Hornby HAL, 8 pin socket & 8 pin decoder

[retiredoperator]

Hi Modellers I have recently added a Hornby HAL to my collection , I have an 8 pin decoder to plug in as soon as I can remove the bodywork, My questions are, is this a straight forward job??
and while I have removed the body, I would like to install car lighting (unless it is already fitted, but I doubt it??) And then if necessary, where and how do I fit lighting?? Kev

{Admin Edit] This was double posted, presumably by accident, so I have deleted the duplicate before anyone has chance to start a paralell thread.

[Bigglesof266]

Body removal easy, but use some home made spacers to make it even easier. Decoder = easy fit plug in if you have the DCC Ready ver.

HAL comes with NO lighting. Adding it is as "straight forward" as adding lighting ever is. i.e. Brian would find it a snip, whereas to me its a PITA. I'd prefer just to pay the extra to Hornby up front to have lighting included, as by the time you do it yourself, there's never change plus a LOT of fiddling about and sourcing kit.

As for how to do the job, decide first whose kit you are going to use for the job and RTI. Search the forums for those who have trodden the path before you. Someone will have.

[RFS]

Body removal is easy provided you separate the body in the centre first by inserting a thin piece of plastic - credit cards are ideal for this purpose.

The 8-pin socket is at the motor end, unlike in the 2-BIL where it's at the opposite end. The decoder is designed to fit in a cavity underneath the seating unit so is completely hidden from view. I have Lenz Standard+ decoders in both of mine.

Fitting lighting would require major surgery. However, these units never ran with their lights on during the day, so I don't find the lack of lighting a problem as I don't run my layout in the dark.

[retiredoperator]

Hi RFS That is a good point, and saving the bother and electricity all in one go all the best Kev

[retiredoperator]

Hi Biggles of 266 Once I fit the 8 pin decoder , I think that will be job done! Thank you for your advice, all the best Kev

[Bigglesof266]

Hi Biggles of 266 Once I fit the 8 pin decoder , I think that will be job done!

Hi Kev

Re lights. That's all I did.

As RFS said, lights off in daylight except in tunnels where of course, the won't be seen unless you can fit inside?

I have 2 HALs, 2 BILs, Derby Lightweight, 108s, 105, 101 Pendolino, Class 395s. If they don't come fitted with lights, they stay that way. Detailed Pullmans and 1934 Brighton Belle look pretty with lights on at night, but it's a bonus feature AFAIC. I confess to considering internal lighting more of a selling point gimmick than of necessity, as even at night I don't run my layout in the dark for obvious reasons.

Decoder fit is snip. Make yourself up a set of spacers to ease body from chassis removal. Some very thin flat stiff clear plastic from everyday blister pack packaging cut into rectangles and deburred at corners make sup and ideal 'set'. Looks store bought and works like a tool designed expressly for the job. Much thinner, doesn't stress the plastic and you can leave them in place so the one you just freed doesn't snap back when you remove the next. Time spent is rewarded the next time you want to remove a snap fit body from anything.

[BromsMods]

Re decoder installation see https://clarahost.clara.net/www.bromsgr ... cinstr.htm

[retiredoperator]

Hi Broms Mods Thank you for your reply and advice, but , if I have got this correct???? this info is adding unnecessary "Stuff". The new HAL according to "Hornby and the advertising" is supposed toe D C C ready, but, I stand to be corrected on this point. Please advise all the best Kev

[retiredoperator]

Hi Biggles of 266 When I first realised that I might have to "Operate" on some E M U's and even my Beloved D E M U I got into a panic?? Well I looked on Fleabay. I found a set of gadgets,
for opening Mobile Phones, it is a long way for the Postie to walk, the "Far East" that is, but eventually the gadgets arrived, meantime a club member suggested old credit cards, But as far as lights are concerned, "If it aint broke don't fix it". There are no passengers reading newspapers.
. all the best Kev

[Bigglesof266]

Bromsmod's link is an illustrated guide to fitting a decoder to a DCC Ready 2 HAL. He used to run an online business with service which set THE standard. Those pages remain from that association.

As suggested there, fitment to 2 BIL is identical. Hornby only do those two 'flavours' these days TMK. DCC Ready (socketed, 8 pin NEM 652 in this case) illustrated there ranks the majority of production.

[Peterm]

The extra stuff you're talking about is the capacitor. If you use the Zimo MX 631R as John has you can connect to the on board circuitry as described to stop any stuttering on dirty spots of track, but basically, he's covered it all. If you don't want to use the cap' or a different decoder it's your choice.

[retiredoperator]

Hi PeterM I really am struggling around modern " Model Railway Parlance" as far as D C C is concerned , my previous dalliance with model railways was on with D C, When if you needed a new loco you would pop down the road, a short walk, at most a Bus ride, You would walk into the shop and ask for what you needed, fair chance it was in stock ?? or it could be ordered, then you would collect it pop it on the track , and away, easy. But I heard about this "Wonder of Wonders" and I fancied going along for the "Craic". All comments will be duly noted, and one day it might sink in??
I must say before I forget it, there aren't so many Model/Toy shops on the High St nowadays . all the best Kev

[Peterm]

Hi Kev.

It's even worse here down under. Like you, I struggled at first with the parlance but picked it up bit by bit. Although I'm still not completely oh fay after about 10 years, there's always help to be had. If you want that decoder I'd suggest (tin hat on already) not to use the train set manufacturers eg, Bachmann/Hornby. I use Zimo as John from Bromsgrove Models did, but there are other good quality ones out there

[retiredoperator]

Hi PeterM Thank you it is nice to know that I am not alone in this struggle. Technology ?? It is good, when you know how it does what it does. And all the buttons to push
all the best Kev

[SRman]

As others have said here already, old credit cards (and similar types of plastic cards) work wonders in separating the bodies from the chassis without damaging anything. They work on the Hornby units and Bachmann ones as well.

I agree with the suggestions above regarding decoder choices too, in NOT using the cheap manufacturers-own types. Personally, I have standardised my Bachmann and Hornby EMUs on Lenz decoders: 8-pin Standard+ for the Hornby units and 21-pin versions for the Bachmann units. The single sided 8-pin ones fit neatly under the seat units on the Hornby BILs and HALs, although I also have to agree that there are several other very good brands of suitable decoders out there as well as the Lenz ones.

As with any new (-ish) products and devices, the jargon can take a while to make sense of, but it eventually falls into place. As you can see from the earlier posts, there is plenty of free help and advice available. Jump in and have a go, and if you get stuck, someone, somewhere will have encountered it before and will be able to talk you through the problem. It's good for the brain to have new challenges and learn new things, so relax and enjoy the ride ... it is a hobby, after all.