DCC select unit / loco stop start

[Ashe]

Hi All

well I've been out and brought new track built a oval with a siding powered it up and hay presto it works, well for a wihile !!!. conded loc in al good and then after say 10-12 minits loc started to juder and then stops select unit goes to number 10 and then a broken number displays I think it's a ten. If I push loc will slowly start to move display reads 30 then goes to 03 but moves on its own dosnt respond to acceleration / slowing then judders  stops back to broken number and the pattern repeats aaaaaaa please help!!!!M

regards

Ashe

[96RAF]

@Ashe

The numbers 10-30-03 you see in sequence is the Select rebooting after an outage probably due to an overload, which is what that 'broken' number is indicating - 0L, but it looks a bit different due to the limitations of the Select display.

 

The likely answer to your problem is the loco in use is probably taking too much current, especially if you are using the 1 Amp wall plug power supply, but the Select is rated for use with the 4 Amp power supply so it relies on the 'wall plug' to trip out.

 

If the supply is not tripping out but supply is being interupted then look at the jack plug connection to make sure it is OK as any interuption will cause the Select to reboot.

 

 If the problem occurs with the loco removed from the track then there is probably a short on your track somewhere which needs investing and fixing.

 

The 03 which should appear on your screen to indicate the Select is ready to go by the way is the default address for a loco and this can be changed to another address within the range 1-59. I assume your loco is fitted with a DCC decoder else it wouldn't respond to the 03 address. If not then it is not addvised to put a non DCC (analogue DC) loco on a DCC track as the motor can overheat and burn out.

[RDS]

It sounds like a faulty Loco to me, as RAF96 says.

 

Please provide more information, regarding which Loco it is and confirmation that it is a DCC fitted Loco and not just a DCC ready one.

 

Do you have another DCC fitted Loco you can try?

 

(Incidentally, you would be better to just have one thread running with this problem, rather than having started a new one, in order that we can follow it through properly for you and easily see the steps you have taken so far) 

[Chrissaf]

RAF / RDS

This is the same Ashe that has another open post titled "Help with DCC select unit R8213" maybe the two issues are interrelated.

.

Ashe, where did you buy the Select. Was it second hand?

[RDS]

... This is the same Ashe that has another open post ...

 

@Chrissaf

Yes I know, that is why I included my last comment.

[Chrissaf]

Oooopps sorry didn't notice the final para.

[96RAF]

@Chris

...new track...so likely to be a second hand Select given the 1.0 rev state - if that is what we are seeing in the OP.

[RDS]

@RAF96

My Select Walkabout is at Revision 1.0 and I have no problems with it.

We really need Ashe to come back and answer the questions we have raised!

[Chrissaf]

Ashe,

Trying to diagnose intermittent or transient issues is going to be difficult. I suggest trying to eliminate as many potential issues as one can, and take slow incremental steps to track down the source of the issue.

.

I suggest at this stage, just using a reasonably short length of straight track say about 4 or 5 feet long with NO points or other track pieces. Connect your select to that and nothing else, then sit your troublesome loco on that and see how well it performs running back and forth just on that short length. Make sure the tops of the track rails are clean. If you have nothing to clean them with, then a pencil rubber can be a suitable temporary substitute, just to get you by.

.

Come back here and post the results of the above test and wait for further suggestions thereafter.

.

It is important that you provide feed back and answer the questions contributors raise. The questions and their answers are needed to help us to help you. Like for example the questions RDS raised above.

.

Although the Select displayed characters you have described indicate that the loco is drawing more than the select power supply can supply. This does not seem likely as most DCC loco decoders are only capable of supplying about 1 amp at most anyway. If the Select power supply is faulty it might be tripping at a current far lower than 1 amp (I have seen this happen on brick power supplies in general, but not necessarily Hornby ones).

.

Does the Select power supply have the Hornby logo on it?

Is there a part number printed on it, if so what is it?

.

If the Select is showing 10 followed by 30 followed by 03 when it powers up. Then the firmware is version 1.0 and quite old. If you purchased it 2nd hand, the Select or its power supply may be faulty.

.

Something else you can try. If the power input plug and socket connection to the Select is intermittent then the Select will lose power intermittently and reboot as stated by RAF above. Try placing your finger on the side of the DC power plug where it connects to the Select and apply sideways pressure. Keep pressing the connector whilst you run your test. If everything is now running normally, then that would indicate a badly worn or loose power connection.

.

Whilst watching the Select LCD display, tug and pull and generally manipulate the cord on the power supply. If you see the display go out or flicker, then that could indicate a fault in the cable or its terminations.

[Ashe]

Ashe,

Trying to diagnose intermittent or transient issues is going to be difficult. I suggest trying to eliminate as many potential issues as one can, and take slow incremental steps to track down the source of the issue.

.

I suggest at this stage, just using a reasonably short length of straight track say about 4 or 5 feet long with NO points or other track pieces. Connect your select to that and nothing else, then sit your troublesome loco on that and see how well it performs running back and forth just on that short length. Make sure the tops of the track rails are clean. If you have nothing to clean them with, then a pencil rubber can be a suitable temporary substitute, just to get you by.

.

Come back here and post the results of the above test and wait for further suggestions thereafter.

.

