NCE D15SR User manual

D15SR
Decoder
Top Side View of decoder
Decoder version 3.5
Dimensions: 1.08 x 0.630 x .275 inches 27.5 x 16.5 x 7 mm
Convenient 9 pin plug and wiring harness makes it easy
to replace noisy decoders from other manufacturers
This is an EPF (extended packet format) decoder supporting:
Silent Running TM motor drive
Directly replaces noisy Atlas #340 orDigitrax DH150 series decoders
Torque Compensation for ultra smooth low speed performance
Programmable Start, Mid and Maximum speed works for all speed modes
Motor rating 1.3 Amp continuous, 2 Amp peak (stall)
Five function outputs each with independent lighting effects generators
Select from 15 different lighting effects (Mars, strobes, beacon, flicker, etc)
Lighting outputs can be mapped to different functions
Uploadable speed table interpolated to 128 speed steps
Decoder assisted consisting
Support for all forms of DCC programming
Decoder programming lock mechanism
Brake on DC feature assists automatic train control
Every attempt has been made to ensure this decoder complies with all applicable NMRA Standards
and Recommended Practices. NMRA Conformance test results on this decoder are available on
our website at www.ncedcc.com
This book, schematics and artwork copyright 2003
NCE Corporation Webster, NY 14580
$29.95

Installation Notes:
Caution: The D15SR decoder is covered with heat shrink tubing to protect it from short
circuits to the locomotive frame or wiring in the locomotive. Make sure there are no pinched
wires between the decoder and frame when replacing the body shell.
The most important part of a successful decoder installation is proper isolation of both
motor brushes from the track so that they are driven only by the decoder. Failure to isolate
the motor will definitely damage the decoder. Damage caused by failure to isolate the
motor is not covered by the decoder warranty.
To separate the 9 pin wire harness from the decoder: Firmly grip the decoder by the
sides, at the connector end with one hand. W ith your other hand firmly grip all 9 wires
between your thumb and forefinger about 3/4" back from the plug. Use a steady, gentle
pull. It is important to evenly distribute the force across all 9 wires. Try a small
side-to-side rocking rocking motion if the plug is reluctant to come out of the decoder.
Always test your decoder installation on an current limited programming track before
trying it on full track power.
We recommend that the first full power testing be done on regular DC. If the track pickup polarity is
reversed you will want to correct this for proper analog mode operation. The decoders should be
driven by a good quality smooth DC power unit. Power packs with pulse power systems such as
"tracking control", etc. will give unpredictable operation.
DC Lighting:
This decoder remembers which functions are on or off between uses. If a function was on during
DCC operation it will be on during DC operation. Lighting effects (Mars, flicker, etc) will also
operate. Lighting effects work best in DC mode when used with LEDs.
Recommended Lighting:
If you use LEDs we recommend a 1K ohm 1/4 Watt series resistor in each function lead
➙Miniatronics #12-310-05 Yellow Glo White LEDs.
➙Richmond Controls (or equivalent) Golden White LEDs.
➙Miniatronics #18-712-10 (12v) or #18-014-10 (14v) incandescent bulbs
Function output ratings: Due to the high in-rush current of incandescent grain-of-wheat type
bulbs (about 10 times their normal operating current) function outputs are rated at 40mA each if
used with incandescent bulbs. We recommend the Miniatronics part number mentioned above. If
you wish to use 50-100mA rated lamps we recommend a 22 ohm 1/4 Watt series resistor in
function leads with each bulb (this will also greatly extend bulb life).
**Last revised: 17 November 2003 Page 2 D15SR
WARNING: To prevent decoder damage:
always make sure the motor brushes are
properly isolated before applying power.
MOTOR
HEADLIGHT
REARLIGHT
DC BRUSH
GRAY
ORANGE
RED
BLACK
LEFT RAIL
(Fireman's Side)
RIGHT RAIL (Engineer's Side)
BLUE
WHITE
YELLOW Light Common ( See note 1)
Output 2 (F0)
Output 1 (F0)
Left Track Power Pickup
Right Track Power Pickup
Motor +
Motor -
Output 3 (F1)
Note 1: The function common (blue wire) is the positive lead providing recitfied DC voltage. If you
elect to NOT use the common, power the light or other device from either track power pickup for
"half-wave" operation.
Output 4 (F2)
Output 5 (F3) available
as a solder 'pad' on
bottom of decoder
VIOLET
GREEN
F1
F2

