Silent TTE/GP7 User Manual.

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TTE/GP7 Decoder
Dimensions:
1.92 x 0.630 x .120 inches
49 x 16.5 x 3.2 mm
Decoder version 3.1
(Externally indicated by “Rev C” on circuit board)
$29.95

This decoder is designed specifically to fit LifeLike HO Scale 0-8-0, GP7, GP9, GP30 and SD60 locomotives. This is an EPF (extended packet format) decoder supporting:

• Silent Running TM High frequency motor drive eliminates motor hum or buzz
• Programmable Start, Mid and Maximum speed works for all speed modes
• Motor rating 1.3 Amp continuous, 2 Amp peak (stall)
• All four function outputs have effects generators
• Select from 14 different lighting effects (Mars, strobes, beacons, etc)
• Function outputs can be mapped to different functions (highly compatible with Soundtraxx TM DSX decoders)
• Two or Four digit addressing
• Uploadable speed table interpolated to 128 speed steps
• 28 and 128 Speed mode operation (always works internally at 256 steps)
• Decoder assisted consisting
• All forms of operations mode programming (programming on the mainline)
• All forms of service mode programming (programming track)

HEADLIGHTS:
LifeLike includes only 1.5 volt bulbs with their GP7,GP9,GP30 and SD60 locomotives. Follow their directions for installing 12-14 volt bulbs. We recommend Miniatronics #18-712-10[12v], #18-014-10 [14v] or Chicago Miniature white LEDs (Digikey [phone 800-344-4539 part number CMD204UWC). If you use an LED a 1K 1/4 Watt series resistor is required with each LED.

EXTRA FUNCTION OUTPUTS:
Due to the high in-rush current of incandescent grain-of-wheat type bulbs (about 10 times their normal operating current) function outputs are rated at 40mA each if used with incandescent bulbs. We recommend the Miniatronics part number mentioned above. If you wish to use 50-100mArated lamps we recommend a 22 ohm 1/4 Watt resistor in series with each bulb (thiswill also greatly extend bulb life). The function outputs are rated at 100mA continuous if used with LEDs or other low in-rush devices.

Fine tuning locomotive operation

The factory settings of the TTE/GP-7 normally provide good performance for most locomotives in HO-Scale. You may want to improve or fine tune performance by adjust the starting characteristics or top speed. There are five CVs that define:

• The voltage at which the motor starts
• How much ‘kick’ the motor gets to start it turning
• The maximum speed
• The response characteristics or ‘speed curve’.
• The frequency of the drive pulses to the motor

Start Voltage - CV2 (Vstart):

Before programming the start voltage we recommend programming CV65 (Kick Start) to zero. Kick start is used to overcome the ‘stiction’ of the motor by giving it a voltage ‘kick’ when starting from a stop. We don’t want it getting in the way of setting Vstart. We prefer using Operations Mode Programming (Program on the Main) to set CV2 so the locomotive is just able to maintain movement at speed step 1. You can also use the
programming track... it just takes a bit longer to find the right setting for CV2.

Kick Start - CV65
After the start voltage is set . Program CV65 to provide a smooth and reliable start when you advance the throttle from stop. The high frequency drive pulses of the D408SR act more like smooth DC voltage than the low frequency pulses of a standard decoder making it harder for the decoder to overcome that starting ‘stiction’ of the motor. This is why the Kick start CV is needed. If the value is too low the motor will not start moving reliably, too high and the locomotive will lurch or leap as it starts.

Vmax - CV5:
If your locomotive runs too fast you can use CV5 to lower its maximum speed. Setting CV5 to 255 uses the maximum possible voltage to run the motor when full speed is requested. Set CV5 to a smaller value to reduce the top speed. A value of 128 will yield approximately ½ full voltage to the
motor at top speed. 192 will provide about ¾ full voltage. All speeds from the middle speed step to the maximum will be proportionally reduced (see diagram). If CV5 is set to 0 the decoder will use 255 for maximum speed. Always make sure CV5 is greater than CV6 to avoid erratic operation.

