AD-S8fx not functioning with e-link.Please advise

[murray_robin]

I have set up points on  e-link track plan and these function on the track plan when I click on the appropriate arrows, though it takes approx 5 seconds. I have 'set' ports on the track plan points and then 'set' ports on the decoder and returned the switch to 'run' but the points either peco PL10 or Peco streamline compatible do not function, despite  changing the point direction several times in both set and run decder mode , so apparently decoder not receiving command from e-link.

The decoder is receiving 16v AC input from the e-link and the momentary function on the decoder does operate points.

Please advise,

Murray

[Chrissaf]

when I click on the appropriate arrows, though it takes approx 5 seconds.

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This indicates to me that you haven't configured the points correctly yet in the 'Track Layout Design Screen'.

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You will need to do some screen captures and post them here as images.

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Screen captures required.

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1) Your track plan in RailMaster in normal layout operating mode i.e when the loco throttles are shown vertically on the right hand.

2) The point configuration pop-up menu box when you right click a point in the 'Track Layout Design Screen'. The point associated with Port 1 of your AD-S8fx would be preferred.

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Given that this is the third question you have asked regarding RailMaster installation and configuration issues (none of which you have even acknowledged reading the replies of, given to you in those posts), then it leads me to believe that your current issue is 'operator error' and you are doing something wrong. You either haven't configured the points correctly in the RailMaster 'Track Layout Screen' hence my request for some screen grabs, or you haven't configured the addresses on the AD-S8fx correctly yet. Many members use this Accessory Decoder with RM without issue, so it unlikely to be a fault.

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Images will be held back for Admin authentication during UK office hours and need to be .JPG or .PNG or .GIF file format and preferably less than 2MB in size. You use the Black & White Hill icon between the Tree & Smiley to upload images.

[St1ngr4y]

The decoder is receiving 16v AC input from the e-link and the momentary function on the decoder does operate points.

 

Murray,

Have you connected the main DCC output from the Elink to the DCC input terminals on the decoder?

Ray

 

Chris,

Does the Elink have an auxiliary 16v ac output?

Ray

[hedley_reynolds]

Hi Murray 

I too have these decoders and I didn’t have any problem so as Ray and Chris say how are you doing it ? first how many power leads are you using as you only need one set from the bus wires and as Chris has shown that you have to have the bus in the track a & b then you just have to move one switch at a time for each point motor and on the railmaster screen use the accessory screen like you have to do for the Hornby accessory decoder but you have to go from 1 to 8 and not 4 but also when you right click the point icon you have to scroll I think it’s up for to set it to dcc concepts asdf 8 as when I set up my decoders to the point icons they didn’t have the fx in railmaster but I had done mine last year so I don’t know if that’s been changed yet Hedley 

Ray these decoders are programmed on the main and you don’t use the programming track output Hedley 

[murray_robin]

Please advise where I find the black and white tree icon to upload the requested screen shots.

I am pretty sure this is operator error as the momentary switches are effective.

The e-link track output is directly connected to  the AD-Sfx Connection .

I apologise to all for my lack of etiquette on my 2 previous visits. Please advise how I might best address this.

Yours Aye,

Murray Robinson

[Fishmanoz]

Let me start with some very basic questions to see if you have configured your RM and eLink correctly Murray. 

 

Have you installed the correct driver for the eLink and have you used Device Manager to confirm it is on comm port 3 or 4, and is that the correct port specified in the RM Setup screen?  Is the eLink specified there as Controller A with the correct eLink baud rate etc?

 

Have you ensured you have the very latest version of RM installed by downloading and installing from the link at the top of the RM forum and ensuring you are running as administrator?  Do you have the correct eLink entries in your ini file, which you can check by opening the RM Help screen and clicking on the blue cog at the bottom left?  These should be correct if you first installed RM with the eLink powered up with its driver correct, but not otherwise. 

 

Have you configured any locos in RM yet and are they running as expected using their RM throttles?  Have you changed their addresses from the default 03 using the eLink programming output such that they now have unique addresses none of which are 03?

[murray_robin]

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[murray_robin]

Dear Fishmanoz,

Have installed RM version 1.68 and all well,

Thank you All,

Murray

[St1ngr4y]

Hi Murray,

A couple of observations regarding your track diagram...

Are you aware that you need to "snap" the red/green point buttons onto a point? By this I mean that you need to drag either one of a pair of buttons to the centre of the point to which they are to be attached. When you release the button at the centre of the point, both buttons should then jump to their correct positions at each sides of the point. This must be done otherwise you won't see the blue/grey route indicator working on the point.

The point you have configured seems to have a program called "xmas" attached to it. Does this program really exist and if so, what does it do? This may cause the 4 second delay you mentioned.

Ray

You caught me again, Chris  😮

[Chrissaf]

An afterthought Murray.

