Loksound technical stuff

[Woodie]

G'day guys. Ain't heard from me for a while, but I'm still kickin'.

Got some questions on Loksound, if anyone can help.

I've got 2 Loksound V 3.5 decoders turning up via phone order next week. I've down loaded the manuals, and have read up on them. It's the back EMF load control functions I've got questions on. I understand what back EMF is, understand the values to be set in the CVs and what they should be. But I can't find anywhere on how the decoder processes the back EMF info, in relation to the values in the CV, and what it does to the power supply to the motor.

The back EMF voltage CV is set to what the back EMF voltage is, when at top speed step, and the motor is not under load. (or something similar to that). I would assume the decoder then caclulates what the back EMF should be, at the selected speedstep, if the motor was not under load. If the motor is under load, the revs would be less, the back EMF would be less, therefore the decoder will automatically increase power to the motor, until the back EMF voltage is what it is supposed to be at that speed step. Am I getting close? This would ensure consistent motor revs at the selected speed step, no matter what the load on the loco is. This, of course, works in reverse when going downhill with a heavy load. The back EMF would be HIGHER than expected, so the decoder would automatically REDUCE the power to the motor until it measures the expected back EMF voltage. Am I getting even closer? The other CVs associated with load control would affect the rate at which the decode increases/decrease the power in such circumstances, to compensate for flywheel inertia etc, and also up to what speed step the load control feature is utilised. Am I even closer now, or am I way off the mark?

I currently use NCE basic decoders, with the torque compensation feature (which is excellent, by the way), and I fully understand how that works.

Hope someone can help me with this.

 

[UP SD40-2]

Woodie, you have done your homework well:thumb:. if you ordered the LokSound decoders setup for the engines you are putting them in, you wont have to worry about setting up the EMF, it will have been done for you. if NOT, then you will need the LokSound programmer, and it will set it up for you:thumb:.

i hope you enjoy your LokSound decoders as much as i enjoy mine:thumb:. -Deano

 

[billwv]

Loksound has excellent BEMF which requires, in my experience, no change of the default settings.

My only suggestion would be to try setting CV2 = 1 (the default is 3) if you want very slow speed.

I think you will be very impressed with the motor control.

Bill

 

[Woodie]

Thanks for that guys.

And no, the locos I am putting them in are local Australian models. Not your standard Bbachman SD40 or Athearn etc. The motors in them are very good quality. I do not have the Loksound programmer, however I'm using JMRI software (which has these decoders defined in it). So really, the only thing I cannot do, is change the sounds. My local retailer has done that for me. For example, no deisel locos in Australia have a bell. So he has replaced the "bell" with the guard's whistle. you know.... "BBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRT" "ALL ABOARD" type whistle, and the horn with the correct sounding 5 chime horn for the locos that I'm using. JMRI will do the rest for me "on the main".

The decoders are due to arrive early next week (mail order), along with a couple of Soundtraxx 100C decoders as well (for some older "junky" locos) that I'm not gunna spend a fortune on decoders for.

I'll let you know how it goes.