Programming track

[Schuie52]

Hi can someone clear the air as Hornby’s tecnical department could not give me an afimative answer, when programming a loco and the right chip address is confirmed should the loco move on the programming track to check all is well as my loco just sits there but when moving it on to the main track it’s ok, the reason I ask that the loco programmed ok but did not move then by placing on the main track it was ok then error displayed and died,

new ellite on way but I do not want the same problem again

regards

schuie 52

[Chrissaf]

Subject to the controller used (I include non Hornby controllers as well in this statement), the loco should NOT move when sitting on the programming track. It is sometimes possible to observe a very slight twitch in the loco on the programming track of SOME controllers, but this is rare.

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The programming output in 'Direct and Register' mode uses very low output power, the current is severely restricted to that less than required to turn the electric motor. This excludes Programming On Main [POM] also sometimes referred to as 'Operate Programming Mode', where the output power is at full track levels. The low power output on the programming track can sometimes be problematic for some brands of Sound Decoders (SoundTrax for example), where the low power prevents the decoder circuit from being fully saturated with a power charge before trying to read & write CVs to it. Loksound and TTS decoders do not seem to be affected by this well documented issue.

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With specific regard to the Elite. The default programming mode is 'Direct', but 'Register' and 'Operate' modes are optionally selectable in the Elite Menu system.

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With regard to your experience of the decoder failing on the 'main track. If the decoder is faulty, the 'low power' on the programming track is unlikely (subject to the exact nature of the fault) to show the fault up. Hence why it failed only on the main track. It is always wise to test out a new loco purchase on the main track using the default 003 address (or on a DC supply if not yet decoder fitted) first, before fitting or re-configuring the decoder to a new address. If you know it is working before making any changes, then it is not working afterwards, then you can be fairly sure it is something you have done that has broken it.

[St1ngr4y]

Hi,

What you describe is the way it should work. The programming track is ONLY for programming the loco. The loco cannot be moved on the programming track, only on the main track.

What was the error displayed?

 

Ray

[96RAF]

It all depends upon the decoder as to what reaction you get or don’t get.

 

NMRA requires that the decoder should acknowledge programming actions in Service Mode (i.e. on Programming Track as opposed to Operations Mode on the main track) by way of feedback to the controller. This feedback or ACK as it is known is usually by way of a current pulse and I have decoders that blip the motor, some that flash the lights and some that do both as well as some that don’t seem to do anything at all.

 

All the ACK does is to tell the controller, I’ve done that bit, so next instruction please.

 

Using Service Mode means that the current to the decoder is limited and only applied during the programming pulses, this being to protect the decoder from damage by excessive current if it was misswired, when an error would be displayed.

 

Once programmed it should perform as advertised on the main track, so I don’t understand why yours killed the controller if indeed that is what happened.

 

Rob

 

[Schuie52]

Hi guys thanks for your help in clearing up this matter  I will proceed with caution the next time if anything in the programming mode crops up I will check and double check.

once again guys thank you

schuie 52

[St1ngr4y]

The way I read schuie 52's original post was that, having programmed the address of the decoder with the loco on the programming track, he wanted to try it out (also on the programming track), but that it wouldn't respond when the knob was turned.

 

Ray