Fitting Cobalt Ip Digital Point Motors.

[Phill44]

Having a problem getting my existing Railmaster with elink to even connect with new Point motor. For example cannot even bring up the info to enable me to deactivate the self cetre action of the Cobalt motor. The system previously had 15 x Guagemaster Motors operated by dcc concept  AD-S2fx's, and AD-S8fx. These were programmed into Rail-Master and worked fine. Like an idiot I forgot the basic rule of engineering "If it ain't broke don't fix it " and removed the motors prior to fitting new Cobalt ones throughout. On the layout design page the whole system appears to be operating on the PC and loco operation appear unaffected. When I right click on the relevent point and get the drop down showing types of motors available and change to the only cobolt motor shown (believe it to be the earlier model as it refers to moving the white lever between ports 4 & 5) I follow the instruction from DCC Concepts in regard to the self centering But I am getting no further as the message informing me that it will not read only write to the motor which although I do has no effect.   What am I doing wrong Please be aware that I am a Technical  ludite. 

[Chrissaf]

This previous thread of mine documents 'Step by Step' the whole process from start to finish.

.

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/adding-colbolt-ip-points-motors/?p=1

.

This is like Buses, this is the third Cobalt iP Digital set-up issue question I have answered in as many days.

.

Note: that in my reply linked above I state choosing the 'Hornby R8247' decoder in the pull down list. This is not a typo. This setting has been proven to work better with the DCC Concept Accessory Decoders and Cobalt products than other choices that are available in the pull down menu selection box.

.

Also note in my above linked 'Step by Step' and I reiterate it again here. At no time do you need to connect the Cobalt iP Digital point motor to the controller 'PROG A&B' output. The decoder is a 'Self Learning' decoder and ALL configuration actions are undertaken with the motor attached to the main 'TRACK A&B' output.

.

PS - Where RailMaster 1.64 manual is mentioned in the linked thread, read this as the current RM manual (1.69 at time of writing).

[Phill44]

Many thanks I'll give it a try 

[Phill44]

Hi Chris  Sorry to be such an idiot I have tried following the instructions from the link you sent me but with no success. I am currently trying to set Number 6 of 12 Colbalt motors recently purchsed from DCC Concepts and cant even get them to disengage from the self centering aspect. While I would expect on or two motors to be faulty I increasingly have the feeling that it is the idiot at this end. I have saved the new track layout and all are altered to the advised Hornby R 8247 etc. I have power from the correct output , no other operations (eg no locos running ) Now an obvious question no doubt,  I am attempt to carry out the recommended proceedure on the main Railmaster Operating programme and not on the Track plan Designer one Is this correct? If not should i be saving the track plan after each (hopefully) sucessful addressing of point? Finally I am disconnect power at the point motor and not at the Elite is this correct? 

"Onwards and Upwards" 

Phill

[Chrissaf]

My linked 'Step by Step' tutorial cannot be simplified or given more clarity than it already is and has. It itemises each and every step, short of me standing behind you and looking over your shoulder It is difficult for me to say what it is that you are doing wrong.

.

At no time do you need to attach the Cobalt iP Digital point motor to the 'PROG A&B' output of your controller.

.

When sending the 198 address to disable the 'self centering' it is better to use the main RailMaster screen (Not the track designer screen). You also use this screen for configuring the address you want to use on the Cobalt iP Digital too.

.

When you placed the dummy point on your track plan that has the 198 address:

.

Did you see the SNAPPING action of BOTH the Red and the Green operating button being assigned to the point icon, even though you were only dragging a single point operating button icon? PLEASE PROVIDE AN ANSWER.

.

When sending the 198 address are you doing the following in the following order:

.

• Are you putting the Cobalt iP Digital switch in the 'SET' position?
• Are you sending the 198 address TWICE from the main RM screen?
• Are you putting the Cobalt iP Digital switch back into the 'RUN' position?
• Are you power cycling the Cobalt power by briefly disconnecting the wire from terminal 1 or 2 and then re-attaching it again?

