hornby elite controller

[hedgefordpete]

hi . I have had a loco die. all testing would not bring it back to life. at the model shop a test run on test track proved no faults with the loco.
back home and the loco was again dead??
a new loco with a new decoder could not be registered with an address.
all other locos running perfectly.

reset the controller back to factory settings.

reregistered all locos. same problem. same two locos are dead. but both locos will operate on program 3. the controllers default setting. both locos will operate on non-dcc track.

faulty controller or faulty decoders?

regards, pete

[alex3410]

Which decoders do you have in them? Could it be a different brand from the rest of your locos which is causing the issues?

[hedgefordpete]

hi alex, the loco that died was a Bachmann already fitted and the new loco is a Hornby with decoder already fitted. I have had the Bachmann running for the past twelve months. the Hornby is new and was tested at the model shop, as was the Bachmann. which brings me back to the controller.
regards pete.

[alex3410]

there goes that theory

i don't know if you can on the Hornby elite or not but can you try resetting the chips to factory defaults - this has fixed several issues i have had in the past but i run a GM express

[Roger (RJ)]

I agree with Alex, try resetting the decoders again. Sometimes, apparently, it can take several reset attempts to actually reset the chips.

If that doesn't work you could try swapping the decoders between different locos.

[Flashbang]

Hi
Firstly and before doing anything else, throughly clean the Programming tracks rail tops. Use a track rubber or the rough side of a cut up piece of Hard Board (Masonite in the US)
Next ensure the two wires from the Elites Programming terminals are sound and that they are correctly clamped into the wire connectors on the Elite, make sure the bare wire is trapped and not on the outer insulation.
At the programming track end ensure if you're using one, that the power clip or power track section is actually a Digital one and not a dc version. Note: a dc version can be converted to digital by opening up the cover plate and snipping off and discarding the little capacitor fitted inside. Ideally its best if possible not to use these connectors, but solder the two wires directly to the programming tracks rails under sides or outer web area.
Now check the programming tracks rails are electrically separate from all other rails - There either needs to be a clear gap between the two programming tracks rails and all other rails or two Insulated rail Joiners have been fitted one in each rail leading into the programming section of track and in place of the two metal fishplates.
Finally check for any dirt or blackening on the locos wheel treads that run on the rail tops, if necessary clean all the wheel treads on the loco.

Once all the above is proved 100% try if you can to alter (programme) the address number of a known working loco to a different address number, it can always be reverted to the original number later on.
If that works, then try the loco that refused to be programmed previously but only after ensuring all the above are correct. You can try too readdress it to a new number or reset the decoder to its defaults including address number 3. For Hornby and Bachmann decoders use CV8 value of 8.

If none of this works (hopefully it will) you can try again to reset the Elite. See the user manual on how to do this. Page number 68 I believe?

[hedgefordpete]

thanks for the comments. i have tried reprogramming the chips, that did not work. so the only thing i have not done is to swop the chips over from the locos that are ok.

at the moment i am running four loco,s on four circuits in analog mode . all running much smoother than with dcc. that includes both loco,s that i have been having problems with.
after trying dcc i find that analog suits my layout and i do have better control over loco,s. should i stay with analog???? we will see. regards, pete.

[Bigmet]

What I am reading here about the decoders is that those in the 'problem' locos do actually run the locos, both at the model shop (DC or DCC unspecified) on the owner's DCC system on address 3, and on DC.

Conclusion: No real problem with the loco decoders, except that they have lost their assigned addresses and have gone back to address 3.

What I read about the DCC system is that the owner is unable to alter decoder addresses, which requires programme track output to be working.

Conclusion: DCC programming capability lost.

What to do: Could be really simple like a broken connection from the controller to the programme track, could be an internal fault on the system. Remake the connections to programme track, follow the manual instructions about using programme mode, attempt to change the decoder address on one of the problem locos. If nothing happens, address remains at 3, then it's customer service time; you have checked out what you can check out.

[alex3410]

i guess you could double check that by asking model shop / friend to set the addresses on their system (and test it!) before trying it on yours with the new address

[lennie]

Good Advise from Flashbang. Do solder the wires, clips are not a good idea.
One other suggestion. CV 29. Set this to 2. or 3. if loco goes in reverse.
CV 19. Set this to 0.
If you can reset to default 3 which should clear all settings. Reset CV 29 & 19 to above.
If this solves the problem then further CVs can be applied.
Doing this solved a similar problem for me.

[RAF96]

You could try resetting the Elite - its a standard menu option under UNIT.
You could also check using a multi-meter that the Elite Prog terminals are actually outputting a signal during programming operations.
My Elite worked fine apart from there being no Prog outout.

[hedgefordpete]

thanks for the advice.
the programming track was separate from the layout and the wires were soldered to the track. i had reset the controller back to factory settings. then i re programmed three locos to different numbers, all ok. the two that i was having a problem with would not program . but they would both run on the default number 3. which brings me back to the decoders?

regards, pete.

[mjb1961]

thanks for the advice.
the programming track was separate from the layout and the wires were soldered to the track. i had reset the controller back to factory settings. then i re programmed three locos to different numbers, all ok. the two that i was having a problem with would not program . but they would both run on the default number 3. which brings me back to the decoders?

regards, pete.

I was going to say the elite because I have just chucked one out after it wouldn't program new decoders/locos even though it had done previously,so I would say it is the decoders ,just a thought can they be locked like an sd card which wouldn't allow any changes ,get your local model shop to test the decoders before you buy new ones if they can do it,,,,,mjb