Heljan 45 Peak - Decoder?

[SharlstonEastagteMR]

Hi All,
I am soon to be the owner of a lovely new Heljan 45 Peak (Sirius) as the Mrs has bought me one for my bday.

Question to any current owners out there - which decoder have you used? I heard that this model needs a six function MTC, is this correct?

I know these Heljan's are quite power thirsty and with my 33's & 26 I've used Lenz V2's (8 pin older versions).

Any suggestions & comments most appreciated,

Thanks, Andy

[centenary]

Hi All,
I am soon to be the owner of a lovely new Heljan 45 Peak (Sirius) as the Mrs has bought me one for my bday.

Question to any current owners out there - which decoder have you used? I heard that this model needs a six function MTC, is this correct?

I know these Heljan's are quite power thirsty and with my 33's & 26 I've used Lenz V2's (8 pin older versions).

Any suggestions & comments most appreciated,

Thanks, Andy

Hattons suggest either an ESU 58419 Loksound V5 21 pin or, their own brand 21 pin Direct NEO 6 function chip. If you want all the switchable functions via DCC ie turn off the rear lights when hauling stock, you will need a 6 function chip.

More details here https://www.keymodelworld.com/article/h ... rius-45304

[SharlstonEastagteMR]

Thanks for your reply Centenary, as i don't yet have the model (user manual etc) this is very useful. Sound is out of my budget so it's going to be a std 21 pin.

Not used one of Hattons own decoders yet but I've just found the Neo's (and the 6fcn ones from Rails) are both made by DDC Concepts. Any feedback on these decoders? Price wise they seem to be in the budget price range?

So, I've got a list of -

Hattons Originals DCR-21Pin Neo
Rails / RoS-218 Rails Connect Decoder, 21 Pin Direct
Zimo MX638D
Gaugemaster Ruby Series 6 Function Pro
DCC Concepts DCD-ZN218.6 Zen Black

Any further comments or suggestions most welcome. What have you guys fitted to your 45's?

Andy

[centenary]

Thanks for your reply Centenary, as i don't yet have the model (user manual etc) this is very useful. Sound is out of my budget so it's going to be a std 21 pin.

Not used one of Hattons own decoders yet but I've just found the Neo's (and the 6fcn ones from Rails) are both made by DDC Concepts. Any feedback on these decoders? Price wise they seem to be in the budget price range?

So, I've got a list of -

Hattons Originals DCR-21Pin Neo
Rails / RoS-218 Rails Connect Decoder, 21 Pin Direct
Zimo MX638D
Gaugemaster Ruby Series 6 Function Pro
DCC Concepts DCD-ZN218.6 Zen Black

Any further comments or suggestions most welcome. What have you guys fitted to your 45's?

Andy

To be honest, if sound isnt required, Id go straight to the DCC Concepts Zens. I might be wrong but I think DCC Concepts also make the Gaugemaster and Rails chips so likely do not to have all the Zen features, more so if you want to use the DCC Concepts ABC \ shuttle boards.

[Peterm]

Zimo every time for me.

[SRman]

Zimo every time for me.

Ditto here, although I also like and trust ESU and Lenz (Silver for the 21-pin).

[Bigmet]

At present it may well be 'the choice from what's available'; due to the microprocessor shortage limiting both the quantity and the range of product the decoder manufacturers are able to offer. (I am probably not the only DCC user who has been making transfers: take a Lenz or Zimo 21 pin decoder out of a Bachmann loco tender (which model only needs motor drive) and hardwire in a Lenz standard or Zimo MX600, whichever is available. And the 21 pin decoder can then go into a model requiring more functions.)

Regarding Heljan motors in their wide body diesels, not seen the high stall current characteristic on my own purchases from coming up about ten years ago, when they at last produced models I could use (23, 26/0). Wonder what a 'mint in box' early version class 47 will draw, when taken from its box for the first time after 20 years from purchase and never turned a wheel? Should think it would be 'set solid' ...

[SharlstonEastagteMR]

Thanks for your input guys, most helpful.
Been scouting various outlets for the Zimo but (as Bigmet mentioned) these are looking scarce on the ground at the moment

I'm not in a rush so I'll hang around for a while. I'm at Warley next Sunday so hopefully I'll pick one up down there.

The "Peak" arrived this morning and it's quite a model !! I'm really happy with it. It's had a short spin down the test track on DC.

Rgds, Andy

[SharlstonEastagteMR]

45033 - Sirius by Sharlston Eastgate, on Flickr

[boxbrownie]

Zimo every time for me.

And here.

[SharlstonEastagteMR]

Afternoon chaps, So, I've got problems with the Peak.

After being unsucessful in finding a Zimo in stock I chose the Zen Black V12 ZN218.6, I picked one up from Warley on Sunday.
I tested the model on DC and everything ran as it should. After fitting the decoder, the model ran fine and both the head & independant tail lights work as they should (on the respective Function numbers - 0/1/2)

But - no cab lights !! Function 5 & 6 as per instruction manual do nothing. I've tried every other function up to 20 but nothing.

Anyone else come across this problem? I've emailed Heljan for advise.

Failing that - it's getting returned ! I'm not best pleased.

Rgds, Andy

[SharlstonEastagteMR]

So, I removed my Zen & tried a 6fcn Rails Connect Decoder from my Class 20 - nothing.

Put my Zen back in the model, still the same. Then (with Function 5 & 6 lit) I lightly press on the decoder to check it was seated (it was) & the cab lights come on? As soon as I take my finger off the decoder the lights go out??

Looks like I've got a duff

[Roger (RJ)]

Check for dry solder joints

[Bigmet]

... I've emailed Heljan for advise.

Failing that - it's getting returned ! I'm not best pleased.

You have established that it's as near certainty a connection fault on the decoder socket. Hopefully Heljan will acknowledge that return to retailer for refund or replacement is the solution. (As RJ suggests, quite likely dry joints are the cause, but I no longer fancy waving my soldering iron at the teeny weeny pads to correct such things, leave correction to (a service agent employed by) Heljan would be my expectation.)

[SharlstonEastagteMR]

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