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setting up saphire dcc


1963rich

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hi all im new to this so im abit of an idot have just bought a virgin R1155 dcc ready set im using the elink with railmaster im not sure how to program the decoder with the virgin trains set up ov cvs as there dont seem to be any information from hornby on this subject any help will be apreached

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1963rich, welcome to the forum. Just for clarity. Are you saying:

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You have fitted a Hornby Sapphire decoder to your DCC Ready loco?

And that you don't know what you have to do in RailMaster to configure the decoder?

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Have you got as far as entering the loco into your RailMaster list of locos (loco roster) or is this initial stage still something that needs to be done.

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In other words do you need a step by step guide for everything that needs to be done, literally from taking the loco out of the box or just for the decoder programming part.

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If it is just the decoder programming part, is it just setting the decoder address that you want to do or more than that, you will need to be precise in your revised question wording with regard as to what you want us to help you with as your original post was a bit on the vague side.

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Can you use RailMaster to operate your loco using the default 003 DCC address?

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ok i guess im thinking to hard on this ill put it in the loco and see what happens but my eyesight is not the best so im not sure which is pin 1 i have seen on the internet that pin one is conected to the orange wire though when i called hornby i got a diffrent answer i wouldnt want to put it in the wrong way round so could you confirm if it is the orange one please guys

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Yes, the orange wire is pin 1 on an 8 pin NEM652 decoder such as, for example, the Hornby R8249.

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However, the Hornby R8245 Sapphire that you have specified you are using in your original question is a 21 pin MTC female connector decoder, thus there is no orange wire, therefore the wire colour isn't relevant to the Hornby Sapphire. Maybe this is why the information Hornby gave you was different to what you were expecting. The Sapphire uses a 'Keyed' 21 pin female socket mounted directly on the decoder PCB, thus it can only fit into a 21 pin MTC male connector one way round. Pin 11 is used to key the male and female together.

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I'm not familiar with the loco in the R1155 set, but according to the Hattons product description it is a NEM652 8 pin socket rather than a 21 pin MTC connector. Thus, you will need an adapter to convert from a MTC 21 pin male connector suitable for the decoder to an 8 pin NEM652 Plug for the loco socket, if you want to use the Sapphire decoder in it.

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The Hornby Sapphire product description states that a 21 pin to 8 pin adaptor is included with the Sapphire, but it is not clear in the product description whether this adaptor takes the form of a wired harness or not.

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Note also that according to the Hattons description, as well as being 8 pin DCC Ready and not 21 pin, the Virgin loco in the set also requires TWO decoders. One in the motor car for motor and lights and one in the dummy motor car for lights only.

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For information, unlike the MTC 21 pin connector, the 8 pin NEM652 plug can fit in the 8 pin socket either way round without causing any damage. If fitted in reverse, the loco will just function in reverse and any directional lights that might be fitted won't work. This, of course, includes the 8 pin plug on an adaptor harness as well.

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R8245 Sapphire 21 pin Decoder

/media/tinymce_upload/b83d81507b6f41fee755c298b8728178.jpg

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R8249 NEM652 8 pin Decoder

/media/tinymce_upload/bab5514bc4fc0d3cbdf5448c573db231.jpg

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If you haven't already bought the Sapphire, you'll find the Hornby R8249 8-pin perfectly adequate for this train, unless you are thinking of doing some really clever speed curve thing.  And the 8249 is all you need in the dummy car no matter what you put in the drive car.

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When bought new the Sapphire comes with an 8-pin adapter. From Hornby's own product description: 21-pin connector (8-pin converter supplied)

 

If not already fitted the 21-pin is piggy-backed to the adapter and the 8-pin plug can then be fitted onto the 8-pin socket lining up the orange wire to pin 1.

 

View this image to see fitting:

http://www.gaugemaster.com/_upload/imgs/lrg/34354/R8245.jpg

 

Hope this is of some use.

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ok guys sorry not been on but have sorted it all out now,and yes i was overthinking this in a big way lol it was very straight forward once i had got pin one sorted.

The hornby saphire decoder has the 8 pin adapter already fitted to the decoder there was no adaptation of any wiring needed and yes i ill get the cheper decoders for this train.

Also found out not able to program second decoder in dummy power car must set it up in the drive car.

none of the instructions supplied by hornbe gives you the pin configeration of the decoders or adapters at least i cant find it so this might be a help in the future if hornby could add this in there so it would save a bit of time

so tanks for all the advise guys things will go much smother in the future

 

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