Exetersteam Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 My Elite has developed a nasty problem. It is not transmitting anything to the track including power. No locos move when commanded to, nor points changing. It keeps giving me the error message if I press escape. I have tried a reset but at the end of the reset is finishes with the error message.Any ideas?Cheers John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 Just check there are no loose strands of wire shorting any of the terminals.With the Elite not connected to any track, see if it will perform a self check by holding the LOCO button as you power it up (needs three hands). When you see Hornby on screen release the button.You should see every pixel paint on the screen and then an indication of Pass or Fail. /media/tinymce_upload/be4d66e5690f2c48d466fc048c023fd1.jpg /media/tinymce_upload/f1561fafd588c97a045bf0d0e66fe67d.jpg If you get this far you can press every button and twiddle each speed knob and see a response.e.g. (I won’t post every response but you get the idea)./media/tinymce_upload/91578721b55035e319e93b0954749f1f.jpg When you have finished, just power down and up again for a normal boot up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 Based upon your previous posting history..Is this the same Elite that you planned to power up using your DCC Concepts Alphabox power pack instead of the official Hornby one?.My memory may be failing, but did you not say that the DCC Concepts Alphabox power pack was 18 volts and not Hornby's required 15 volt?.If the answer to both questions is yes ... you are using the DCC Concepts Alphabox power pack and it is 18 volts and not 15 volts, then I think that might be a significant contribution to the Elite failing with a loss of track voltage output.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 All bets are off if you are using an unsuitable power supply unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exetersteam Posted May 8, 2020 Author Share Posted May 8, 2020 Thanks for this guys.I will try the process you have outlined Rob and see what hapens. I haven't as yet powered the Elite with the Alphabox so I guess it must be something else Chris.The Elite failed once before when it was under guarantee with a similar problem and went back to Hornby for repair. I have been begining to think I was asking too much of it given the size of my layout, hence my idea of getting the Alphabox/Power to help it out on the output front.PS I am using the eLink with the Elite power unit as a back up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted May 8, 2020 Share Posted May 8, 2020 Using any controller on a huge layout is not a problem as the limiting factor is the power pack output versus the track load - number of locos, etc. The answer to running out of loco power is power districts with signal boosters for each extra district driven by the one and only controller on the layout. Each extra district has its own power source and the booster element amplifies and passes the controller signal along to the its own district. My understanding of the Alpha box is it takes the place of a signal booster. The Elite runs off its own power supply and the track signal is pushed through the Alpha box, which passes it on. In effect your 4-amp Elite power pack is wasted in favour of the Alpha 5-amp power pack and you still only have one power district. I can see the advantage with the 1-amp power supply the Select and eLInk are marketed with. /media/tinymce_upload/1da971ed84d5d5d1e79597bd31fefe8c.PNG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exetersteam Posted May 8, 2020 Author Share Posted May 8, 2020 My original plan was to power the main layout with the DCC Alphabox/Power system and the branch line with the Elite as a seperate distrct. Having discovered how much power the ADSX decoders were taking I am now considering running the entire layout with the Elite power and using the Alphabox to run the ADSX decoders via an accessories bus which I have now installed. Bad idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 Without seeing a plan of the extent of the layout and the numbers of locos and points, signals, detection, etc I would say good idea. Only you know the loads involved. From what you say above you intend to treat the accessory bus as a second power district under control of the Elite with the Alpha box taking on the function of power supply and signal booster. In the diagram above the track shown powered by the Alpha box becomes your accessory bus and the layout track is spurred off the wires from the Elite (Select and eLink shown) going into the Track of the Alpha box. This is then similar to the way Hornby connect their ’Booster’. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exetersteam Posted May 9, 2020 Author Share Posted May 9, 2020 An excellent sumery of what I am trying to do sir!OK, so I did the test. The Elite flashes "Hornby" for a split second and then just goes to "ERROR". I can cancell the error with the escape button so that all the other buttons work... but no output from the "Track" connections.I guess this means another trip back to Hornby for my Elite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exetersteam Posted May 9, 2020 Author Share Posted May 9, 2020 Having a look around the railway loft I find I have a Lenz TR150 and as it delivers 15 volts and 5 amps maybe I could try powering the Elite or eLink with that. Getting a tad desperate now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 For test purposes the Elite will boot up with a 1-amp supply, just.Failing that its back to the menders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now