Anyone having problems with the new run of Walthers SW1200?

[ssw]

Anyone having issues with the ESU decoders in the new run of WalthersProto SW1200's I've got two of them, and while programming and adjusting lighting functions on my LokProgrammer, one of them just quit dead. "No supported decoder" on the LokProgrammer, and my NCE system won't recognize it either. Another friend called last night, and he's got one that did the exact same thing after adjusting some sound CV's on his LokProgrammer. Another friend of mine is shipping me his two SW12's for me to take a look at that at least one of them sounds like it's done the same thing. The decoder will not respond to a reset, either on NCE or the LokProgrammer. Neither system will recognize the decoder. I popped the shell, reseated the decoder, tried this all again with the shell off, and the decoder is very hot. I don't think the magic smoke has been released- I don't see any obviously burnt components, but it's hot and smells. I've called ESU and was told I had to contact Walthers since it was a factory install, but Walthers has been, as yet, non responsive. I'm afraid to put the other one on the LokProgrammer to work on, for fear of frying it too. The decoders in these are Loksound 5 DCC Micro. FWIW, I'm on the latest version of the software, and I did note the programmer write new firmware to the decoder when I set the first set of CV's.

[jonklein611]

ESU had a bad batch of decoders come through recently. This could be related to that.

[upmodeler1973]

Same think happened to three of the N scale dash9s I picked up this summer. Was told by ScaleTrains it was a ESU problem.

[ssw]

I'm beginning to think there's an actual issue here - I know two other people that have bad factory decoders in these SW12's that died identically to mine - on the program track.

[ssw]

I know now of about a dozen SW1200's with bad decoders. Walthers finally called back yesterday and they're now aware of the magnitude of the problem and are working on a fix.

[riogrande]

Sept 6, 2023 7:52:47 GMT -8 ssw said:

I know now of about a dozen SW1200's with bad decoders. Walthers finally called back yesterday and they're now aware of the magnitude of the problem and are working on a fix.

I'll need to check my Walthers SW1200 when I get a chance.

[sbntx82]

I just posted this yesterday on the HO forum guess I need to use the search in more than one forum

I just purchased a non sound version of the new run Proto SW1200 in the MKT version. I have heard the Loksound versions of this run of Next18 equipped loco have had some issues of shorting and smoking up in a bad way. Has anyone figured out if it is a decoder issue or a motor issue. I did test it on my DC test track it it runs very well there. I plan to put a Soundtraxx Tsunami II Next18 decoder in it as well as a Scalesoundsystems speaker in it. The main reason I got it was the Katy specific detail on this is great, particularly the homemade air filter boxes on the hood. Its body details are not as detailed as the Rapido SW1200 but the part fit looks better than my Mopac Rapido SW.
Any experience with this new Proto switcher would be greatly appreciated.

Has anyone here tested the motor stall amperage on these. I was going to do it yesterday but my multimeter batteries fried the meter so I have ordered a Rrampmeter and I am waiting on it.

Thanks,
SB

[sbntx82]

Nov 23, 2023 8:52:03 GMT -8 sbntx82 said:

I just posted this yesterday on the HO forum guess I need to use the search in more than one forum

I just purchased a non sound version of the new run Proto SW1200 in the MKT version. I have heard the Loksound versions of this run of Next18 equipped loco have had some issues of shorting and smoking up in a bad way. Has anyone figured out if it is a decoder issue or a motor issue. I did test it on my DC test track it it runs very well there. I plan to put a Soundtraxx Tsunami II Next18 decoder in it as well as a Scalesoundsystems speaker in it. The main reason I got it was the Katy specific detail on this is great, particularly the homemade air filter boxes on the hood. Its body details are not as detailed as the Rapido SW1200 but the part fit looks better than my Mopac Rapido SW.
Any experience with this new Proto switcher would be greatly appreciated.

Has anyone here tested the motor stall amperage on these. I was going to do it yesterday but my multimeter batteries fried the meter so I have ordered a Rrampmeter and I am waiting on it.

Thanks,
SB

I tested the stall amps on this SW1200 and at least on this one, the motor is fine at .24 stall max amps.

[NS4122]

I just had the exact same thing happen with a V5 that I put in an Athearn P42. Decoder went totally dead for no apparent reason and couldn't be read on the program track.