Fire box flicker with a Hornby 4 function decoder

[Buckt1981]

evening guys

just a quick question I am relat new to dcc and have just fitted a Hornby 4function decoder with a fire box flicker from roads and rails to a Hornby grange at the moment the LED stays permanently light up are you able to adjust the CV's on the 4 function decoder to make it flicker

thanks

steve

[Chrissaf]

Quick answer....No

.

The Hornby decoders are very basic with limited functionality and a minimal number of CVs that can be adjusted. Special lighting control CVs are not supported.

.

TIP: As a newbie poster on the forum, just be aware that the 'Blue Button with the White Arrow' is not a 'Reply to this post' button. If you want to reply to any of the posts, scroll down and write your reply in the reply text box at the bottom of the page and click the Green 'Reply' button.

.

See also – further TIPs on how to get the best user experience from this forum.

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/tips-on-using-the-forum/

.

[walkingthedog]

Chris can you buy flickering LED's or do they require special circuitry?

[Chrissaf]

A 'flickering LED' will work perfectly fine on a steady supply voltage as found on a standard decoder function. A flicker LED would be a direct 'one for one' replacement for the currently installed 'always on' LED. Same rules still apply though, regarding the inclusion of a current limiting protection resistor.

.

Apart from the resistor, no additional special circuitry required.

.

Although you can get flickering LEDs, I find the flicker is not quite as realistic as the flicker generated by a flicker supporting decoder.

.

But personally I've always thought the flickering firebox to be a bit of a novelty, as you can't really focus on it when a loco is in motion going around a layout. But each to their own I suppose.

.

There again, it might be more noticeable if you have a running session at night in subdued lighting conditions.

[Buckt1981]

Thanks for the help Chris with regards to the led bought it for a couple of pound so thought would give it ago installing it but may buy a better decoder what would you recommend 

[Chrissaf]

None of the Hornby decoders do flicker, except the upmarket Hornby Sapphire R8245. The Sapphire is a MTC21 21 pin decoder that comes with an 8 pin to 21 pin adaptor harness.

.

This is a Hornby forum, so if you don't fancy the Sapphire you will have to research the other branded decoders yourself. Forum rules prevent forum members actively promoting products that directly compete with Hornby's. There are many competitively priced decoder brands that support flicker to choose from.

.

You haven't said what DCC controller you are using. Regardless of what decoder and brand you invest in, you will need a controller capable of writing to all the CVs. This would exclude the Hornby Select controller unless it is upgraded with version 1.6 firmware at a cost of £15 plus postage.

[walkingthedog]

Thanks Chris. I agree about the flicker looking unrealistic, I prefer a steady glow. Me and my dad fitted a loco with an orange bulb about a hundred years ago, looked pretty good but got dimmer and brighter as the loco got slower or faster then the fire went out when it stopped.  😀

[Traincliff]

I have some old Triang locos with orange 3mm dia. LEDs with 2kohm resistors in series fixed in holes drilled in firebox doors. I have then used flicker setting on one of the DCC function outputs on the decoder. I find the effect good enough and can easily be turned on and off while running at speed or stationary. LEDs are very inexpensive these days so this is a cheap and effective way of doing a firebox glow.