EZ command died, no signs of life, no survivors found.

[kevin2083]

I tried to start up my EZ command system like I've done hundreds of times before, but this time it didn't want to wake up. I turned on the power (well, actually, I plugged it into the wall) and it made this loud POP, somewhere inside the controler. Then it started to smell like something was burning. So the question is, What did I do?
The power giong in (black wire) measures a constant 16.1 v AC, but none of the LED's light up, and there is no sign of life coming from the controller. The power coming out (red wire) measures a constant 0.0 v AC and 0.0 v DC. Can someone please shed some light on this?

Kevin

[Summertrainz]

thats a big uh oh 

maybe the conditions you put it under (moistness) (temperature)
might have short circuited something and popped something in the controller... honestly i hope you have the warenty on it still, bachmann could probably fix it..

[kevin2083]

I've had it for about 1 1/2 years now, so there's no more warranty. Of coarse, it waited until I finally switched all my locos over to DCC to do this.

[fieromike]

I've had it for about 1 1/2 years now, so there's no more warranty. Of coarse, it waited until I finally switched all my locos over to DCC to do this.

It's a sign!

Time to upgrade to NCE!

[the Bach-man]

Dear Kevin,
I burned one out by plugging in the wall pack first, then plugging in the base. Give service a call on Monday.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[kevin2083]

I've had it for about 1 1/2 years now, so there's no more warranty. Of coarse, it waited until I finally switched all my locos over to DCC to do this.

It's a sign!

Time to upgrade to NCE!

I was thinking that if I can't have it fixed, I will look to upgrading to either a prodigy advance² or the dynamis. It's time for me to be able to change CV's.

Dear Kevin,
I burned one out by plugging in the wall pack first, then plugging in the base. Give service a call on Monday.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

So does the wall pack put out a surge of energy when it's plugged in? (like jump to 18v then down to 16v)

[Yampa Bob]

Mr Bach-man
Now I'm confused.  In the instructional video, it says to remove the power plug from the controller in case of a short, so it can reset.  This seems logical, as it is the closest power connection.

In fact, in the start up it says to plug the wall pack in first, then plug into the controller. Since you burned one out, can I expect a similar occurence if I pull the wrong plug?

Why doesn't Bachmann  put an on/off switch on the unit, with an internal surge protector?  Since it's ac, I think it would only require a  capacitor to take the surge. I have considered adding one for convenience, but now I have hesitations.

I had a new unit quit because I removed the plug from the controller first, but it was within the warranty so it was replaced.  What about after the warranty?

Yampa Bob 

[Jim Banner]

Every evening I walk into my office, turn on the light, close the door, and then boot up my computer.  Last night, I walked in, closed the door and turned on the light.  A flash, a pop, and the light bulb burned out!  It must have been because I closed the door before hitting the light switch.

To avoid any problems tonight, I left the door open and left the light off.  My computer wouldn't boot!  It must have been been because I didn't close the door first, right?

Good, logical conclusions, right? No.  Wrong, wrong, wrong.   The light bulb burned out last night because it had 1152 hours on it.  It was due to die from old age.  And tonight my computer would not boot because with the light switch off, there was no power to the outlet.  Things are not always what they seem.

Electronics can die for a number of reasons.  The rate of failure is highest in the first few months, then drops to its lowest rate, and finally slowly climbs until old age sets in.  Manufacturers protect your investment by offering warranties, often up to one year.  This covers the period of high failure rate.  (Retailers love to sell you extended warranties to cover the low risk period after the initial high risk period has ended.  But that's another story.)

So what's my point?  Only that early failures very often happen just because they happen.   We, as humans, look for reasons where often none exist.  Kevin's popping E=Z Command may well have been a unit that contained a component that suffered a random early failure.  Probably unrelated to anything Kevin did.  It just happened.  And like my light bulb, when failures happen, they most often happen just when you apply the power.  I rarely disagree with the Bach-Man, but I suspect that the one that "he burned out" had more to do with random failure and less to do with the order of powering up.

[the Bach-man]

Thanks, Jim!
I will say, however, that since I've taken to plugging in the wall pack last and unplugging it first, I haven't burned out a base unit. What you say does make sense, though...
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[grumpy]

Where do I fit in ? I leave mine plugged in all the time and turn on a switch on a fused outlet . My lights  don''t burn out any  more because I use compact flourecsents. There must be a connection between my EZcommand and my compact flourecsents.
Don

[Yampa Bob]

Don
Yes, but what happens when you close the door?  I now keep spare bulbs, a ladder and a flashlight in my office.  Never fails, I come in, turn on the light, close the door and POP POP, not just one light but both of them.

I had one bulb last a year, and recently went through 3 bulbs in a week.  I thought about flourescents, but need the heat for the winter.  I can maintain 50 degrees with 2 bulbs burning around the clock, cheaper than a heater, about $8 a month.   Good thing I'm warm blooded huh?

Bob

[pdlethbridge]

Hey, you told me hot blooded!

[Yampa Bob]

Only when someone p....s me off, and people keep finding new ways to do that every day.
Bob

[r.cprmier]

Kevin;
It sounds like an overload, and I will almost bet the farm that you might have laid something conductive across the tracks and missed it.  Easy to do, and disastrous results; usually resulting in repair/replacement of parts/components. 

I believe it was Nigel who once said to me that there is a potential for an overload due to too many engines on line, depending on your setup. 

[kevin2083]

That was one of the first things I checked, only to find the usual rolling stock and DCC equiped shay and 44 tonner on the tracks. Then I checked the wiring, thinking maybe that dang species-confused cat was up under the layout again making a nest out of the wires, but everything looked fine. I guess now I get to unconvert my stuff, and run DC for a while 'til the funding returns and I can get a nicer system. Anyone want to hire me?
Thanks for all the replies, maybe they can help me not break stuff.

Kevin