eLink faulty

[Flintso]

I hope someone can help me with this issue which I have.

Few days ago I bought the eLink set (interface and software) and after installing everything according to the indications, I couldn't make the locomotive move or even reading the CV of it. The strange thing for which I need an opinion is the fact that when the eLink interface it is plugged to the electricity and connected to the rail but not connected to the PC, the lights of the locomotive are ON and a low noise come from the engine like there is no power enough to make the engine run.

Is this a faulty of the eLink interface or this is a normal behavior?

Thank you for your help

[Yelrow]

flintso, hi, some clever soul will arrive shortly, but the loco you are trying with, is DCC fitted. You also, have to make up a programming track, to read cv, eg, 2 sets of wires, one to running track, one to prog track, and it is from there that you read / alter cv. john

[Flintso]

flintso, hi, some clever soul will arrive shortly, but the loco you are trying with, is DCC fitted. You also, have to make up a programming track, to read cv, eg, 2 sets of wires, one to running track, one to prog track, and it is from there that you read / alter cv. john

Dear John,

 

Thank you for your time and reply. The loco is DCC ready and I did try to program it but only error reading of CV :-( (and I did read several posts here how to program the loco) ... Any other idea?

[96RAF]

As your loco is DCC ready and not DCC fitted that would explain both why you can't program it (there is no decoder in there to program yet) and the noise it makes is that of a DC loco motor trying its hardest to burn out on DCC voltage.

[Chrissaf]

Flintso, may I suggest you download my 'Getting Started with Extension Track Packs' document from the locked post at the top of the General Section of the forum. You need to read Pages 19, 20 & 21 in that document (in particular the second half of page 19). As RAF says, do NOT put your loco on your DCC powered track, you are likely to burn out the motor, if you haven't done so already.

[Fishmanoz]

I haven't gone to re-read Chris's excellent track pack instruction, but there is quite a lot to follow to get your RM/eLink set up correctly in the first place.  The RM forum is full of it.  There are 2 sticky threads at the top of the forum for a start (not the one with the LD instructions) then there is also the HRMS post towards the bottom of page 2 of the Hornby Railmaster thread.

 

Then of course, you need to fit decoders to your locos if only DCC Ready before RM can control them.

 

Adam, may I ask again that the HRMS post be added to the 3rd locked thread please.

[Chrissaf]

Fishy, the second half of page 19, is the bit that explains the difference between DCC Capable, DCC Ready and DCC Fitted.

[96RAF]

DCC Fitted - what it says on the tin.

DCC Capable - fairly obvious.

DCC Ready - needs to have a better lable as it implies ready to rock and roll when actually it is not even close.

I cant think of a more suitable handle for it at the mo.

 

[Flintso]

Thank you all for your time and help.

Now I finally got it that actually "DCC ready" means that you cannot run yet on a DCC circuit but have the capability if you add a decoder. So my eLink is not faulty, I'm just dumb that I didn't get it from the beginning. Luckily that my loco's are still running...

[Chrissaf]

Flintso, not dumb, just inexperienced........you're not the first to not realise what DCC Ready means.

[Fishmanoz]

And there is another bit to answer, you can only do anything with your eLink when it is connected to its power supply, the track and your PC.  No point doing tests without PC connection as well as the other two.