions, programming and technical information. Digitrax manuals
and instructions are updated periodically. Please visit www.digitrax.com for the
latest versions, technical updates and additional locomotive-specific installation
instructions.
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1. Carefully remove the locomotive’s shell from the frame (Figure 1)
Notice the orientation of the shell to the frame so that you can reinstall cor-
rectly.
2. To remove the Atlas MP-15DC standard lightboard you will need to loosen
the frame screws as shown in figure #1. After the frame halves are loose
enough, the standard light board can easily be removed by moving the light
board to one side and tilting the lightboard out.
(Figure 1)
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Figure 1. Atlas MP-15DC with shell removed
Original
analog
lightboard

©2007 Digitrax, Inc www.digitrax.com 3
3. Installation of the
DN163A3 decoder is the
reverse of the removal
sequence. With the
frames halves still loos-
ened, slide the DCC
decoder into position as
shown. (Figure 2)
4. Confirm the DN163A3
decoder is oriented as
shown (Figure 3) The
decoder should be placed
component side down,
with the surface mounted
LEDs on top of the PCB.
Finally retighten the
frame screws to secure
the decoder. If done cor-
rectly, the decoder should
fit snugly.
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Figure 2. DCC Decoder installation
Figure 3. Atlas MP-15DC motor clip retensioning
Retighten frame screws
Surface mounted LEDs
on top!

©2007 Digitrax, Inc www.digitrax.com 4
6. Re-install the MP-15DC shell and fuel tank and you’re done! (Figure 4)
7. You are now ready to run your locomotive. The DN163A3 is factory pro-
grammed to address 03. You can easily customize the address and other fea-
tures. See section “Customizing Your Decoder” that follows.
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Figure 4. Atlas MP-15DC with shell ready for reassembly

©2007 Digitrax, Inc www.digitrax.com 5
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Cu us st to om mi iz zi in ng gY Yo ou ur rD De ec co od de er r
Your Digitrax decoder is ready to run and will operate using address 03 with no
additional programming. For a more prototypical railroading experience, your
decoder can be customized for your specific locomotive by programming some
of the Configuration Variables, or CVs, available. See the Digitrax Decoder
Manual or the Digitrax web site for more information.
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Ch ha an ng gi in ng gt th he eD De ec co od de er rA Ad dd dr re es ss s
The first CV most people change is the decoder address. This allows you to
independently control each loco with a unique address. Digitrax decoders are
shipped with CV01 (AD2), the two digit address, set to 03. Following is a brief
description of how to change the decoder address with a Digitrax DT series
throttle. See your Starter Set Manual for complete programming instructions.
1 Place the loco on the programming track. Go into Program Mode on your
system. On DT400 press PROG. On DT300, DT100 & DT200 press
RUN/STOP & FN/F0.
2. Choose AD2 for 2 digit addressing or AD4 for 4 digit addressing (DT300 &
DT400). (Ad for DT100 & DT200, see your Starter Set manual for 4 digit
instructions).
3. Use your throttle to choose the address you want to set up for the decoder.
4. Complete address programming. On DT400 press ENTER. On DT300,
DT100 & DT200 press SEL.
Note: CV29 must also be programmed to enable 4 digit addressing, this is
done automatically by the DT300 & DT400 but not on earlier throttles.
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Figure 6. Motor clip Installation

