Attempting to set up points decoders

[Trackandfield]

Good afternoon Forum members.

I've been looking through the various postings on the above subject and have tried to take on board the suggestions but have some related questions. I have 3 R8247 decoders controlling 13 Hornby points on an OO layout with a Hornby Select controller. 1 point is part of a crossover which must have both points in unison to make the route - to this end have wired them together successfully. One of the many posts suggests that they be re-programmed 61 onwards et al. This I get. Another post suggests they be programmed via a programming track - for me this is impossible as my programming track is only 1m in length, whereas my points are part of the main track. My head tells me to programme them via the Main track, but a further post suggests these be done with no other DCC equipment on track at the same time. Does this mean that having programmed the first decoder as 61 > 64 that has to be disconnected while I programme decoder 2 (65 > 68) and the same again for decoder 3 (69 > 72). My last question concerns the decoder itself - are the 4 ports randomly numbered or are they dedicated. My eyesight isn't that great, but couldn't see 1 through 4 anywhere.

Many thanks

Paul

[jane1707819582]

yes you will need to programme each controller seperately and the ports are in sequence , you can disconnect the track and use the select to programme your decoders seperatlely

[96RAF]

The answer to your first question - points addresses with a Select is dependant upon what version is your Select. The original version numbered its points from 60 ->>> in sets of 4. Further versions of the Select start at address 61 again in batches of 4, hence 61-64, 65-68, 69-72, etc.

 

Programming - with the Select it essentially programs on the main but in service mode as it only has Track terminals not Track and Prog like the Elite or eLink. Therefore anything connected to the Select will try to program which is why you must only connect the device you are programming at the time.

 

Two choices then - you either disconnect the layout from the Select for this exercise or you disconnect anything you do not want to program from the track. The easy way is to disconnect the layout whilst programming and connect the point decoder you want to program direct to the Select. This means disconnecting it from the layout (Track A-B) and running a pair of wires to the Select.

 

Having programmed decoder 1 to address 61 (-64). Then disconnect and repeat with the other decoders (decoder 2 is given 65 for 65-68), then decoder 3 is given 69 for 69-72, etc.

 

If your Select is version 1.0 then all bets are off and you need to get it updated to v1.6.

 

I think I have  answered all your questions but we can go back to any I have missed.

[Trackandfield]

Many thanks for the replies to date. On power up the Select shows 15, 30 so I assume this to be version 1.6 (or 1.5)

If I were to follow your suggestion (RAF96) would I wire direct from the decoder to the Select using the 15v Aux Output port, then the second, then the third

[96RAF]

You are v1.5.

NO - do not wire to the Aux terminals, you wire to the track terminals for programming. Please read and try to understand what I and others have alread said.

 

We need one of Chriss’s  diagrams...

[Trackandfield]

I'm sorry, I thought I did read and understand. . .you said "This means disconnecting it from the layout (Track A-B) and running a pair of wires to the Select" - that bit I understood - but as you weren't specific about where to plug them into the Select, at that point I assumed. If it's not the Aux point, then it must be the track A & B - but - as there are a black and red wire going to each decoder as part of the DCC wiring bus I couldn't see the point of replication - unless it's not. A diagram would help please !

[96RAF]

What we are trying to get you to do is isolate the Select from the layout then disconnect each point decoder in turn from the bus and connect it back to the Select track connections for programming.

 

Only that decoder is connected to the Select Track terminals now.

 

Once that one is programmed, reconnect it your track bus and disconnect the next one, connect that one direct to the Select, program it and repeat until all decoders are programmed.

 

Waiting for a diagram to be located.

[Trackandfield]

Thanks

[Chrissaf]

I've been out all day at a family do, so have not seen this post until now. Now it is a very simple solution to program the R8427s when they are already wired to the points.

.

You just get a length of wire pair. I suggest a length of bell wire or speaker fig 8 wire. You then disconnect the Select from the layout track. You then also disconnect the R8247 to be configured from the track. You then use the length of wire pair to make a temporary direct wired connection from the Track A&B output of the Select to the Track A&B input of the R8247. This means that the R8247 is now the ONLY device that is attached to the Select. This also means that the R8247 can stay exactly where it has been installed and remain wired to the points. Now that the R8247 is connected to the Select as the only attached device, it can be configured. Once confguration is successful, then the temporary wiring can be moved on to next R8247 to be configured. Once all configuration is complete. Then the temporary wiring can be removed and all the proper track & R8247 connections can be reinstated.

.

It really isn't rocket science and just needs a bit of logical lateral thought applied to the problem.

.

[Trackandfield]

Thanks Chrissaf. Watch this space !