Fine tuning locomotive operation
The factory settings normally provide good performance for most locomotives in H O-Scale. You
may want to improve or fine tune performance by adjust the starting characteristics or top speed .
There are 6 CVs that define:
➙The voltage at which the motor starts
➙How often and how hard the motor gets kicked a slow speeds to keep it turning smoothly.
➙The maximum motor speed
➙The mid speed range response characteristics or ‘speed curve’.
➙Compensation for a motor that runs faster in one direction
Start Voltage - CV2 (Vstart):
This is the amount of voltage sent to the motor when first starting up. We set CV2 so the
locomotive is almost able to maintain movement at speed step 1. We then use CV116 and 117 to
apply enough torque compensation to keep it turning on speed step 1. Typical values for CV2 are
in the range of 0-35.
Torque compensation kick rate - CV116:
How frequently the motor is ‘kicked’ at slow speed. Typical adjustment is 2 to 4. The smaller the
number the more often the motor gets a brief voltage ‘kick’. Factory default is 0 (off). A value of 1
applies kicks continuously. The maximum practical value is about 6.
Torque compensation kick strength - CV117:
How hard the motor is ‘kicked’ at slow speed. Typical adjustment is 4 to 25 The larger the number
the more voltage is applied in each ‘kick’. The strength of these kicks fade out ratiometrically as
speed is increased providing a smooth transition to normal motor operation. Factory default is 0
(off), usable range 0-50.
Vmax - CV5: If your locomotive runs too fast you can use CV5 to lower its maximum speed.
Setting CV5 to 255 uses the maximum possible voltage to run the motor when full speed is
requested. Set CV5 to a smaller value to reduce the top speed. A value of 128 will yield
approximately ½ full voltage to the motor at top speed. 192 will provide about ¾ full voltage. All
speeds from the middle speed step to the maximum will be proportionally reduced (see diagram). If
CV5 is set to 0 the decoder will use 255 for maximum speed. Always make sure CV5 is greater
than CV6 to avoid erratic operation.
Vmid - CV6: CV6 determines how the motor responds through its middle speed ranges to
advancement of the throttle. If you set CV6 lower than half the maximum speed you’ll have smaller
increases in motor speed through the lower speed ranges. Then, as you hit the upper speed
ranges there will be larger increases between speed steps. In the diagram below you can see this
best illustrated by the ‘customized’ line. If you set Vstart larger than 0 you’ll will most likely want to
raise Vmid so a reasonable slope is maintained in the ‘speed curve’. If CV6 is set to 0 the decoder
will use 127 as the value. If you use high values in CV117 you will want to increase CV6 by a
proportional amount to keep a smooth acceleration curve.
Reverse trim (also forward trim) - CV95:
Values from 1-127 make decoder run faster in reverse than forward. 1 is one speed step faster in
reverse, 2 is two steps faster, etc.
Values from 129-255 make decoder run faster in forward than reverse. 129 is one speed step
faster in forward, 130 is 2 speed steps faster, etc. 0 and 128 add nothing to either direction .
255
000
064
192
128
1 1286432 96
Vmid
Vmax
Vstart
factory default
customized
Motor 'Speed Curve'
Speed steps
Voltage
**Last revised: 17 November 2003 Page 3 D15SR