It is important that you provide feed back and answer the questions contributors raise. The questions and their answers are needed to help us to help you. Like for example the questions RDS raised above.

.

Although the Select displayed characters you have described indicate that the loco is drawing more than the select power supply can supply. This does not seem likely as most DCC loco decoders are only capable of supplying about 1 amp at most anyway. If the Select power supply is faulty it might be tripping at a current far lower than 1 amp (I have seen this happen on brick power supplies in general, but not necessarily Hornby ones).

.

Does the Select power supply have the Hornby logo on it?

Is there a part number printed on it, if so what is it?

.

If the Select is showing 10 followed by 30 followed by 03 when it powers up. Then the firmware is version 1.0 and quite old. If you purchased it 2nd hand, the Select or its power supply may be faulty.

.

Something else you can try. If the power input plug and socket connection to the Select is intermittent then the Select will lose power intermittently and reboot as stated by RAF above. Try placing your finger on the side of the DC power plug where it connects to the Select and apply sideways pressure. Keep pressing the connector whilst you run your test. If everything is now running normally, then that would indicate a badly worn or loose power connection.

.

Whilst watching the Select LCD display, tug and pull and generally manipulate the cord on the power supply. If you see the display go out or flicker, then that could indicate a fault in the cable or its terminations.

 

[Ashe]

@Ashe

The numbers 10-30-03 you see in sequence is the Select rebooting after an outage probably due to an overload, which is what that 'broken' number is indicating - 0L, but it looks a bit different due to the limitations of the Select display.

 

The likely answer to your problem is the loco in use is probably taking too much current, especially if you are using the 1 Amp wall plug power supply, but the Select is rated for use with the 4 Amp power supply so it relies on the 'wall plug' to trip out.

 

If the supply is not tripping out but supply is being interupted then look at the jack plug connection to make sure it is OK as any interuption will cause the Select to reboot.

 

 If the problem occurs with the loco removed from the track then there is probably a short on your track somewhere which needs investing and fixing.

 

The 03 which should appear on your screen to indicate the Select is ready to go by the way is the default address for a loco and this can be changed to another address within the range 1-59. I assume your loco is fitted with a DCC decoder else it wouldn't respond to the 03 address. If not then it is not addvised to put a non DCC (analogue DC) loco on a DCC track as the motor can overheat and burn out.

Yes the controler was second hand but in sealed box it does go through 10 30 03 so I guess this confirms that the controler is a old version, can you update to newer version? I have noted today that the loco is less prone running backwards, when running forward on the curves front bogie whell on the inside of curve seams to lift enough to stop turning. It was sold as DCC fitted programmed to No 3 it is a Scot Class Kings Royal Rifle Corps again second hand. 

 

[Fishmanoz]

Ashe, a word of advice - steer clear of the blue reply icon in peoples' posts and use only the big Reply box and green button at the bottom of the page.  That way you won't needlessly repeat peoples's posts or accidentally put your own content in the yellow box such that no one can tell what you've added.  You can see the difference with my post here and your's doing nothing but repeat RAF's post above.

[96RAF]

I've been having another read of the Select manual about overload protection.

 

Further to what I said previously about the Select internal overload protection being at 4 Amps - (if it wasn't then you obviously couldn't use the big power supply with it to provide more load capacity).

 

To provide overload protection when using the 1 Amp supply it is the power supply itself which detects an overload and reduces its output voltage to protect the Select against the problem and the manual then states that this reduced voltage will cause the Select to reboot which is exactly what was reported by the OP.

 

And for those who missed Ashe's reply to me above here it is

Yes the controler was second hand but in sealed box it does go through 10 30 03 so I guess this confirms that the controler is a old version, can you update to newer version? I have noted today that the loco is less prone running backwards, when running forward on the curves front bogie whell on the inside of curve seams to lift enough to stop turning. It was sold as DCC fitted programmed to No 3 it is a Scot Class Kings Royal Rifle Corps again second hand. 

I would guess the loco bogie is causing a short every now and then and tripping the Select, but the loco could maybe also do with a lube.

 

Yes you can update the Select to v1.5 if you want to but it has to go back to Hornby and will cost 15 pounds plus the cost of posting.

 

[RDS]

@adam (admin)

The above posting by Ashe is a classic example of why the 'Blue quote button' should be removed completely.  It is impossible to tell easily which is his reply and which text is from a previous posting.  The fact that it is just a big blue button with an arrow in, does tend to suggest to (usually new) members that it is the correct way to respond.

 

There is no need for a 'quote' type button because it is possible to 'cut and paste' if any parts of a previous post are deemed essential for a meaningful reply.

[96RAF]

Agreed RDS or replace it with the green one so all you get is the blank reply box.

I would like have a tick button so I can agree with the poster without having to sidetrack the topic with a reply.

[RDS]

@RAF96

The tick button sounds a good way forward as well.  In fact, if we had one now I would have just used it! (Now then, what topic were we on?)

[Ashe]

I have concluded that the fault seams to be the loco as it works fine while in reverse but stop start jerky only it forward. I have another DCC fitted loco on way so I will be able to test and see. The select unit is fine until this loco is placed on the track.

[Chrissaf]

Ashe, thank you for coming back to the thread and providing an update. Not everyone does.