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Since you have RailMaster ProPack, you need to set a 'start up' order number sequence. I have highlighted in yellow where this number sequence goes. I suggest you use the same numbering as your port numbers. That is to say 1 to 8. At present the value shown is 0. For each point you configure, increase the number in this box by 1 beginning with 1. So that they number 1, 2, 3, 4 etc. And select either 'Right' or 'Left' as the start up point position. Doing this also stops the track plan screen from 'shuddering' the first time a point is manually fired by clicking the screen icon button.

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Assuming that you have got the 'Set points' on 'Start Up' option checked in the 'System Settings' screen (this should be enabled by default).....see image below. Then when RM starts up, all the points should be set (operated) to their configured 'start up' positions. This is a great way to confirm at RailMaster's start up, that RM can see the eLink controller correctly and that everything is working OK. If the points don't operate during this 'start up' routine, then you know that you have to check eLink communication and correct it before you can operate your layout.

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See check box highlighted in yellow:

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[murray_robin]

Dear Fishmanoz,

Please advise,

I apologise for my poor but unintended lack of etiquette in my first 2 posts

I have pursued your advice,specifically, I upgraded Railmaster Pro to version 1.67 and deleted a loco 0003.

Initially 4 solenoids came under effective computer control but whilst attempting to add more the function has deteriorated:

after loading RM pro:

001 functions until 004 is operated;

the on screen switches for 005 have merged with those for 004

operating 002 activates test platform announcements:

 

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[Chrissaf]

Murray,

FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTIONS IN MY TWO POSTS, STEP BY STEP AS I HAVE WRITTEN THEM.

If you follow my instructions as written, your  point operation issues will be resolved. If you won't follow the advice given, then you won't get your issues resolved.

[St1ngr4y]

Hang on, Chris. Is it possible that Murray is only seeing the first page of this thread? He may be unaware of page 2 with our replies on it.

 

Ray

[Chrissaf]

Ray, In case you are right, I have removed two of my own posts from page 1, so that everything moves up two places. My first instructional reply is now on page 1.

[Fishmanoz]

Murray, I asked you 6 questions aimed at ensuring that your RM is set up correctly, or not, before your follow Chris’s very excellent advice about setting up your points.  So far, you’ve answered one question only (the latest RM version question, which you’ve answered twice with 2 different answers) and made some reference to a second.  Consequently, we still don’t know if you are set up correctly, and it would be good if you answered the others, then followed Chris’s instructions, to the letter.

 

Just on locos with address 03 or 003 (same address) - all decoders in locos come set to this address as default and, to be able to run multiple locos, you need to change them to all have different addresses.  You then leave 03 available for your next new loco to test it before changing its address too.  There is no need to delete a loco with address 03, just change it to something else. 

[Chrissaf]

Murray, I can see instantly from your screen shots why your points are not operating. The alignment of your point operating buttons is all over the place, plus a couple of them have got FOUR icons placed around them instead of TWO. It may also account for the four second delay that you have observed on screen, RailMaster's point configuration data is trying to make sense of the information contained within it and getting very confused.

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In order to correct this, you must re-open your track plan in the 'Track Plan' edit screen and edit it.

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Firstly.....DELETE ALL your existing point operating buttons so that you can start again. Just delete the buttons, you should be able to leave the actual track plan point graphic in place.

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Now the CORRECT way to place a point operating button onto a point is as follows:

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1. Left Click a Red (or Green, but I prefer working with the red one) point operating button from the icon list on the left hand side of the screen.
2. Whilst holding the left button closed DRAG the point operating button icon to the CENTRE of a point icon square on the track plan and release the left button. DO NOT try and place the point operating icon on the point where you think it should go. You must try to place the icon on the CENTRE of the point.
3. If you have done this correctly the point icon button will SNAP to its CORRECT location. At the same time, the other point operating button icon will appear in its correct position out of thin air. If you DO NOT observe this SNAPPING and 'out of thin air' action, then do it again until you do.

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Only ONE PAIR of point operating icons MUST be attached to single point on the plan.

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Repeat the above for each point on your plan.

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Note that you cannot have two 'TOE' ends of two points butted directly against each other, else the point operating button icons for the two points will try to locate to the same grids on the plan. If you want to place two points together 'back to back' you must have a straight track piece between them. I'm not saying that I can see any points like that on your plan, I just mention it, just in case.

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I have included below an extract from the manual (Page 86) that told you about the correct way to attach a point operating button. You obviously did not note the importance and significance of what was in the manual.

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Note how the point operating icons sit directly over and centred on the cross of a grid square on the TOE end of the point. Whereas, in your track plan, some point icons are not even sitting on a grid line, let alone where they cross, plus you also have point icons on the 'Diverge' end of the point and not the 'TOE' end as shown in the graphic taken from the manual. Correct all these configuration errors and that should give you the best fighting chance of getting your points working. I see that you have got a 'diagonal 45° point' on your track plan. Thus I take it you have got RailMaster ProPack installed. Having 'ProPack' will give you more point control options than RailMaster 'Standard Edition' but let's get your points working at a basic level first.

