Heljan 45 Peak - Decoder?

[centenary]

The last week or so have been interesting.........

Contacted Gaugemaster (Heljan's UK distributor), was told that no issues of this kind had been reported, I must contact Heljan Head Office per email.
Well, what a disappointing email conversation with Heljan !!
I specifically asked Heljan which decoder was compatible with the model & they could not tell me? (In the instruction manual is states - " For all of the lighting function to work correctly on DCC you require a compatible 6 function decoder").

After explaining the problem in detail & that I had tried two different 6 function decoders I was told to try a "similar" decoder ?!? They couldn't tell me what they meant by "a similar decoder".
After several emails back & forth I lost patience tbh as I wasn't getting answers. I was basically (with no apology from Heljan whatsoever) told to send the 45 back. The model was boxed up & I planned to take it back to the shop.

An internet search for any other reports of this problem brought up two people on the RMW forum with exactly the same issue. It was at this point I found the YouTube video from Dave @ Dean Park and his review of the model. I nearly missed it but half way through he explained that he had needed an 8 function decoder to get all of the lighting to work correctly.

Sure enough, a couple of days later my Dapol Imperium3 8 function decoder arrived and once fitted all of the lighting function are now working (although not on the function keys stated by Heljan in the instruction manual).

Problem solved - The Peak is staying

Gaugemaster told you incorrectly to contact Heljan HO. GM or the retailer you bought from if not GM, must resolve the issue for you under UK consumer protection law, not the manufacturer.

Further, if you bought over the net and within the 14 day Distance Selling Regulations time period (I think in some circumstances the period can be extended upto 3 months?), you could have returned for a full refund no questions asked.

Glad you got a resolution acceptable to you though.

[boxbrownie]

But it doesn’t appear that the Loco was at fault at all, basically it was the manufacturer and distributor both just not knowing what Chip the Loco required, seems unbelievable but it happens more and more.

No excuse for it at all IMV.

[Bigmet]

But it doesn’t appear that the Loco was at fault at all, basically it was the manufacturer and distributor both just not knowing what Chip the Loco required, seems unbelievable but it happens more and more...

Catching up with this thread, that aligns with some of my past experience.
Charitable explanation, assembled from available parts during supply disruptions to deliver the functionality specified, but the 'deviation' information 'lost in transit' to brand management.
Ranging up to, production contractor working with DCC supply partner to make the model less compatible with other DCC brand's product...

[Bufferstop]

Perhaps Gaugemaster as both distributor and Retailer should be reminded that as Retailer faults (which includes not meeting spec) are their responsibility. It's only the Retailers who they supply that should be referred back to the Manufacturer.
I lost count of the number of times when working in IT that compatible components wern't, even ones from the same batch! This is something that the knowledgeable retailer should know. If someone brings back a decoder that apparently doesn't work try it in something else and try a decoder of the same type from a different supplier. I can see where Heljan's description of similar, arises, meaning just lost in translation.