Dodgy TTS Tornado.

[WilliamDavid]

My blue TTS Tornado R3245TTS has been a stuttery runner from new, so I transferred the TTS chip into another loco which runs fine with it.

I have just purchase one of the newly released TTS chips to restore it to sound.

Oh dear, not good. Other than the loco still not running to scale speed (very slow) using the Railmaster setting, the loco is still very juddery on start up, and when cruising, chuffs like an irregular heartbeat.

I presume it is the motor and not the chip.

I have contacted Hornby about a spare motor as you can't get them anywhere(!!!!!!)

Does anyone know their reasoning, as this  motor seems to have affected many people.

Is there an alternative motor?

 

[Britannia Builder]

Before changing the motor it might be worth trying setting CV150 (motor algorithm) to 1 - I installed a TTS chip in my Peppercorn A1 today and I had to do this to get smooth running and a realistic chuff rate. See my post https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/adding-tts-to-peppercorn-a1/?p=1 from earlier today.

 

 

Regards, John

[WilliamDavid]

Cheers John. I will give it a go.

I'm a bit nervous about this jinxed loco.

I first fitted the new decoder with a Sugar cube speaker, but the sound was distorted. Seems ok with the supplied speaker. 

As previously I had problems with a juddery running TTS Flying Scotsman, I put the TTS decoder in another A3 and fitted the standard Hornby decoder.

The motor managed to blow this, and a subsequent decoder. I found the motor was glowing inside. Sent it back to Hornby and they replaced the 'unavailable' motor free of charge. Still cost me two standard decoders, though. 

I'm a bit nervous that this motor might do the same to my new decoder.

[WilliamDavid]

I have sent it to Hornby. You never know, they might fix it.

[Fishmanoz]

There are a few reported cases of Hornby replacing the motor but usually these symptoms have been fixed by changing the motor algorithm as in the post above from Bb.

[WilliamDavid]

One should not have to change anything to make it run correctly.

I had a similar issue with the TTS Flying Scotsmans. It was a terrible runner. 

I swapped the decoder for a standard one, and although better, it was still poor. The motor finally cooked the decoder, and then another. The motor was sparking internally when rotating. 

I returned it to Hornby, who replaced the motor. It runs very well now, as it should have when new.

Hornby should have spare motors available to replace what must be quite a few dodgy ones they have sold.

I think ethically they are very wrong on motor spares. 

[2e0dtoeric]

Especially as they are only short-life things anyway, and not repairable.

[96RAF]

I'm surprised Hornby haven't gone generic on say 3 basic can motor types to cater for all their small, medium, large locos and with short / long, single / double ended shaft variants for steam or diesel with flywheel or not.

 

These could be scaled as spares either bare motor or dressed for a specific loco.

 

Rob

[Tiredmusicman57]

This is interesting as i have just purchased and installed the TTS for my A4.After 2 days the speaker went faulty continuous crackling so i assume its blown which is wierd in itself.Anyhow i replaced with one of my own and that fixed that,now the loco is not running at all well it goes well for a few seconds then stops then tries to start but judders. I have done a reset but no difference and i have put the old chip back in and its perfect.This is annoying because its no simple task ripping the guts out of the tender to accomadate the speaker then having to extend the wires as there way to short,talking of which i have spoken to Hornby about this and they are going to be in touch with the makers and hopefully get the wires extended. I thik Hornby may have a problem here but we shall see however i will try setting cv150 to 1 and s will report back later today.

Roy

 

 

[Britannia Builder]

Hi Roy and welcome to the forum.

 

If the loco stops and then restarts, it suggests an intermittent power connection caused by the usual culprits of dirt on the track or wheels or uneven points or poor pickups. I've found that the TTS decoders are much more susceptible to this because the slightest break in the power supply causes them to restart and go through the 2.5 second startup sound sequence before moving again. With a non-TTS decoder, a very short break in the supply is hardly noticeable. I have a non-TTS DMU with interior lights run from the decoder and these sometimes give a slight flicker on points even though the motor continues to run with no obvious interruption. I'm probably going to have to add tender pickups to my TTS Peppercorn A1 to avoid these occasional restarts. I also have a TTS (factory fitted) Duke of Gloucester which has tender pickups and that runs perfectly. Setting CV150 to 1 may well help with slow running but won't correct any supply interruption.

 

Regards, John

[Tiredmusicman57]

Hi John.

Well have now reset CV150 to 1 as suggested and that has fixed the problem. However as you stated it does lose power over certain bits of track not always pints which i then clean thoroughly but the annoying thing is the loss of sound which i have to activate again.My A4 has tender pickups. I am a bit worried about this decoder but will continue to use it a lot so it is thoroughly tested. While i`m here if there is anyone in the Telford area that would like to get in touch please do. Will update if anymore news.

 

Roy

[WilliamDavid]

Wow, that was quick, Hornby.

I have received my errant Tornado back from them, where they state that they have 'adjusted contacts and oiled and greased and new chip fitted tested ok'.

It still, however, has that irregular movement it had before. Obviously no replacement motor is available.

I have set CV150 =1 as suggested, and while it indeed does improve things, it does not cure it.

At least I have the sound back. Thank you Hornby.

I have it running in at the moment to see if any extended running can help.

[WilliamDavid]

Just to add to the fun, my Tornado has the sounds of an A3. It has been fitted with the wrong decoder.

Which decoder is nearer to the sound of the Duchess class (City of Liverpool), the Tornado or the A3?

I have the original Tornado decoder in that.

[jane1707819582]

Wow, that was quick, Hornby.

I have received my errant Tornado back from them, where they state that they have 'adjusted contacts and oiled and greased and new chip fitted tested ok'.

It still, however, has that irregular movement it had before. Obviously no replacement motor is available.

I have set CV150 =1 as suggested, and while it indeed does improve things, it does not cure it.

At least I have the sound back. Thank you Hornby.

I have it running in at the moment to see if any extended running can help.

now you have set cv 150 to one ,there are 3 further cv you can adjust 

cv 153 and 154  alter the p and i factors i would suggest altering these two up and down from the default values of  215 and 129  altering cv 10 can also assist in smoother running .

trial an error of these 3 may help 

[WilliamDavid]

Thanks. I will give that a go tomorrow.

Why can't Hornby just get in some more motors?? They are obviously the problem. My other two Hornby Tornados run fine. Same motor, but not FAULTY for goodness sake..

I just don't get Hornby at all. They seem to have a death wish.

[WilliamDavid]

I've given up on this Tornado. The motor is the problem, and Hornby can't help.

I have fitted the TTS decoder to my White Knight A3, which required a fair bit of modifiction. I had to fit the decoder in the tender, as the loco could not accomodate its larger size, and used a Sugar cube speaker.