Effects programming (and function mapping) examples
Ditch lights:
What we want to do:
➡Use outputs 3 and 4 for the left and right ditch lights
➡They will be controlled by F2 which is the HORN button on most DCC systems
➡They should continue flashing for 5 seconds after the HORN button is released
How to do it:
✓Program outputs 3 and 4 to both be activated by F2. Set the F2 mapping CV (CV36) to 12.
We get the value of 12 by adding the ‘values for output 3 and output 4 on the F2 line of the CV
mapping table on page 6.
✓Program outputs 3 and 4 for ditch light operation. Set CV122 to 56 and CV123 to 60. Using
these values the lights will be ‘qualified’ by the headlight AND function 2. The headlight must
be on for the ditch lights to be activated by F2. Type 1 ditch lights are on constantly on when
the headlight is on and alternately flash when the horn is blown. Type 2 ditch lights are
normally off until the horn is blown. This example is for the more common Type 1. If you
prefer Type 2 use EFX values 52 and 48 instead of 60 and 56.
✓CV118 sets the amount of time the ditch lights stay flashing after the horn (F2) is deactivated.
The time is measured in 1/4 second intervals, for a hold time of 5 seconds put a value of 20 in
the CV118.
✓One last thing: Set CV35 to 0 so output 3 is not also controlled by F1
Mars Light:
What we want to do:
➙Use output 3 (marked A on decoder) for a Mars light.
➙It is to be on in the forward direction only
How to do it:
✓Output 3 is already activated by F1 (factory default setting of CV35=4).
✓Configure output 3 as a forward only Mars light. Set CV122 to 9. We get the value of 9 by
using 8 (Mars Light) plus 1 (output operates only in forward direction)
Rule 17 lighting:
Rule 17 refers to how the locomotive engineer operates the locomotive headlights during the
running of the train. The rule varies from road to road but generally requires the dimming of the
headlight(s) when in a siding waiting to meet another train, passing through passenger stations o r
moving within yard limits.
What we want to do:
➙Use output 1 for the Headlight
➙The headlight is to be on bright in both directions of locomotive travel
➙We also want to be able dim the headlight
➙Use output 2 for the rear light. It is to come on in reverse, off in forward
How to do it:
✓Output 1 is already activated by F0 (factory default setting of CV33 =1).
✓Configure output 1 as a standard output, on in both directions, yet dimmable when F4 is
activated. Set CV120 to 32 (20 hex). You can optionally set CV120 to 36 is you want F8 to
control the dimming instead of F4.
✓Configure the rear light to be on in reverse and off in forward operation: Set CV121 to 2
Switcher:
What we want:
➙Headlights that dim in the opposite direction that the locomotive is travelling
➙Use output 1 as Headlight and output 2 as Rearlight
How to do it:
✓Outputs 1 and 2 are already activated by F0 due to the factory default settings.
✓Configure output 1 as bright in forward dim in reverse . Set CV120 to 44 (2C hex)
✓Configure output 2 as bright in reverse dim in forward . Set CV121 to 40 (28 hex)
**Last revised: 17 November 2003 Page 4 D15SR

Description of EFX configuration CVs
CV120 - Lighting effect configuration for output 1 (White wire).
CV121 - Lighting effect configuration for output 2 (Yellow wire).
CV122 - Lighting effect configuration for output 3 (Green wire).
CV123 - Lighting effect configuration for output 4 (Violet wire).
CV124 - Lighting effect configuration for output 5 (solder pad).
Each output wire can select from 15 different lighting effects by using its associated EFX
configuration CV. Pick the value for the CV from the table below, add 1 or 2 if you want
the effect to be directional (footnotes 2 and 3), then add 128 if you are using a white LED
for the effect. Ditch lights should not be made directional, they’re not dierectional in real
life.
FWD3 REV2 Effect configuration---LED1 bit name
1248163264128bit weight
3C
Type 1 Left Ditch light, effect if F2 and F0 on,
bright if F0 on and F2 off, off if F0 off
60
38
Type 1 Right Ditch light, effect on if F0 and F2
on, bright if F0 on and F2 off, off if F0 off
56
34
Type 2 Left Ditch light, effect on if F2 on, output
off otherwise
52
30
Type 2 Right Ditch light, effect on if F2 on,
output off otherwise
48
2C
Dim in reverse, bright in forward44
28
Dim in forward, bright in reverse40
24
Dim when F0 and F8 on, otherwise bright36
20
Dim when F0 and F4 on, otherwise bright32
1C
Strobe B (alternates with Strobe A)28
18
Strobe A24
14
Double Strobe20
10
Gyralight16
0C
Rotary Beacon12
8
Mars light8
4
Firebox flicker (brighter when accelerating)4
0
Standard on/off function output0
Hex (for
Digitrax users)
Description of lighting effectValue
for CV
1- Functions are designed to use 12-16 volt 30-40ma incandescent lamps. If you are using a
white LED (with 1K limiting resistor) add 128 to the CV value.
2- If you want the function to be active only in the reverse direction add 2 to the CV value
3- If you want the function to be active only in the forward direction add 1 to the CV value
**Last revised: 17 November 2003 Page 5 D15SR