Command Station Rescue
The tragic flooding events of the last week on the East Coast of North Island and other regions of New Zealand, have left many people devastated. My heart goes out to everyone.
Submerged Digitrax DCC Command Station
A friend has been flooded and some of his model railway equipment has been covered in floodwater including his Digitrax DCC command station. It can be salvaged but needs cleaning. Unfortunately, this Command station has been submerged in about 300mm if silty floodwater. When I got it it had been cleaned up a little but it was covered in a fine layer of silt – you may be able to see the difference between the Left capacitor and the right. The left capacitor I have rubbed with my finger.
Steps:
- Dismantled the Command stating as best I could. the lower circuit board can be easily removed
- Using a soft brush and demineralized water – not tap water – I lightly brushed the surface of all the components
- I repeated the process as the water turned very cloudy
- Using hair dryer on low head I blew as much water off as I could
- I then sprayed the circuit boards with 99% Isopropyl alcohol to drive the residual water out of crevices
- The unit was then placed in the sun to dry and turned very 1-2 hours and left overnight in a dry place
- Reassembled the unit and replaced the batteries. I attached a label showing the replacement date.
Digitrax – Command Station before cleaning
Digitrax – Evidence of fine silt
Digitrax – Discolored and corroded components
Digitrax – Silted Command Station
Digitrax – Silty Water
Discoloration in demineralized water
Digitrax – Reassembled command station
Digitrax – cleaned circuit board
Digitrax – Cleaned ready for assembly
Thank you for sharing, great work layouts looks amazing so is the website all the best for the clean up
Where are the batteries you replaced in the Digitrax Command Station, a photo perhaps?
Hi Lance,
Thanks for your comment. Despite having two battery holders, the command station only requires a single CR2032 battery. I believe this is to facilitate changing the battery without losing its settings as the battery can be in any one of the battery holders. Now for a photo… 😉