Hornby DCC E-Link second Accessory Decoder

[Correl]

Hi I have one accessory decoder and its as clear as mud trying to work out how to add a second decoder, I get that I would have to connect it to the prog track etc, but dont get where I would tell it that I have more than 4 points, do i just change 1,2.3,4 to 5,6,7,8? and add them to my layout on screen or is it more complicated?  I don't want to buy a second one and have a nightmare programing it. I am suprised actually that the instructions don't explain this as surely if your going the accessories route your never going to stop at 4 things :)

[St1ngr4y]

If you have successfully programmed your first decoder to have ports 1 - 4, then, yes, when you get your second decoder, program its ports to 5 - 8, the thrid one 9 - 12 and so on.

Ray

[Chrissaf]

Chances are that the OP did not configure the original R8247 as it is configured as ports 1-4 as the factory default. If this is the case, then he will be configuring this second decoder for the first time.

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Correl, Welcome to the forum.

Yes you are correct. Configure the second decoder as address 5. The  FIRST port of the second decoder will become address 5 and the other three ports will AUOTOMATICALLY be assigned addresses 6, 7 & 8.

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As Ray says, the third decoder should be given address 9 (9, 10, 11 & 12) and so on.

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The R8247 needs to be the ONLY device connected to your eLink PROGRAMMING output during this configuration activity. Once configured, re-connect your decoder to the TRACK output to test. And YES, you add point icons to your track design plan and assign them port addresses 5, 6, 7 and 8

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RM supports about 2,000 point addresses give or take a bit.

[Fishmanoz]

Hi Correl, we all know that assume makes an ass out of u and me, and in this instance the assumption that Ray and Chris have made is that you are using and intending to keep using the Hornby R8247 accessory decoder.  There are of course many other brands, some of which program similarly to the 8247 and some which are quite different (in fact, some much simpler). 

 

So so let us know if they are right or not.

[Correl]

Thankyou guy's was hoping it was this simple. I did put it on the prog track, more to see if i could read than write to it.  The Rail Master software isn't very clear like i said when it read the decoder and is said 1,2,3,4 I thought first like on a train is there not an address CV. I guess they are all on the same CV address.  The software writer's of railmaster really could do with an update to the UI for sure.

 

[Chrissaf]

You use this icon to configure the addresses on the R8247 Accessory Decoder in conjunction with following the manual from page 73

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IMO - The process really is simple and self explanatory, the manual is hardly needed. Connect R8247 to 'Programming' output of eLink.

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[96RAF]

Yes there is a CV1 and you can write 5 to it for your second acc decoder addressing. Note that when trying to read back acc decoders the result will be the point group, not the individual point number, i.e. The second decoder will read back 2, the third 3, etc and not as expected 5 or 9.

 

Just to complicate things if conforming to NMRA rules then you can use CV513 in lieu of CV1.

 

A tip to confirm that a decoder has been correctly addressed is that it will fire port 4 at the end of the programming sequence. You can connect a solenoid point motor to it and set it to mid position  matter which port fires it will click fully one way.

 

You can also write value 8to CV8 to reset an acc decoder just loke a loco one.