.

When setting the actual address you want to use for the Cobalt iP Digital. You follow the exact same procedure as above with the following two exceptions.

.

Instead of sending the 198 address, you send the address you want to set the Cobalt iP Digital to. And you DO NOT power cycle the Cobalt iP Digital when setting the address that you want to set.

.

Sending the address TWICE is optional but recommended.

.

If trying again following above still doesn't work then:

.

1. Open track designer.
2. Right click one of the point operating buttons of the point on RailMaster configured with the 198 address.
3. Take a screen shot capture of the configuration dialogue box.
4. Post the image back into this thread.

.

To post an image, use the Black & White Hill icon between the tree and the smiley icons.

Your image will be held back for approval and won't appear until Monday at the earliest.

Images need to be either .JPEG .JPG .PNG or .GIF file format and ideally not more than 2MB in size. BMP and some Apple IOS file formats are not supported.

.

IMPORTANT PLEASE READ:

In your original post you said you were using RailMaster and eLink

In your second post you said Elite.

.

What controller do you actually have. Is it an eLink or is it an Elite?. PLEASE PROVIDE AN ANSWER.

.

If you have an Elite, then you can configure the Cobalt iP Digitals directly from the Elite knobs and buttons interface without touching RailMaster at all....see this alternative previous post of mine for a 'Step by Step' tutorial using the Elite.

.

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/using-elite-to-control-locos-and-select-for-points/?p=1/#post-270482

.

If you are using BOTH an eLink AND an Elite. That is to say, using Elite as controller A for track (loco) operations AND eLink as controller B for point operations on a separate accessory bus. Then you need to select Controller B in the pull down box in the point configuration dialogue box in the Track Designer screen and not controller A. But only if you are using BOTH A & B controllers. If you are using two controllers, please advise this to be the case and await further advice.

.

Finally.....IMPORTANT PLEASE ANSWER....if you are using the Elite controller with RailMaster is it powering up in 'Standard' mode and not 'Classic'? The start-up mode will appear briefly on the screen during the power up process.

 

 

[Phill44]

HI Chris Have checked and rechecked more than once  I am following your instruction exactly but still no joy.

In response to your questions Yes I did get the snapping action when I placed the 197 to the spare point,  it is an Elink not elite Typo error. Only have the one controller. Cannot obtain screen shot from laptop to here (bad signal) but the drop down reads as follows: Controller =A, Decoder port = 197, Hornby R8247- 4 port Decoder, Set up Position =Right, Rev Polarity =blank.

Hope thats clear The only thing that seems to keep changing is that on the Railmaster Op Screen all the Numbers are prefixed by 0 or 00 in the case of sigle digetsand when I imput them either on the Track Plan designer then save them, they revert back to single fig when i Right click on the respective point. Eg 197 becomes 0197 on the Operating screen but still shows as 197 when I go back to the Track plan. I did try to imput the point numbering with a prefixed 0 to no avail.  Do I rember reading something about jumping in 4's when numbering ?? I seem to be trying all combinations 

[Phill44]

That should read 198 not 197

[Chrissaf]

Firstly, I assume you set up three dummy points 197, 198 and 199 - yes/no

It is 198 you are using to remove 'self centering' - yes/no

.

Secondly, please confirm and explain exactly how you are connecting the Cobalt iP Digital point motors to the 'Track A&B' output of the eLink. Ideally a sketch drawing would be preferred, but as that won't appear until Monday at earliest, give a detailed text description of the connectivity (remember I can't see what you can see, so your description needs to be very detailed) and a drawing as a follow-up.

.

Thirdly, please advise what are the DCC addresses that you are trying to configure your Cobalt's with. I take it you have got 15 x Cobalt iP Digitals replacing your 15 x GM Solenoid point motors.....is that correct? If so what are the 15 x DCC addresses you are trying to configure?

.

Your issue has just got to have something BASIC that you have not done or done incorrectly.

