Hornby Locos and Hattons Decoders

[JST]

I know this was covered in other threads but I wonder what the final outcome is. I ask because I have just ordered a new Hornby loco from Hattons and they recommend a Hattons decoder for it. However when you click on the recommended decoder to order one it says it won't work with Hornby locos. I will ask Hattons why this is still showing on their website but in the meantime does anyone else have any other info on this odd situation? I hasten to add I will not be using a Hattons decoder as I have a spare DCC Concepts item which works well with Hornby locos.

 

Oops my mistake!  It is Hornby controllers not Hornby locos... still a bit odd though.

Edited August 30, 2019 by JST

[RAF96]

Regardless of any Hattons product page caveat, a simple check would be to see if the Hattons decoder is listed in the latest iteration of Hornby Railmaster. If so then it is almost guaranteed to work with Elite and eLink (RM) and should work with Select, noting that Hornby update their controllers’ firmware periodically to provide improved support for other than Hornby, makes of decoder (loco and accessory), as well as the other way round e.g. TTS decoders have been improved to work with ESU LokProgrammer, even though the associated ESU software does not list them yet. Note TTS sound files cannot be reprogrammed using the ESU kit, just the base decoder parameters.

 

My feeling is the Hattons caveat was flagged up for their early decoders and hasn’t been reviewed to see if it remains applicable to any or all current decoders.

Edited August 31, 2019 by RAF96
Typos

[JST]

I have an E4 tank engine with a Hattons decoder in it and I use Railmaster. I just put the E4 on the programming track and Railmaster tells me it is a Zimo decoder so I guess things have moved on as you say.

[Robin Verth]

I've used Hattons decoders in Hornby loco's with no problems, many of the budget decoders are rebadged from other manufacturers.  

[JST]

As a follow up I have just bought a Bachmann Prairie tank with a Hattons decoder and have had a bit of fun programming it with Railmaster. First of all it told me that the decoder was not recognised in the database of decoders and then, although it would read the decoder CVs it stubbornly refused to accept any re-programming of the address or anything else. I kept asking it to read the settings and eventually it decided to play ball and tell me it was a Hattons decoder. Several attempts later it decided it would let me programme CVs. Maybe it was just in a bad mood! 

[Crosland]

Are you sure the pickups, wheels and track are scrupulously clean? Locos can creep along the programming track when being programmed, meaning contact can change.

 

A little light downward finger pressure can sometimes help.

[JST]

43 minutes ago, Crosland said:

Are you sure the pickups, wheels and track are scrupulously clean? Locos can creep along the programming track when being programmed, meaning contact can change.

 

A little light downward finger pressure can sometimes help.

 

Thanks. I am pretty sure the contacts are good and clean but I will double check.

[JST]

Problem solved and the loco runs beautifully! I employed a simple two stage process:-

 

1 Place Hattons decoder in the bin

2 Install Zimo decoder.

 

I did actually try the Hattons decoder in another known good running loco with the same results.

[Robin Verth]

I have never had any problems with Hattons decoders and have found they work well in most locos, the one make I try to avoid is the Hornby 8 pin when starting with DCC every Hornby decoder I brought the wires fell off, I think there was a batch with poorly soldered wires. The only problem loco I have is a DJM J94, when programming the chip I normally turn of DC running, I have a small DC shunting layout for this I turned on the DC running on  4 locos 3 had no problems but the J94 with a Hattons chip would suddenly spurt down the track on DCC when the engine was not selected it was also erratic on DC, tried 2 other chips from different makers both with the same result, DC running was removed the chips worked normally. I have noticed that the DJM J94 is temperamental at the best of times and needs spotless track even for DC running.

[Phil S]

Does the DJM J94 have lots of capacitors around the motor - between motor terminals  AND motor terminals to chassis as some (if not all) Bachmann locos do ?

This I believe has been a cause of eratic running and/or back emf control problems .... but I don't have a DJM loco.

But it ounds as if it needs attention in any case 8-(

[Robin Verth]

I have not investigated the motor as looking at other posts on the DJM loco build they have made it very difficult to get to the motor, as the J94 is an easy loco to fit and remove the DCC decoder it may get permanently reverted back to DC and replaced with a DCC fitted Hornby J94. 

I have mislaid the original blanking plate, I normally put it the in the box or packaging, I think all the DC components are incorporated into the blanking plate.

[BrakeCoach]

I bought 3 Hattons decoders a month or two ago, and I have tested two out of the 3 with the digitrax system. Programming one of them was a success after taking a long while trying to detect the decoder. However, the other one, fitted in a Hornby Tornado, had problems detecting it, and using 03 as the code to control it, sometimes it didn't respond to the throttle at all, and later it started moving in a constant speed without it slowing down when I turned the throttle down. I wonder if this is an issue on the decoder, but I have heard that it is a problem to work with.