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Points not firing with RailMaster


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I'm using a R8247 Hornby points decoder which is operating myHornby surface mounted point motors perfectly from my Elite. However, when I fire them with RailMaster they just make a clicking sound, though sometimes they actually do work.

 

Has anyone else had this issue?

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Yes I am allowing plenty of time for the CDU to charge up.

 

Another starnge thing I have noticed is a fant tick every second or so, as if it is continuosuly trying to fire one of the point motors. Maybe this is the issue (though if it is how it will be fixed I have no idea!). I will see if it is only 1 motor, and if so will disconnect it and see if that makes a difference. Having said that, I can still fire all the points reliably from the Elite directly, even with it connected to the PC and RailMaster running.

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Have you tried refreshing the RailMaster application by running the latest installer downloadable from the link at the top of the RM forum section. This installer was updated two days ago on the 21st.

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You don't have to uninstall the original RM, just run the downloaded installer over the top of it.

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I did that, though it was already running the latest version. Made no difference.

 

It's almost like the points are continually firing every second or so when the Elite is connected to the computer, stopping the CDU in the R8247 from fully charging.

 

Bloody frustrating is RailMaster at times. I really wonder if it's worth the effort.......

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Michael,

In your RM layout design, do you use the facility for one point to fire another? I don't know if this is possible, but what if one point was set to fire another, but that second point was also set to fire the original? Would this cause some sort of loop in the system?

Ray

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With regard to Ray's suggestion. If this was the case, I would have thought that the endless loop actions would be captured in the RailMaster Log.txt file.

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Hi Chris,

I don't think anything is written to the log file when you click on a point on the layout diagram, even if it controls, or is being controlled by, another point or signal. The only reason I suggested it was because it is the only thing I can think of which would make a point fire repeatedly every second or so, especially when the same doesn't happen when the point is fired directly by the Elite. If this is the case, it must be something inside RM causing this repeated firing.

Ray

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No I started by keeping it simple, I try and fire just one point at a time. 

 

What is also weird is now it won't even fire using the Eite while ever it is connected to the PC. As soon as I pull the USB cable the ticking stops, and it all works again from the Elite!

 

This convinces me that the Elite is continuously getting commands to fire points from RailMaster, stopping the CDU from charging. How to stop it though.................

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Reload RM without the Elite connected then shut it down, then plug in the USB again and restart RM.

 

Many perceived RM faults are purely because people dont restart it after fiddling...this simple procedure will allow RM to get its ducks in a row again.

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And if that doesn't work, then re-install the latest version over the top of what you have by downloading from the link at the top of the forum.  First load the latest is the law of general relativity as it applies to RM, always do so as the first step to solving a problem.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Looks like a faulty R8247. If I disconnect the motor from port 1 it works fine, the ticking stops as it's that port which is constantly outputting pulses, but I have no clue why it behaves itself perfectly when not conncted to the PC and Railmaster!

 

I also reset the R8247, made no difference.

 

Getting close to giving up with RailMaster, takes all the fun out of DCC.

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To me this one remains quite weird and the cause unexplained, only the effect known.  We seem to be concluding the 8247 is faulty on port 1 but only when fired by a command from RM transmitted to it through an Elite.  It's not faulty when fired by a command generated by the Elite itself.

 

Wha happens if the Elite is connected to the USB with the PC turned on but the Elite is still used to fire the port?  Faulty or not?  And with the PC connected and on with Elite generating the command, does it make any difference if RM itself is running or not?

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