E-Link total failure!

[pugtop]

Hi,my E-Link failed completely on Monday night, whilst in ooperation. Without warning,everything stopped and went quiet. I checked the railmaster software, which seems fine. I then relised the green light on the e-link had gone out. I checked the power supply and it was working, so I plugged the power supply into my spare Select controller and that worked perfectly. The fault is definitely in the e-link unit, as the track works fine with the select. I am temporarily running the layout in a "restriced mode" using the select. Has anyone else had a cmplete failure of an e-link unit?

I purchased mine in March 2015, so as far as I'm concerned, it is still under warranty.

 

[2e0dtoeric]

Two comments

First, this question would be better in the E-link threads.

Second, as it is still within warranty, send it back to Hornby.

[pugtop]

 Yes, I will send it back, but I am waiting for Hornby to contact me with details of what I need to do. I can't send it to a repair centre, as you would with a faulty loco, as it is fitted with tamper proof screws. I shall be calling Hornby tomorrow to discuss what to do next. I hope they have a quick resolution, as my select is hopeless with some of my equipment, as it is an early unit, one of the "non NMRA" ones! and won't reprogramme some of my decoders.

On another note, i'm aware it might be better in "the E-Link" threads but I thought it might get more interest and better read, in general queries!

 

[Chrissaf]

If you are sending your eLink back to Hornby, you might consider sending your Select back at the same time (share the P&P costs) to get the firmware upgraded to current revision (1.5?). There is a £15 charge for this I believe.

[Nick_]

If you ring Hornby Customer support they will give you a returns number and then you post it back to Hornby who will repair it and return it to you. Mine failed in a similar manner back in July and it was returned fixed in 12 days. a couple of weeks later they then sent me a cheque to cover the cost of my postage - I wasn't expecting that!

[pugtop]

I called Hornby Customer support today and was told that I needed to speak to someone from the DCC department, unfortunately they weren't there when I phoned. They are going to contact me within the next 24 hours or I WILL be calling them back. Thanks for the comment Nick, pretty much what I was expecting and just what I'm hoping for as resolution. Really peeved that they haven't contacted me after I e-mailed them on Monday, just how long do I need to wait, without the nudge of today! Missing it already, thinking I need to add a signal booster and maybe a power booster as my layout has a long run......

Aaaand to add insult to injury,my laptop finally decided that it needed to update to Windows 10! The return of e-link could be interesting!

[pugtop]

Right, now i'm getting angry!

After contacting the "Customer Support" line yesterday afternoon and asking why I hadn't had a response to my email from the beginning of the week, I had the reply that "you would need to speak to the DCC team but they are not there right now, can I get themto contact you tomorrow?". I agreed to this, thinking it would happen!! Yeah right!!

So far, no contact, either by phone or e-mail. I then try to call the customer support line at 3:30pm, guess what, they're not there......What hours do they work and do they have any jobs going?

Apparently , the hotline is open again at 9am tomorrow (saturday)....I hope so, as I'm seriously looking at Gaugemaster or alternative products, that are miles ahead and have great customer service!

Thoughts?

[poliss]

Where did you buy it from pugtop? First port of call is always with the retailer you bought it from. That's who your contract is with.

Did you buy direct from Hornby Nick? They have to refund the postage if an item is faulty. It's the law.

[pugtop]

Still not impressed that Hornby customer services haven't contacted me. I buy a reasonable amount of Hornby product and I'm disgusted that they can't even bother to return calls or answer e-mails. My business may go elsewhere, just need my E-Link fixed now. It has been left with my retailer to be sent back to Hornby.

[2e0dtoeric]

Give Hornby a chance, Pug. It's only twelve days since you first asked - less Sat/Sun 5/6 and 12/13, so they've only had 8 working days. There won't be 200 bodies hovering by printers or phones, just in case someone calls, more like two or three, and they've been rushed off their feet with the Black Friday business. They probably have a stack of jobsheets two metres tall to work through.

[Yelrow]

People seem to think, hornby are massive. Mark only has a very small team in customer services, all of whom, are first class. You have at this time of the year to be dealt with in rotation. HRMS, are the same. They always reply, but in strict order. If you choose to go elsewhere, i doubt you will match Hornbys dedication. john

[Augustus Caesar]

A courtesy call or email wouldn't go amiss just simply to say they are aware of his plight and will get back to him asap.

It's the very least I do for my own clients... ignorance just loses you business at the end of the day.

Now I am not criticising Hornby or anyone else here but just pointing out a happy customer is ALWAYS that... a happy customer.

[bms]

My elink was just flashing the green light - laptop wouldn't connect - this with all track connections disconnected. The Hornby helpline was very helpful with alternative fixes

[Fishmanoz]

Hi bms, thanks for pulling up this nearly 4 yr old thread, you must have good search facilities. And I enjoyed seeing posts from yelrow who hasn’t posted for 6 months and poliss who left us 3 years ago.

 

However, I’m not sure how the thread is relevant to your problem as you don’t seem to have returned your eLink under warranty?  Would you care to tell us what fix HCC recommended that worked?

[ron 47]

HI Pugtop my Elink stop working and i sent it back to Hornby and i had a new one in one week.so i do not know what there up to i only spoke to the servise department and they sent me a number and i just sent it back. i when out a got a new e link thinking i was not going to get the old eling back. for some weeks. hope you get it sorted out Ron 47

[Kevin Hodges]

Hi bms, thanks for pulling up this nearly 4 yr old thread, you must have good search facilities. And I enjoyed seeing posts from yelrow who hasn’t posted for 6 months and poliss who left us 3 years ago.

 

However, I’m not sure how the thread is relevant to your problem as you don’t seem to have returned your eLink under warranty?  Would you care to tell us what fix HCC recommended that worked?

 

I used to enjoy Poliss's contributions. I had no idea he'd passed. Very sad.

 

Here's hoping yelrow is ok & will return.

 

Both great contributors. Quite often you don't even realise they have stopped posting unless old threads like this are renewed.

 

Kev.

[96RAF]

@ron47

 

Did you not read what Fishy said about this being a four year old post.

I think the OPs elink will be well out of warranty by now.

[NormanQ4]

@KH

I used to enjoy Poliss's contributions. I had no idea he'd passed. Very sad.

It's strange how two people can read the same item and reach a different conclusion.

I thought that he had just stopped contributing as many others have done in the past.

[Rog RJ]

As far as I am aware Polis is still alive and kicking but no longer visits this forum.

He has his own forum site, thecentralstation, which he appears to have last posted to in May of this year.

[96RAF]

It was Graskie we lost. RIP.