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Hornby Class 71 control board


Fuggles
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I have a Hornby class 71 with a burnt-out control board (don't ask!). I have tried unsuccessfully to get a replacement from Hornby and Peters Spares. They both need a parts number before they can start looking, but I don't believe Hornby have issued a service sheet for it. I am reluctant to bin this one as it is the best running loco in my collection (still OK on analogue but I need it to work in DCC). Any help would be much appreciated.

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Get a socket harness, and replace the board, and retain the pluggable chip option that way. You could even get a 21pin one if you wanted to add extra functions that the original pcb won't offer with an 8pin socket.

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Another option that might be easier to fit inside the body is this. Other manufacturers/versions exist.

 

IMO this is much better than hardwiring the loco, as blown decoders don't mean needing to get the soldering iron out, etc. and conversion for DC is simple too.

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20 hours ago, Fuggles said:

I have a Hornby class 71 with a burnt-out control board (don't ask!)...

(still OK on analogue but I need it to work in DCC).

I have to ask! What exactly is 'burnt out'?

 

If the loco still runs on DC as suggested by your text in parentheses, then what is it that prevents a decoder being plugged into the decoder socket?

 

If there's some very minor damage to the board - a component gone 'phut' or something - yet it is still a functional runner on DC it should run on DCC when a decoder is installed. If so I would suggest continuing to use it. Hornby will eventually get a diagram out and you can replace the board then if you feel it matters.

 

I have had small components burn out in models from Bachmann, Hornby and Oxford in recent years while the model was on DC test before decoder fitting, supply of small surface mounted components is clearly of ultra-cheapo grade! None of this has affected the motor circuit with the decoder installed. The interior lights don't work on one Bachmann Cravens DMU car is all, the others were capacitors letting go, in the RFI suppression circuit which is not required for DCC anyway.

 

1 hour ago, Fuggles said:

... I never thought of directly wiring the chip. It shouldn't be too tricky...

It's actually exceedingly easy, if you are happy with electrical soldering.

 

So, another question; are you able to solder? If not, hardwiring ranges from tricky to well-nigh impossible.

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The attached photos should help. It was hot enough to burn the roof.  Unsure of what exactly had been destroyed I was reluctant to plug in a decoder in case it too was damaged. It might bee that all the circuitry/components do is the lights. 1740611741_Screenshot2020-02-23at16_08_26.png.215e2d53fb5f209cdbc9e3ada2171830.pngScreenshot_2020-02-23_at_16_08_43.png.8597e0077d57a2b6fbf7ea822988d0ef.pngSince Friday I have acquired some attachments as per suggestions so I'll try one. I'm very happy soldering. 

Thank you.

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Apropos of nothing really; crikey that tantalum capacitor has certainly let the magic smoke out, the bypassing of R1 may or may not be a contributory factor in its demise. Even industrial rated tantalums do this occasionally (I try and design them out wherever possible) so not super surprising a commercial grade one goes pop occasionally.

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9 hours ago, Fuggles said:

It was quite dramatic - smoke emitting from the hole on the roof. It's going to need some drastic plastic surgery!

Are you suggesting that there should be a resistor at R1 rather than a link? Curious

There is a resistor under the link if you look at the photo closely; I'm not sure if this is an official modification or somebody's bodge, as I couldn't find a photo online of an unmolested PCB.

 

image.png

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  • 5 months later...

This burnout is super shocking, I note that one of the electrolytic caps has also overheated and must be considered unsafe now!

Hornby should be made aware of this as clearly this is/was a very serious fire risk and if as designed could be a product recall issue.

I am going to be checking my PCB very carefully for bridged resistors as shown here.

I can also see the PCB is cracked, really hope this is a after market bodge.

Sorry you have had this happen

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17 hours ago, SteveyDee68 said:

Crikey - I have a Class 71 (DC) that has only been test run! Hope this isn't a common occurence!

 

Steve S

 

 

Check for that R1 shorting link. If you have it worry a bit/lot, if not all is probably well.

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On 24/02/2020 at 19:24, spamcan61 said:

There is a resistor under the link if you look at the photo closely; I'm not sure if this is an official modification or somebody's bodge, as I couldn't find a photo online of an unmolested PCB.

 

image.png

It looks like a bodge, there is a resistor fitted to mine.

Class 71 Board.jpg

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I took the liberty of informing Hornby about the problem in case it was a general safety hazard. They think not, as according to Hornby Tech R1 should not have been linked out and it was certainly not a factory mod. The over current  resulting was most likely the cause of the burn out, as the resistor controls supply to the loco lighting services.

Cab lights are switched by the green wire under control of F1 and each has its own resistor.

Edit - these resistors are on the separate cab lights pcbs not the main board.

Edited by RAF96
More info about cab light resistors
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1 hour ago, RAF96 said:

I took the liberty of informing Hornby about the problem in case it was a general safety hazard. They think not, as according to Hornby Tech R1 should not have been linked out and it was certainly not a factory mod. The over current  resulting was most likely the cause of the burn out, as the resistor controls supply to the loco lighting services.

Cab lights are switched by the green wire under control of F1 and each has its own resistor.

Edit - these resistors are on the separate cab lights pcbs not the main board.

 

That's good news indeed! Would you happen to know which resistor controls which lighting please?

I am unhappy with the very bright marker lights and almost non existent headcode boxes and am wondering if I could simply swap the feed wires around.

 

Many thanks

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On 17/08/2020 at 17:00, bigherb said:

It looks like a bodge, there is a resistor fitted to mine.

 

Whoops, the fried components I thought were tantalum capacitors are/were in fact diodes, makes the fry up even more impressive! 

 

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1 hour ago, mikesndbs said:

 

That's good news indeed! Would you happen to know which resistor controls which lighting please?

I am unhappy with the very bright marker lights and almost non existent headcode boxes and am wondering if I could simply swap the feed wires around.

 

Many thanks

 

R4 Rear cab

R11 Rear whites

R13 Rear reds

 

R12 Front cab

R14 Front whites

R10 Front reds

 

All as marked on an actual PCB.

 

Still trying to find a part number for the main PCB for you.

Edited by RAF96
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