Vmid - CV6:
CV6 determines how the motor responds through its middle speed ranges to advancement of the throttle. If you set CV6 lower than half the maximum speed you’ll have smaller increases in motor speed through the lower speed ranges. Then, as you hit the upper speed ranges there will
be larger increases between speed steps. In the diagram below you can see this best illustrated by the factory default line. If you set Vstart larger than 0 you’ll will most likely want to raise Vmid so a reasonable slope is maintained in the ‘speed curve’. If CV6 is set to 0 the decoder will use
127 as the value.

Motor Drive Frequency - CV9:
When CV9 is set to 0 the Silent Running TM motor drive frequency of 15,625 Hz is used. If a value of 1-255 is programmed into CV9 the motor drive frequency will be calculated by the formula:

Frequency = 1/(CV9 * .000128).

Description of EFX configuration CVs
CV120 - Lighting effect configuration for output 1 (headlight).
CV121 - Lighting effect configuration for output 2 (rearlight).
CV122 - Lighting effect configuration for output 3 (marked A on decoder).
CV123 - Lighting effect configuration for output 4 (marked B on decoder).

Each output wire can select from 15 different lighting effects by using its associated EFX configuration CV. Pick the value for the CV from the table below, add 1 or 2 if you want the effect to be directional (footnotes 2 and 3), then add 128 if you are using a white LED for the effect. Ditch lights should not be made directional, they’re not dierectional in real life.

Description of function mapping CVs:
Function mapping can change which output wire(s) are controlled by a function command from your handheld cab. It is possible to have one command control several outputs. In the tables below each row corresponds to a function mapping CV and each column indicates an output number. A ‘1’ under an output number means that output will be controlled by the function corrsponding to the row. In the table below the factory value of CV33 is 1 which means F0 will control Output #1.

Example: Say you have output 4 set to be a Mars Light (CV123=8) and you want it to come on when the headlight (F0) is on. In the CV33 row place a ‘1’ in Output 4 column, there is already a ‘1’ in the Output 1 column. Now F0 will control both Output 1 and Output 4. To calculate the value that goes in to CV33 just add up the ‘bit weights’ for each column that has a ‘1’ in it. In the case of our example the value will be 9. F3 has been set at the factory to control Output 4 so you may want to put 00 in to CV37 to make sure Output 4 (Mars light) doesn’t come on by accident if F3 is activated.

There are more examples of function mapping on page 7.
The tables below show the original factory settings for each mapping CV. The NMRA recommended practices do not provide for mapping all functions to all outputs. The tables below are the prescribed function mapping dictated by NMRARP-9.2.2. Note: In this decoder CV33 and CV34 operate identically. They are not directional...directionality is provided in the EFX
configuration CV for each output.

Installation Notes:
This decoder is designed to plug straight in to locomotives with an NMRA 8 pin medium DCC socket mounted to a wiring harness. For locomotives without current limiting to 1.5 volt bulbs such as LifeLike SD60, GP7, GP9 or GP30 follow LifeLike's directions (included with the locomotive) for replacing the bulbs with the proper lamps for DCC operation. In the GP7/GP9/30/SD60 remove the two screws holding the existing PC board, discard the PC board and replace it with the P2k-sr decoder. Do not use the two screws to mount the decoder. The body shell will center the decoder on the frame. Caution: to avoid short circuits place a piece of
ELECTRICAL TAPE on the bottom of the decoder to insulate it from the locomotive frame. Also, make sure there are no pinched wires between the decoder and frame or between the decoder and connector pins.

You will find the GP7 and GP 30 locomotives run short hood forward as with later protoytpe locomotives. If you wish to have the locomotive run long hood forward add 1 to whatever value is in CV29 (read CV29 on the programming track and put the same value, plus one, back in to CV29). NOTE: this will not affect the direction the locomotive runs on an analog DC layout.

These decoders come from the factory with analog mode enabled. If you run your locomotive on a regular DC layout the power pack should be a good quality smooth DC power unit. Power packs with pulse power systems such as "tracking control", etc. will give unpredictable operation. Analog operation is included in your Tony's decoders so you will be able to run on conventional layouts without having to remove the decoder or rewire your locomotive.

