DCC - Loco tripping DCC connected points

[CW6]

Hi,

fairly new to the DCC side of modelling, having returned to the hobby after nearly 20 years. 

I have built a layout and locomotives were all running fine - using Hornby Elite, with Peco track  

I have now started to install point motors - peco PL10's under the boards, linked to hornby accessory decoder R8247. All tested ok, and no issues when only using the ACC option on the Elite. 

However, when I run one of my loco's it seems to short circuit the motors and none of them work at all. This only happens with one loco. All the others still run ok and do not have the same effect, so can run trains and change points as required.

Any ideas on why just this one loco is shorting out the points? It is a hornby loco fitted with a gaugemaster decoder. 

thanks

[RDS]

Hi CW6 and welcome to the Forum

Could you please tell us the model number of the Hornby Loco that is causing the problem.

It may be something as simple as an incorrect 'back to back' measurement on the wheels that is causing the problem.  Is it only one point, or does this Loco have problems with more than one.

[mjb1961]

hi ,,,,,at least it is only one loco ,,,that eliminates anything to do with the track,connections etc,,,has the loco in question got a tender ? ,,if it has take a look at the tender to loco connection ,,,

[CW6]

it is a hornby Tornado model. It seems to trip the entire lot of points. Only have one decoder hooked up at the moment, but looking to add more in the next couple of days. When the loco starts, can here the point motor click, and then nothing works from the Elite, except the loco. 

[Chrissaf]

CW6,

I think it would be wise if you clarified your issue again with a more descriptive explanation. It would appear that the others (who have already offered a reply) are under the impression that your issue is that one of your locos is shorting out the track and tripping the controller power safety circuit when the loco in question is traversing the point(s).

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It appears to me from your descriptions (taking both posts together) that you are saying that when you send a DCC signal to your loco to move off, your R8247 accessory decoder(s) are decoding this as a command to operate, and all your point motors are firing to operate the points. After which, you lose all point motor control from the Elite controller buttons.

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Perhaps you could clarify in concise terms exactly what you are doing (step by step), what is happening and what is going wrong? Your use of the phrase 'short circuit the motors' in the original post is (I believe) causing confusion (hence my observational comment in my first paragraph above).

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If the points are firing when trying to control a loco via the Elite. This would appear to infer some form of configuration error on your part when setting your system up.

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One final comment. It will be near impossible for members to give you appropriate and specific advice, unless they fully understand the EXACT operational issue you are experiencing (see very last 'A suggestion' comment below).

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Note: If it was me. I would be downloading and installing the 'Evaluation' copy of RailMaster [RM] (free to use in Evaluation mode) from the link on this forum. Connecting the Elite to the PC and using RM to interrogate (read), confirm and reprogram if necessary the R8247(s) connected to the Elite programming output. The GUI (Graphical User Interface) provided by RM makes the configuration tasks of the R8247s so much easier, particularly when trying to diagnose a problem. This would also include using RM to read the configuration of the loco in question too, to see if there is something unusual or odd about it.

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A suggestion: Maybe instead of writing reams of text you could consider recording a video of what buttons you are pressing on the Elite to demonstrate your problem. Uploading it on YouTube, then posting a link to it on the forum. Giving members here the visibility of seeing exactly what you are doing will aid their ability to potentially identify the problem greatly. Other members on here have used the YouTube video posting technique to articulate their issue and get it successfully resolved in the past......it can work well, particularly with obscure issues like yours (assuming my interpretation of your issue is the correct one).

 

 

[2e0dtoeric]

All set to the default of 3?

[RDS]

Following on from what Chris has deduced from the further information given in your 2nd post, what DCC address have you assigned to both the 'problem' Loco and the Points.