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Your locomotives look like the real thing, now you can make them run like the
real thing, too. Digitrax decoders incorporate torque compensation for smooth
as silk operation. You can also program CVs that control momentum, 3 step
and 128 step speed tables, switching speed, normal direction of travel,
scaleable speed stabilization and more to take full advantage of the Digitrax
LocoMotion™ System.
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Mo om me en nt tu um m- -C CV V0 03 3& &C CV V0 04 4
Momentum is part of the LocoMotion™ System. Acceleration is controlled by
CV03 and deceleration by CV04. Both come from the factory set to 000/x00. A
range of 000/x00 to 031/x1F is available for both accel and decel. We recom-
mend that you try CV03:003/x03 and CV04:000/x00 as a starting point for
experimenting with momentum.
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With Digitrax LocoMotion™, there are two types of speed tables: 3 Step Tables
and High Resolution 28 Step Tables. Please see your Digitrax Decoder Manual
for a discussion of the 28 Step Tables. The 3 Step Tables are set up by program-
ming 3 CVs: Start Voltage (CV02), Mid point Voltage (CV06) and Max Voltage
(CV05). These values are set at 000/x00 at the factory. All have a range of val-
ues from 000/x00 to 255/xFF. We recommend the following CV values as a
starting point for experimenting with speed tables.
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©2007 Digitrax, Inc www.digitrax.com 7
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Ot th he er rL Lo oc co oM Mo ot ti io on n™F Fe ea at tu ur re es s: :S Sw wi it tc ch hi in ng gS Sp pe ee ed d, ,N No or rm ma al lD Di ir re ec ct ti io on no of f
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Tr ra av ve el l& &S Sc ca al le ea ab bl le eS Sp pe ee ed dS St ta ab bi il li iz za at ti io on n( (B Ba ac ck kE EM MF F) )F Fe ea at tu ur re es s
Switching speed is controlled by CV54. The factory setting is 000/x00 for
OFF. To turn on the switching speed feature, program CV54 to a value of
001/x01. When this feature is on, use F6 to activate and deactivate switching
speed. When switching speed is ON and F6 is ON, the switching speed feature
is on. With the feature ON, the throttle’s target speed is effectively reduced by
about 50% and the effects of accel and decel programmed into the decoder are
reduced by 1/4. This is useful for yard switching operations.
Normal Direction of Travel is controlled by CV29. See your decoder manual
for additional information on the settings for CV29.
The intensity, or droop, of Scaleable Speed Stabilization (Back EMF) is con-
trolled by CV57. The factory setting for this feature is 006/x06 which is suit-
able for most locos. You can adjust this value in the range of 000/x00 for OFF
to 015/x0F for the maximum effect. Consult your Digitrax Decoder Manual for
info about CVs 55 & 56 and their effects on scaleable speed stabilization.
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The factory settings in the decoder provide silent, smooth operation of your
locomotive under most conditions. For more information about these settings,
please see the Digitrax Decoder Manual or our website.
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Digitrax Transponding is controlled by CV61. The initial factory set value is
000/x00 for OFF. To turn ON transponding, program CV61 to a value of
002/x02. This allows you to use Digitrax transponding to keep track of your
rolling stock. When transponding is enabled, the front light of the locomotive
will flicker slightly to indicate transponding signal is being communicated. For
optimal transponding operation, we recommend that you hook up the forward
and rear lights as shown in the wiring diagram (Figure 1).
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Loco Type V Start V Mid V Max
CV02 CV06 CV05
Switcher
Concentrated low speed. Limited top 002/x02 038/x26 064/x50
speed
Road Switcher
Prototypical top speed w/evenly 002/x02 048/x30 098/x62
distributed curve from 0 to top speed
Mainline Loco
Quick increase to cruising speed then 002/x02 128/x80 154/x9A
levels off to prototypical top speed.

©2007 Digitrax, Inc www.digitrax.com 8
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De ec co od de er rR Re es se et tC CV V0 08 8
Decoder reset lets you reset all CV values to the initial factory settings. To
reset all CV values, program CV08 to a value of 008/x08. You also have the
option of resetting all values except the 28 speed step tables. To do this, pro-
gram CV08 to a value of 009/x09.
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©2007 Digitrax, Inc www.digitrax.com 9
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The DN163A3 is set up at the factory to control four function outputs. The
DN163A3 is configured to control the forward and reverse lights on the loco-
motive through the white lead and yellow lead using Function 0 (F0F-forward
and F0R-reverse) for directional lighting. Functions F1(Green) and F2 (Violet)
are part of the harness for easy hookup. The wire colors indicated are the stan-
dard color code used in the industry. These colors are important if you plan to
use function remapping.
All four function outputs can be easily set up with Digitrax FX3lighting effects
or as standard on/off functions with the following operational qualifiers:
1. Forward or Reverse direction of travel, or
2. Whether F0 is on or off, or
3. Both direction of travel and whether F0 is on or off, or
4. Whether the locomotive is stopped or moving.
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Function remapping allows you to program the function outputs of your
decoder to be controlled by selected function keys on your throttle. Please
consult the Digitrax Decoder Manual or website for information on function
remapping.
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Each of the four function outputs can be programmed to turn on and off with
the F0 ON/OFF key on your throttle, creating a Master Light Switch. The CV
values for creating this effect are listed in the Digitrax Decoder Manual in the
section: Setting Up FX & FX3Effects on Function Outputs.
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©2007 Digitrax, Inc www.digitrax.com 10
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Wa ar rr ra an nt ty y& &R Re ep pa ai ir r
All warranties on Digitrax products are limited to refund of purchase price,
repair or replacement at Digitrax’s sole discretion. Except as expressly stated in
the full warranty statement, there are no warranties, express or implied, includ-
ing but not limited to any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particu-
lar purpose. For complete warranty details see www.digitrax.com.
Damaged decoders should be returned directly to Digitrax for repair.
Caution: To prevent damage to your decoder and locomotive, track voltage
used during operation must not exceed the operating parameters of the
locomotive and its lighting system in which the decoder is installed (typi-
cally this is 12V DC). For most N scale layouts, Digitrax recommends using
14 volts DCC or less for operation to avoid damage to the locomotive shell,
lamps and decoder.
Digitrax, Inc. is not responsible for unintentional
errors or omissions in this document.
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©2007 Digitrax, Inc www.digitrax.com 11
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Made in U.S.A.
307-DN163A3 1k/2/07
DN163A3
Fits Atlas MP-15DC N Scale Locomotives
450 Cemetery Street
Norcross, GA USA 30071
www.digitrax.com
T770-441-7992
F770-441-0759
E[email protected]