It's been ten years and I can finally set up the trains again. I am trying to setup my TPC300, and while checking it I noticed that in the Command mode the track voltage adjusts with the Red Dial. Before I put a Legacy engine on the track I would like to know if this is normal. I would have thought that the track voltage would stay at a solid 18V. Thanks for any help.
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One idea of a TPC is that you can adjust track voltage from the remote, so that you can run conventional locomotives. The TPC also has features to actuate some MTH locomotive actions, like couplers and such.
AUX1-9 will set your TPC to full voltage. AUX1-8 will set the track voltage to 30%.
You do not have to run the track voltage at full 18 volts. You can if you want, but it is not necessary.
You can program the TPC to any "TR" number from 1-9 or any "ENG" number from 2 to 98, but you should stay away from 1 or 99 as they are universal numbers that many engines respond to from the factory.
I understand that adjusting the voltage is for conventional, but I thought when the TPC is in Command mode the voltage stayed constant. Am I wrong?
I just use AUX1-9 and forget about it.
Have you got the manual?
SAWTOOTH if you have addressed the tpc correctly for command operation it should be supplying track power at 18 volts unless maybe if you have set a maximum volts to track not positive you can do that when tpc is in command mode?
not sure I'm of any help to you on this but sometimes someone posts a reply and the fix appears to you.
That’s what I thought. But when I adjust the red knob while in command mode I can see the voltage lower on the track with a voltmeter.
do you have your transformer set at 18 volts or close to it? reason I ask is my z-4000 is set at 18 volts at track and never varies if I turn the big red knob. so I will ask this do you address the tpc using remote as a tr-1or whatever number you have assigned to your tpc then at bottom of remote push the L button then the tpc should show a slow led light blink this indicates tpc set for command operation. just thought I would ask if this is how yours is responding
To set you tpc to command mode is this what I do. I have my TPC address set as Engine one so I do this
engine 1, then press L, then press boost. Full voltage to the track.
First off I have the manual, I watched the LIonel Video, and I have done what SUPERWARP1 has said. Yet when I put my meter on the (track out) of the TPC and press BOOST it goes to full voltage but as I turn the Red Dial counter clockwise the voltage drops, and clockwise it rises. It seems to me it is not in command mode.
You are correct. It is not in command mode. It must be broken or not programmed as command.
Thanks for all the help. It probably has something wrong with it.
Try a reset..... AUX 1, then AUX 2, then O
I still use the predecessor ICC Controls TPC 3000. Pressing “L” at the bottom of the handheld invokes Command (constant voltage), and “M” invokes Conventional (variable voltage). Does that hold for the successor TPC 300?
I have used the same procedure for conventional operation as Richard uses (above-press "M") since installing TMCC when first issued back in the day when I linked my TPCs.