Using an Elite and eLink with RailMaster.

[Chrissaf]

Hi,

 It sounds to me as if it is a communications problem between the Elink and the pc, and there are other people on the Forum more qualified than me to help you with that. However, in your track schematic, did you change all of your point configurations to use Controller B instead of Controller A?

 

Ray

[Chrissaf]

Everything you have stated seems to be confirmed by the screen shot displays. [thanks for posting those screen shots, as it really does help a lot to eliminate a shed load of questions].

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Although Ray is correct that the point configurations will need to be editied in the 'track design window' to use Controller B, I don't see that as being your issue as the screen shots clearly show that there is a communication error between the eLink and RailMaster using COM4.

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One other key requirement for using both Elite and eLink in this dual controller mode is to have the correct entries to support it in your "railmaster.ini" file.

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When using both the Elite as controller A and the eLink as controller B you need these following lines in your .INI file

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Alternative comms=1

Alternative comms2=1

Check controller=0

Check controller2=1

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These suggested values assume you are using Windows 7, 8 or 10

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Ensure that ALL these entries are located at the end (bottom) of the .INI file and that any copies of these same entries further up the file are deleted. To edit the .INI file, use the bluish COG icon in the bottom left of the 'Help' page.

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If the above doesn't resolve your issue, then:

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Since the settings shown in your screen shot all appear to be correct, then the only other things I could suggest (assuming you haven't tried this already) is to swop the USB cables over to see if the fault changes controllers.

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The other thing to check, is to ensure that the eLInk (or the Elite for that matter) is NOT plugged into a USB 3.0 port on your PC. USB 3.0 compatibility can not be gauranteed, only USB 2.0.

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Also, that you are NOT using a USB Hub to share a single USB port on the PC with the two controllers.

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[Chrissaf]

I am trying to use an elite to power the track and the elink the points but cant get elink to work on controller. I am obviously doing something stupid.

The layout used the elink to run the whole layout with no problems once it was set up. Then I got the ellite which ran the whole layout again without problem. Then i switched the points to another bus and connected the elink to it but whilst power is getting to the decoders the elink wont work and is shown as inactive. Railmaster is trying to access it as the square at the centre top flashes green. The elink is Com 4 and the elite Com3. Any suggestions?/media/tinymce_upload/768566f96d1455942649008f00bb8945.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/07b152a439d8e2cc513a927d446cd369.JPG

[96RAF]

I have exactly the same setup, Elite as Controller A on Com3 and eLink as Controller B on Com 4. These are plugged in to a PCi add on card on my PC mobo which gives 2 x USB 3 ports for my controllers. Contrary to all advice my USB cables are flat section 1.5m long ‘pound store‘ items.

 

Elite is connected to track bus and eLink is connected to points bus. No connection between them. I presume you also swapped your points decoders across to the new points bus As some folk hang theirs off the track rails.

 

My startup sequence is to fire up the controllers first, then the pc, then Rm and my comms work fine every time. If for any reason I pull the plug on either controller (power or usb) then I get the RM lost comms dialogue and end up closing down RM, restarting/replugging the controllers and restarting RM.

 

As Chris says check your ini file settings are correct.

 

Rob

[LuLuJo]

Thank you both very much for the speedy and helpful replies as I seem to be sorted now.

The points also seem to change more postively. I have 4 amp supplies on both controllers.

The ini file did not have the lines in so I have added them. I also changed the USB cable for one which had the round black housing part way along although the original one without the housing also came from Hornby.

I also have changed all the point addresses on the diagram and also need to change all my programmes as well. 

[Chrissaf]

The 4 amp (4,000mA) power supply is overkill on the eLink, as controller B all it is operating is the points.

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Assuming R8247's as the accessory decoders, they will only be drawing about 20mA each when idle, peaking to 200mA when firing a point. The R8247s have internal CDUs that convert the 200mA input pulse current to a high current output pulse to fire the solenoid points. Thus, this configuration will work absolutely fine on the default eLink 1 amp supply. I'm not suggesting that you put your eLink 1 amp supply back, just keep that as a spare. I'm just saying that paying extra for the 4 amp supply wasn't technically necessary. Although to put that into perspective, I assume that you had the eLink with the 1 amp supply first, then upgraded that to the 4 amp supply, then added the Elite to your set-up after that. Hence ending up with having the extra 4 amp supply you could use.

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However, that said, glad to hear that our combined advice has got you sorted out.

[LuLuJo]

There are about 50 points on Hincaster Junction currently using either traintech or Dcc decoders with about another 20 points to come plus a lot of signals. You are right about the order I got the power supplies so it has not really cost me anything extra.

I did find that using the progarmme function i needed a minimum 3 second delay between firing points and that even then they did not seem that positive. Of course they were tending to be using the same decoder in a sequence. The latest setup  with the split controllers does feel more robust.

Thanks again for the advice.

https://www.facebook.com/Hincaster.Junction.a.00.gauge.Model.Railway/

[Chrissaf]

The big advantage of having a controller B for accessories, is that the accessory BUS is isolated from the track BUS, thus the accessory decoders are protected against 'transient short circuit induced corruption' when, for example, a loco shorts on a point. Not only that, but since it would only be the track controller (in this case the Elite) that shuts down, you can still operate points if that is needed to be done to remove the short circuit condition. Plus, of course, the obvious that all of the track controller 4 amps is available for locos.

[St1ngr4y]

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I also have changed all the point addresses on the diagram and also need to change all my programmes as well. 

Yes, it's annoying that the Controller (A or B) is included in a points command in a program. I suppose that this is to cater for the (unlikely) possibility that you have points attached to both controllers. It's a pity there is no software function which would allow the user to scan through every program changing occurrences of "Controller A" to "Controller B".

 

Ray