.

I do remember reading something about jumping in 4's when numbering ??

.

That's why I asked the question about the Elite 'standard / classic' start-up mode. It is the Elite that can be affected by the 4 offset. Since you do not have an Elite, then that is not your issue.

.

Do one other thing for me please:

.

This assumes that you have RailMaster running on either Windows 7, 8 or 10

.

Open the RAILMASTER.INI file editor by clicking the bluish COG icon in the RM 'Help Screen'. Follow on screen prompts to open the editor. Assuming that you are using Windows 7, 8 or 10 then ensure that these two lines are at the very bottom of the file as the last two entries:

.

Alternative comms=1

Check controller=1

.

Type them in if missing, or delete them if existing higher up the file and retype them at the end of the file, then save the changes, close and re-open RM to ensure the changes take effect.

.

Then try configuring the Cobalts again.

 .

Tell me if those two lines were present and if so were they the last two lines. And confirm that you have deleted and re-typed them again even if already present in the file.

.

 

[Hairy]

I might be wrong, but in Phill's reply 

Controller =A, Decoder port = 197, Hornby R8247- 4 port Decoder, Set up Position =Right, Rev Polarity =blank.

Shouldn't the Hornby R8247-4 port decoder be replaced with Cobalt point motor (with decoder) ?

 

Chris

[Chrissaf]

Chris (Hairy),

There are other threads on here (somewhere), where previous member issues with Cobalt iP Digital operation were cured by using the R8247 choice in the pull down box.

.

There are also other threads on the forum where users have given feedback on the instructions saying that they worked for them using the R8247 settings for their Cobalt iP Digitals.

.

I far as I am aware, the DCC Concepts Cobalt option didn't appear in the RM pull down box in 2016 when the original 'How To' was written suggesting using the R8247 option.

.

Of course there is always the possibility that DCC Concepts might have tinkered with the iP firmware since those successful configurations were performed.

.

Phill44

So there is no harm in trying the configuration process again, but this time choosing the "Cobalt point motor with decoder" option that appears in the "Type" pull down box. This being the nearest description to an iP Digital that is listed there. If it now works with that pull down selection choice then let us know.

[Phill44]

Hi Guys  Thank you all for your patience and assistance. I decided to give it a break and then retry.To the best of my understanding it appears that RM is not speaking to the Cobalts or even recognising that they exist as on start up all the points on the 

1. My points are numbered 1- 15  these are the numbers I use as addresses for the motors.

2. Cobalt connected directly from the DCC inputs into the Bus wires from the elink Track output ports. I have power to the ends at the Cobalt DCC . 

3.I have a Windows 10 operating system on a lap top ( which isn't linked to my home system.) operating RM only. I am operating as the administrator on the system.

4. Carried out the RAILMASTER .INI fix as requested (orginally the last line was Elite feedback=0) this I believe from the Railmaster Guide is a default setting. Howerver I carried out your instructions and this is now thrird from the bottom with the requested two lines at the bottom having been deleted and retyped.

5. I have even gone to the length of building a new track plan to install the Cobalts to no avail I am at a loss, particularly as it was working fine and all I have done is remove the working points and Decoders. 

6. I will try the Cobalt drop down and let you know how I get on.

 

[Chrissaf]

To the best of my understanding it appears that RM is not speaking to the Cobalts or even recognising that they exist.

.

Make sure that Controller B in your 'System Settings' screen shows "None". See screen shot below. If Controller B shows anything but "None", and no Controller B is physically present. Then all your point operating DCC commands will be trying to access a non existent B controller and going into a 'black hole' never to be seen again.

.

By setting the Controller B to "None" then all the point control DCC commands will be routed to your main track eLink output.

.

This is the only thing I can think of that fits in with your latest described issue. Where you say that it is like RM cannot even see or detect the presence of the point decoders.

.

/media/tinymce_upload/e2e93de81c1b817771b3f81befaa4b2f.jpg

.