Frequently Asked Questions:
SoundTraxx
Tsunami
Cooling my Tsunami
The high clock rate necessary for the Tsunami decoder to deliver its marvelous sound generates a lot of heat. The longevity of your decoder and the reliability of its operation is enhanced by keeping the decoder cool. There is a heat sink plate built into the shrink wrapped Tsunami decoders (TSU-750 and TSU-1000). When we install one, we do everything possible to mount that side of the decoder to something to carry away the heat, like a weight or metal shell, even to the point of mounting the Tsunami on a piece of brass connected to the loco shell. If you do the same, your Tsunami will be happier!
I've lost the card that came with my decoder!
This information is absent on the SoundTraxx web site. We cannot provide as high quality a print as if we had the original artwork. But we do what we can to help. Bruce has scanned some and they are just a click away:
TSU-AT1000
TSU-GN1000
Setting Tsunami Addresses on Digitrax Super Chief Sets:
The DCS from Digitrax does not conform completely to the
NMRA Recommended Practices for programming tracks. But The Tsunami
does. Early Tsunamis cannot have CV 17 or 18 (long, or 4-digit, address)
programmed on the programming track with the Digitrax system. Rather
than leaving their customers in a bind, SoundTraxx "jimmied" later units
to overcome Digitrax' weakness.
WORKAROUND: Program the 2 digit address of your choice on the programming track.
Move to the main. Confirm operation of your loco on the main. Select Programming
OPS Mode for the 2 digit address you've set into the loco. (Po display) Select
AD2=???. Press the right knob to get into the 4 digit mode. Enter your desired
4 digit address. When your DT400 asks if you want to activate the 4 digit address,
answer "Y".
If you are using DecoderPro, as I do, here's what I find works. Set the 2 digit
address on the programming track with the software and save the file. Move to
the main and select programming on the main. Set the 4 digit address and select
4 digit addressing on the main. Quit and save the computer file. Operate the
loco on the main with the 4 digit address. Reopen the computer file and continue
customizing the loco on the main.
My Sound Isn't Loud Enough
On-board loco sound in HO and smaller scales will NOT be loud enough to be over the crowd at a meet in a large room. The idea is to provide enough sound to be heard in the neighborhood of the loco. One club in the Phoenix AZ area has a rule: "If it can be heard 5 feet away from the loco, it is TOO LOUD!" This is a good definition of "scale sound" - that is, sound which is correct for the scale you are modeling.
With this introduction, Bruce wants to explain that he finds the Tsunami MORE THAN adequate to fulfill these needs. In installations which fall short, he normally finds that improper speaker installation is the culprit.
Bruce did a clinic at the NMRA National Convention in Cincinnati on the installation of speakers in HO scale locos. He updated it for the Detroit convention. While this clinic is available on this web site (CLICK HERE), much of its content is lost without the narrative to support it. Bruce will be adding his thoughts on speaker installation to this web site soon. Speaker design is more art than science here - lots of experimentation is indicated.
I Can't Get My Loco to Run Well Slowly
The Tsunami has a great BEMF control system, but, like all finely tuned items, it needs to be compatible with your loco. Here's how you get them happy with each other.
- Turn Off any speed tables with CV29
- Set CV2 to 0
- Shut off momentum
(CV3 = 0; CV4 = 0) - Go to Programming on the Main (OPs mode for Digitrax), preferably using DecoderPro
- Set CV 209 to 0
- Set CV210 to 0
- Set the loco moving forward on speed step 1
(128 step mode recommended) - Adjust CV210 until the loco just moves, very slowly - will be jerky
- Adjust CV209 until the loco smoothes out
If you want EXTREME low speed control, you can adjust from the above settings. Bruce suggests that you reduce CV210 by 1 and then adjust CV209 up until you get movement. To view a Windows video of what can be accomplished this way,
CLICK HERE
Once you have done the above, you can adjust the steam chuff rate
to match the wheel rotation (assuming you aren't using a cam) by:
- Set a medium slow speed on the loco - about step 10
- Adjust CV116 for the proper chuff rate
(4 chuffs per revolution for most rod locos)
The sound will be in sync for this speed step only - if the loco runs slower, it may fall off - much faster and you won't be able to count the chuffs relative to wheel rotation. Bruce finds this provides the best balance!
- Reset momentum
(Bruce recommends CV3 = 40; CV4 = 20)
Can I shorten the wires to the external capacitor?
The answer is yes! However, Bruce suggests you do as he does. Whenever he is shortening the wires or adding additional capacitance, he works on the capacitor end of the wires, leaving them attached to the decoder. Getting a soldering iron near one of these fine trace boards can result in all sorts of unwanted issues. Be safe; stay on the capacitor end of the wires.
