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I saw a discussion here before. Try a search of the MRH forums. From a couple other forums, it can be an issue.

Have not used a keep alive but always used a program track.  It saved a decoder once.

Rich

Of course I checked the forum - see line 6 of my post

Of course I checked the forum. See line 6 of my post. 

ESU and the PowerPack

I think that ESU engineered their PowerPack so that you can program it on a program track without having to remove it. IIRC, that's what the third wire is all about.

I'd just give resetting it on the programming track a try. This might be a good time to buy a Locobuffer USB and get acquainted with JMRI.

Two problems

If I understand it right there are two problems that crop up with keep alives and programming on the programming track (not programming on the main).  The first I've seen reported but haven't experienced is the capacitor apparently delaying the decoders booting long enough so they miss the actual programming packets.  If you have that problem you'll probably have to disconnect the keep alive.  The second problem is a the acknowledgement pulse the decoder sends back so the cmd station knows the programming was successful - a simple keep alive can absorb that pulse.  If you put the right size choke in the right place you can solve that problem (there's a schematic on some of the zimo decoder documentation for how to do it).

The other way to get around both problems is just program on the main.  You need to know the decoders address (sounds like you do), and if you reset it it you need to know what it's going to reset to (which should be in the doc - most likely short address 3 if I remember right).

. .

First off, no such thing as a DCS 1 throttle.  But based on your mention of blast mode this must be a DCS50,  DCS51 or DCS52  Zephyr which are  the only Digitrax system to have the blast mode option.

The LokProgrammer turns off the ESU Powerpack via CV315 (charge lead) when any programming is taking place via LokProgrammer.  So if you are NOT using a LokProgrammer you must take care of this manually or disregard and work around it. The PowerPac (or any KA) can hamper programming via Program Track.  Programming on main is not affected.

If using a KA that is not from ESU, then the decoder is unable to control (turnoff) the KA and it might need to  be taken out of circuit. A switch or a male/female pin contact on one lead of the KA  could be used.  Disconnection of a single KA lead is acceptable and suggested.

There are several problems that come up with any KA apart those mentionned. KA can hamper the RESET of a decoder as power must drop off before the logic can start the RESET.  So more time must be given to the decoder/KA combo to drain power off for the RESET to take place. On an ESU decoder you could change CV113 to 0 so the PowerPack provides no power at all.

Digitrax Zephyr Blast mode is dangerous as It  fires  out to ALL and any decoders on the Program track AND on  the MAIN. The solution is to disconnect the MAIN layout leads from the Zephyr if you plan to use BLAST mode and connect the layout leads once finished with BLAST mode. Don't forget to disable Blast mode (OPSW #07).

Any KA is a blessing and a curse unless it was properly integrated by the manufacturer.

Marc

Problem solved -- no need to disconnect the stay alive

I finally got the lok sounder decoder with a keep alive to reset. I thought I would share how it worked.

It took a lot of agony to get it done, but in the end it was simple, though the advice at Digitrax did not work.   (When you search d nd error  message on Digitrax it recommends a 1K resistor across programming leads. Did not work.) 

Here's what worked.

Put the loco on the main.

Follow the standard programming procedure on p. 25-26 of the DCS 51 manual-- changing the 08cv to a value of 08.

Even though your loco is on the main, use dir and not ops.  When you use ops you get a d-nd message.  Use dir instead and it resets without disconnecting the stay alive.

Thanks for all the suggestions on the forum.