Coronation Princess TTS

[SteveWillis]

I have just bought the re-released maroon Coronation Princess and the TTS Princess decoder.

 

Having fitted the decoder, after a few moments running the loco stops dead - no movement and no sound. The decoder is totally unresponsive. If I disconnect the power to the track and then restore it, the decoder comes to life again. Only to stop again after a short interval. And so on and so on. 

 

Thinking that the TTS decoder must be faulty I bought another. Exactly the same thing happens - the second decoder also stops dead after a brief period and also comes back to life if power is turned off and on again, only to stop again. 

 

I have fitted the TTS decoder to Rood Hall just to test it and it works perfectly. No stopping and the sound is continuous. And I have fitted an old non-sound decoder to Coronation Princess. The loco also works perfectly.

 

So the loco and both decoders work flawlessly, except when used together as they are designed to be!

 

Hornby customer service has ignored my several emails asking for their help. Has anyone on the forum come across this bizarre behaviour or have any suggestions as to what is going on?

 

I have 27 locos on my layout, all but a few with sound chips, a mix of TTS, ESU and Zimo. I still use a Hornby Elite. They all work perfectly in every respect. My problem is purely with R3555 (Coronation Princess) and R8117 (TTS Princess decoder), and then only when used together. 

 

Any ideas gratefully received.

[Fishmanoz]

I suggest you ring HCC.  If you bought your second TTS from the same place as the first, there is a chance both need the previously reported firmware upgrade. 

[LMSFan72]

Perhaps the motor is drawing more current than the decoder will take and it's cutting out on protection or overheat - have you wrapped the decoders to protect them at all?

[backontrack]

All my locos are fitted with ESU decoders. Yes they are more expensive but to date i have never had a problem with any of them. They do exactly what they say they do.I have tried the TTS decoders in the past but when you spend more time with them not working properly and having to send them back, the lower price of them shows what they are..not worth the money.

[96RAF]

All my locos are fitted with ESU decoders. Yes they are more expensive but to date i have never had a problem with any of them. They do exactly what they say they do.I have tried the TTS decoders in the past but when you spend more time with them not working properly and having to send them back, the lower price of them shows what they are..not worth the money.

 

That doesn’t help the OPs problem.  He has a problem that defies initial diagnosis.

 

I have many TTS decoders and never had much in the way of problems that couldn’t be sorted out in the same way I would try to sort out any other perceived problem. Within that diagnostic methodology is return it to works if required.

 

I have also read on other forums that ESU decoders can be as fickle as any other decoders at times, as the same goes for some of the cheap and cheerful and expensive controllers. 

Rob

[96RAF]

Harping back to the OP...

 

Everything is pointing at the loco being at fault, and it would make sense to call HCC-Repairs to arrange for both the loco and TTS decoder to go back so they can check them in concert.

 

I would think the loco is exceeding the TTS decoder current limit, which is self protecting, but the replacement normal decoder can handle the overload and this appears to rule out the loco, when in fact the loco may well be the faulty link in the chain.

 

Rob

[Fishmanoz]

Agree with you it sounds like overload Rob. Trouble is it’s a new loco so shouldn’t be causing overload.  So may be the loco is faulty and therefore return for warranty analysis.