My loco stalls on turnouts or doesn't run smoothly
I want to add a keep alive capacitor
The Tsunami is already set up for a "keep alive" capacitor. The external capacitor (220 uF) is a start. For best performance use as large a capacitor as you can physically include in your installation: up to 2500 uF or so! We sell capacitors for this purpose. They need to be rated at 25 volts or higher. Bruce finds that 2200 uF in parallel with the 220 included on the decoder works nicely. If you can't fit that large a capacitor, try several of the 470 uF capacitors. Wire capacitors in parallel, observing polarity (plus to plus and minus to minus). Insulate your connections.
THE DOWNSIDE TO THIS is that the inrush current to large capacitors may exceed the capabilities of your Programming Track Booster or trip your circuit breakers or system protection circuit and it may not reset! PSx series circuit breakers are designed for operation in this environment.
Another way to mitigate the impact of the additional capacitance on your layout, if you have the room, is to add a resistor and diode, as shown below:
Do Tsunami decoders support LEDs?
In a word, YES! None of the DSD-LC issues with LEDs exist with the Tsunami decoders, steam or diesel. Their lighting effects (Mars, ditch, etc.) can be optimized for incandescent or LED lights. So, just install your decoder with the resistor and LED that you would otherwise do and set it up the way you want.
How do I connect LEDs to my TSU-AT1000?
This is covered in step 10 of the installation card, but it isn't perhaps as clear as it could be.
Connect the Anode (blue or positive or long) lead of the LED to the rounded (function common) terminal on the decoder as shown in the photograph below. Use a dropping resistor (750 to 1500 ohms) in either lead of the LED. Bruce prefers to put it in the blue lead, minimizing the damage caused by a short in the circuit anywhere. If you connect it backwards, no harm, it just won't light
I want an 8-pin NMRA (NEM652) plug on my TSU-1000!
That's easy. The TSU-1000 Tsunami has a 9-pin JST connector on it! All you need to do is to expose the connector without removing excess shrink tubing and plug in the JST Harness of your choice! Here's how (CLICK on photos for more detail - use your BACK button to return):
First you use your HOBBY KNIFE to score the shrink across the 9-pin connector.
Next use your diagonal cutters to snip and peel the shrink back from the top and two sides of the connector. CAREFULLY trim the bottom, making sure NOT to dislodge the heat sink (the flat piece of metal on the bottom of the decoder as pictured here). If you dislodge the heat sink, the decoder will almost surely fail and not be covered by warranty.
This last photo shows the shrink peeled back ready for trimming. Then you can remove the connector (green in this photo) from the socket (white) and plug in your harness!
My Micro Tsunami loco starts and stops randomly
The TSU-750 Tsunami is very sensitive to heat. There is a small heat sink inside the shrink wrap - the side that is totally flat. If you are having problems with your loco running for a bit then stopping and starting again and running, probably you are tripping the thermal protection inside the TSU-750. You need to get the heat out of it! Stick the heat sink side of the decoder to something large and metal if at all possible. We recommend carpet tape or bathtub caulk for this.
My diesel Tsunami runs away after a power loss.
The diesel Tsunami was designed to resume at the speed selected after a power loss, rather than beginning with a startup sequence while running down the track. If you have selected a non-zero value for acceleration momentum (CV 3) and the power loss occurs before the loco comes up to the selected speed, after the power loss it will run at the selected speed immediately! Some folks have reported loss of acceleration and deceleration momentum settings, but we have yet to confirm this. Every test we've run or seen run revolves around not being up to the desired speed when the power loss occurs. If you add a capacitor, you can reduce the occurrence of this issue.
Using them as a sound-only decoder
Many folks decide to use these fine sound decoders for their sound generating capabilities and, perhaps, lighting effects. Here are some suggestions:
-
Motor - If you put a 100 ohm 1/2 watt resistor between the gray and orange motor wires or contacts, you can then get acknowledgments back when you program.
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If you set the Tsunami for Speed Table operation with the USER SPEED TABLE selected and set all speed steps to zero, then you won't be using your DCC power to heat up the resistor when you are running! To do this, read CV 29 and add 16 to that value and write the result back into CV 29. Then set CV25 = 16 and set all the CVs from CV 68 through CV 94 to zero.
How do I use one with an external amplifier?
The Tsunami can be used with an external amplifier. Build a simple circuit with a transformer to isolate the ground and adjust the impedance. Connect it to a line level input on your external amplifier. See a video - CLICK HERE. The same circuit that was developed for the DSX decoder will work for the Tsunami, just eliminate the capacitor as it is unnecessary. CLICK HERE for the schematic.