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Once you have got ONE pair of point operating icons attached to each point and you have observed that they have SNAPPED to the correct location. You can now right click each of the RED (or Green) point operating icons in turn to open the configuration dialogue box for them. You will need to re-enter all your configuration information again. Once you have done this to the RED (or Green) operating icon, you DO NOT need to touch the Green (or Red) one.

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Once all the points have been re-configured. Save and close the track plan, close and re-open RailMaster, and test point operation again. Come back and tell us if it is now working. If it is still not working, then tell us that too.

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I am assuming at this time that you only have one AD-S8fx and you are using the default 1 to 8 addresses configured on it at the factory.....is this correct?

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PS - See later reply additions I have added on posts further below on PAGE 2 of this topic thread.

[murray_robin]

Dear Chrissaf,

As suggested- I made my last posting unaware of the page 2 entries.

I have just one Ad-s8fx.

Iam using RM version 1.68 with  Railmaster pro.

The status of configuration of AD-S8fx is unclear to me.

Point 01 set to port 01 works consistently correctly -other points also operate at the same time so are presumably also set to 01(default?) .

Other relays click unexpectedly when other points are operated from the trackplan.

Am repeating the processes that you have advised,

Yours Aye,

Murray

[St1ngr4y]

Hi Murray,

I think you may need to go through the configuration of each of the eight ports on your ADS8FX individually as follows:-

1. In Railmaster, open up the Layout designer window.

2. Right-click on either red or green button for point 0001.

3. Go to the ADS8FX and move the slider switch for port 0001 (i.e. the port to which point 0001 is physically wired) to the "learn" position. Note that all of the other slider switches for the other ports should be in the operate position.

4. At the Railmaster screen, left-click (once only) either of the red/green test buttons which are present in the configuration window for point 0001.

5. Return to the ADS8FX and move the slider switch for port 0001 back to the operate position.

6. At the Railmaster screen, use the red/green test buttons again to make sure the point connected to port 0001 is operating correctly. The red button should switch the point left and the green button should switch it to the right. At this point, if the point is switching the opposite ways to this, the easiest way to correct this is to swap over the two outside wires connected to the "solenoid" terminals of port 0001 on the ADS8FX.

7. When this port is working satisfactorily, repeat this procedure steps 2-6 for each of the other points/ports on the ADS8FX in turn.

 

By the way, is the "xmas" program the one which tests station announcements?

 

Good luck  😆

 

Ray

[Chrissaf]

Murray, remember to correct your 'point button on screen location' configurations in the RM screens as per my instructions FIRST, before following Ray's instructions for configuring the AD-S8fx. Else, Ray's instructions probably won't work successfully.

[murray_robin]

Dear Chrissaf,

Have repeated Fishmanovs advice:

-reinstalled version 1.68 from link at top of RM forum and ‘running as administrator’ am using ‘Railmaster-Pro’.

-confirm is on Port 4 as on RM setup screen.

Controller A specified

Correct Baud rate 115200

Installed RM with eLink powered up.

Locos configured in RM run as expected ansd as in past.

I trashed the loco programming using 03 default address as a temporary measure.

Corrected point button on screen locations before following Rays advice

Allocated start up position with port number

Point 001 works consistently OK

Red button switches left and green button switches right.

Repeating the procedure with the following points does not produce results though quiet sounds- a subdued version of the sound from changing point 01 does often occur.

Please advise

Murray

[murray_robin]

Dear St1ngR4y,

The program Xmas did not include test platform announcements

Yours Aye

Murray

[Chrissaf]

Post another screen shot as you did before, so that I can see the point button configurations again to confirm that what you have done so far is correct.

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Remember, any images posted now, won't appear until Monday.

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Assuming UK, what County are you located in. It seems to me that you could really do with someone to visit to set it all up for you. Based upon your complete posting history, you are clearly struggling with the RM software.

[St1ngr4y]

Repeating the procedure with the following points does not produce results though quiet sounds- a subdued version of the sound from changing point 01 does often occur.

Hello Murray,

A quieter sound from your other points could indicate that the wires from those point motors to their "solenoid" terminals on the ADS8FX port are not in the correct order. Please ensure they are in the same order as your first point. What type of point motors are you using?

Ray

[murray_robin]

Dear Chrisaf and ST1ngrAy,

I live in Dorset:

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Yours Aye,

Murray

[murray_robin]

Dear ST1ngr4y,

Am using mainly, including point 001, peco streamline compatible MK11 points as well as 1 PL-10, they generally work when fired by the alternative momentary option,

As far as I gather all are connected as compatible with point 01

Yours Aye,

Murray