Reverse Loop Module

[Mikeme]

am a little confused have just installed a Reverse Loop Module as per instructions, it worked for a minute or two....next day no luck...now the red light flashes and I cannot find an answer as to why.
Can anyone advise what the problem is?

[2e0dtoeric]

A photo or drawing of the relevent area of your track, marked to show where the insulating breaks, and module connections are, would help. At a guess, without seeing anything, I'd say you have a short-circuit somewhere.

[Chrissaf]

The section of track that is being protected by the RLM has to be completely electrically isolated from the rest of the layout. I take it you HAVE fitted insulated rail joiners everywhere that is required (maybe more than just one location will be required depending upon your track layout design).

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As Eric says above, we cannot give you precise advice without seeing your track layout with the location of insulated track joints and the RLM connections annotated on it.

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Once you have prepared a drawing/diagram etc and assuming you are using a Windows PC for your forum browsing. Use the 'black and white hill icon' between the tree and the smiley face to upload your image [.JPG file less than 2MB] to the forum. Note that the image will not appear until it has been authorised by the forum administrator, this may not happen until Monday if you do not upload you image AM this morning.

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Also,

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1. Is it the Hornby R8238 RLM (Reverse Loop Module)?
2. If it is, what switch position have you set it to i.e Select OR Elite?
3. What power supply are you using with your controller, the 1amp supply or the 4amp supply?

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The Select switch position is used for the 1amp supply and the Elite switch position is used for the 4amp supply. With regard to the RLM switch position, the actual controller used is a 'red herring', it is all about the power supply current available that denotes the correct switch position.

 

[Mikeme]

Thanks for replying...at present I'm only setting up the layout....and have experimented with the unit as per diagram that came with the unit.

It is a R8238 RLM (Reverse Loop Module), switch position is set to Elite and the power supply is 4amp.

I get a continous flashing of the Red light on the unit, howver there is no short on the circuit I created as I can run loco's on the track, but not on reverse loop. 

[Flashbang]

Hi

Some things to double check..

1)  The Hornby RLM is wired correctly. Looking down on it with the logo at the top the left hand connections go to the main line rails or the Bus pair if you're using a bus.  The right hand pair of terminals connect to the reverse loops rails. Note: The input pair and output pair of wires can be fitted to their respective RLM terminals either way round.

2) The whole of the reverse loop rails have no other power connected to them other than from the output of the RLM.

3) The RLM rails are totally isolated from everything else. Using a minimum of four Insulated Rail Joiners (IRJs) 2 fitted at each end of the loop  You can of course, and its necessary to do so, use more IRJs if any tracks lead off from the reverse loop to the rest of the railway.

4) The loops rails between any entrance and any exit IRJs is longer than the longest train to travel over the loop. Train = loco and all carriages or wagons.

5) The RLM only works on DCC (Digital) layouts. Its not suitable for DC (Analogue) layout working.

[Mikeme]

Thinks the problem is with the RLM as when I connect to Bus without connecting to reverse loop rails....the RED light flashes!....any ideas?

[Fishmanoz]

Ring Hornby Customer Care at the Contact Us number at the bottom of the web page.

[96RAF]

You shouldn't really power these things up until the circuit is complete. The device is probably seeing the lack of output connections as an open circuit and can't work out what to do with it.

Could be wrong though - often am.

Rob

[2e0dtoeric]

Although I don't have one of these modules, I can't see that RAF's last post is correct.

If there is nothing on the track that is controlled by the RM, it will 'see' an open circuit anyway.

[Chrissaf]

I would tend to agree with Eric on this one.

[Mikeme]

Thanks for your comments, have rung Hornby, they advised to return RLM to retailer for replacement as it appears to be a fault with the unit, as the red light flashes on RLM when track wires attached to main track.

[96RAF]

I did say I could be wrong and it looks like I was.

Rob