About the function outputs:
The rating of each function output on this decoder is 100mA continuous with a non-incandescent lamp (such as an LED) and 40mA with an incandescent lamp. The total allowable current that can be drawn by all functions is 300mA. We recommend Miniatronics part number 18-014-10 (2.4mm diameter 14 volt/30mA) or number 18-016-10 (2.4mm diameter 16 volt/30mA) bulbs for good results. If you wish to use 50-80mA rated lamps
we suggest using a 22 ohm 1 Watt resistor in series with each bulb to greatly extend bulb life, especially if any lighting effects are used.

Configuration Variables used by TTE/GP7 (v3.1 rev C) Decoders
CV1 short decoder address; 1-127 valid
CV2 Start Voltage (useful range 0-100)
CV3 acceleration rate (each unit = 7mS between speed steps) 255 max.
CV4 deceleration rate (each unit = 7mS between speed steps) 255 max.
CV5 Vmax, speed at highest speed step. 0=use factory default of 255
CV6 Vmid, speed (on a scale of 1-255) at speed step 7,14,or 63. 0=use default of 128
CV7 Manufactuer ID. NCE = 11 (0B hex)
CV8 Decoder version number. This decoder is 30 which means version 3.0
CV9 Motor drive frequency
- 1-255 = PWM drive frequency period in 128uS increments,
- 0 = PWM frequency is 15,625 Hz
CV17 High byte of long (4 digit) address
- bit 6,7 always= 1
- bits 0-5 are upper 6 bits of address
CV18 low byte of long (4 digit) address
CV19 Consist address. (0 or 128 = no consist active)
- bits 0-6 short consist address (1-127 valid)
- bit 7 0= direction is normal, 1= direction is reversed
CV21 Functions active in consist mode. Bits 0-7 control F1-F8 respectively
- each bit 1=function can be controlled at consist address, 0 = no consist control
CV22 Functions active in consist mode. Bits 0,1 control FLF and FLR respectively
- each bit 1=function can be controlled at consist address, 0 = no consist control
CV23 acceleration rate adjust (in 7mS increments) this value is added to CV3
CV24 deceleration rate adjust (in 7mS increments) this value is added to CV4
CV29 - bit 0 1= direction of operation is reversed, 0= direction is normal
- bit 1 1= analog operation mode enabled, 0 = disabled
- bit 4 1= alternate speed table active, 0= use table defined by CV2,5,6
- bit 5 1= use long address in CV17/18, 0= use short address CV1
- bits 1,3,6,7 are ignored by the decoder
CV33-CV42 function mapping CVs for F0-F8
CV65 Kick start - number of 1/1000s of a second to ‘kick’ motor when starting
CV67-CV94 Uploadable speed table steps 1-28 (128 speed mode calculates intermediate steps)
CV118 Ditch light hold time (in ¼ second increments) after F2 goes off.
CV119 Lighting effects page. Must be set to 255 for access to CVs120-127
CV120-CV123 Effects configuration registers for outputs 1-8

CV NOTES:
All CV numbers not listed above are ignored.
14 Speed mode is scheduled to be dropped as a requirement by the NMRA. This decoder does not support headlight control in 14 speed mode. It will operate the motor and F1-F8 correctly with all systems however the headlight may not operate correctly with older systems.

PROGRAMMING TRACK INFORMATION:
This decoder complies with NMRARP-9.2.3 for all forms of paged, direct (bit and byte) and register mode programming.

Ops mode programming (Programming on the Mainline): Decoders do not respond to the long form ops mode programming instructions at their consist address (per RP-9.2.1). This is to avoid setting CV29 while in a consist then later wondering why the decoder now only responds to it's long address rather than the short or vice-versa.

Tip for using consists and long (4 digit) addresses: leave CV1 set to 3, or some other conveniently remembered address and only use the extended address (CV17, CV18) set to your desired value. This avoids mixing up normal 'short' addresses with consist addresses.

We welcome comments or suggestions from readers; please write or call.