RAF96

Whilst neat wiring is pretty it can lead to problems with cross talk from one bundle of disparate use wires to another leading to unwanted signals being induced into adjacent looms. Twisted pairs helps but it is wise to keep track bus and points bus separated, and especially from feedback or sensor wiring. If you must run looms adjacent look at routing them so they cross at right angles to each other then follow their own route home.

Generally left and right rail (in the direction of travel) refers to that rail which has the most positive bias, i.e. the rail opposite to the one that has the break that the module is installed to. The diode pack dropping the apparent voltage of this side more than the other ungapped side. Simplest way is to set the decoder to react to both rails for those trains not required to stop one way only.

A similar disparity has been noted with the Hornby HM7000 series decoders twixt Bluetooth running and DCC direct running.

Neat can be a problem; when routing wires try to keep feedback looms away from track bus and point motor bus runs to avoid cross talk. Twisted pairs will help and if close routing of looms cannot be avoided cross each bundle over the other at right angles.

The ESU site has (used to have when I had an interest) a whole series of idiots guides and links to sample files to download and use as a learning aid. In my opinion relying on ‘tubers for info can be the blind leading the blind, especially when most manufacturers sites either have specific product info or a dedicated forum populated by folk who actually know what they are talking about.

CV127 is stop distance default 25 so value 0 would be a dead stop.

Using RM and your eLink in DCC.

Try a decoder reset - write value 8 to CV8 then try to load the Class 08 which is the smallest file and most likely to load thus proving the decoder and loco, etc. If good go back and reload the 56. Hopefully all will be well.

If you cannot delete a decoder try 3 times and you get a force delete option, that gets its attention. It could simply be a duff decoder.

Vin and Vout with four big capacitors suggest a CDU.

You have to delete the decoder from the old controller, which also means unassigning its loco. Then go link it to the new device. A reset will normalise CVs and leave it linked to the old device, but not over-write a sound profile. Are you using the latest sound profile as updates have just been released.

2MT sound profile is on the live server and associated sound function sheets will be loaded onto the support site area for all active profiles. Meanwhile here is the latest status list. Note the version state explanations as amended.

Due in country mid/end Jan, hopefully testing will be complete by then to coincide.

I am sure I have explained this before. The app uses your internet connection to fetch the sound profile from the Hornby server using your login as authority. Your handheld then loads the profile onto the decoder, hence reliability and timing of the former depends upon your broadband speed and the latter upon your handheld device spec. 2MT profile is up for final checks and a future update will show an ETA date for future profiles, which will replace the ‘paper’ list. The app will also make provision for listing international brand profiles alongside the Hornby 00 and TT120 profiles.

Although the DCC address still shows in loco settings after a profile reload it has to be over-typed to write it back to the decoder. If it is a long address the glitch is translating the wrong values into CVs 17/18. You can read these values, back convert them in a long address calculator and use that wrong address to control the loco. As stated it is being fixed.

Any idea where Hornby actually make these components. Maybe they are bought in like everyone else’s are.

You have to be content that the point has changed before setting the signal, as opposed to having been selected to change. The only way to be sure is to control your signal from a switch on the point motor.

Mine is a four channel model and the DCC serial decoder works on that. I wrote a follow on article for Peco-tech using the Elite. https://www.picotech.com/library/application-note/dcc-demonstrating-the-Hornby-elite-using-picoscope The critical part of the analysis is writing a link file which translates the binary signal to plain text.

I use copper tapes as my houses bus with super flexible individual pos and neg feeds soldered to it. A plug and socket could be installed if they ever need to be removed.

The HM6K system is a pair of Bluetooth equipped decoders inside the box driving a loop of track each. The principle has been around for years. A limitation is you can set each loop to play either steam, diesel or electric sounds which is fine until you swapt your steam and diesel trains loop to loop, although the sound comes from the handset not the loco.

These wireless DC systems tend to be regular DCC decoders equipped with a radio link driving the track operated by a remote controller. Hornby HM6K certainly is. This new DCC system seems to be a simple wireless link instead of the curly wire from the handset to a DCC controller which is talking to the track as normal.

Hornby have gotten round this layout inrush trip as stated by having a delay after initial power up, aided by their HM7K series decoders joining the Bluetooth mesh one by one as polled, rather than all coming on line at once.

British Gas, my FIT reimburser has declared they will continue to pay me but they will not accept new FIT customers so when I flog my house and PV installation the new owners will be on their own. I may ask my energy provider Octopus if they can give me a better tariff than BG does. My system is solely FIT for energy generated to the grid, not battery storage or meter wind-back.

The essential thing to consider when programming on the service track (not the main) is that the controller if it has separate Track and Prog outputs will send a short low power burst to the decoder, which likely will be soaked into the stay alive and the decoder will fail to program. If your controller does not have a separate Prog output then it effectively programs on the main at full potential, hence the stay alive will already be charged and programming will be accepted. The Hornby HM7K decoders have switched logic from charging on the move (which was to preclude programming problems) to charging when stationary but with a delay that allows a programming burst to hit the decoder before their power bank (stay-alive) charging access kicks in.

There is an article on the GM site archive telling of how to convert the DC SS1 shuttle unit for DCC use. Or just buy a DCC shuttle. An easy way is a 5-diodes module and an ADCC capable decoder.