Hornby Digital Stuttering

[Powmill009]

I got a Hornby Digital unit quite a few years ago (maybe 8-10 or more). It has never worked properly. One loco on its own will work fine on the tracks. However, if I introduce another loco then they will essentially both either stop or stutter or slow down without the controller input.

What is the problem here?

[96RAF]

First we need to know which digital unit i.e. controller you are using and also its firmware revision state, before we can comment.

If it is a Select unit (single speed knob) then it is the first double number that appears on screen at start up (between 10 and 20).

If it is an eLink unit (no user controls) then we need to know a lot more about your Railmaster set up.

If it is an Elite unit (twin speed knobs) then we need to know thneversion number, also seen in plain text on the screen at start up.

Then we need to know the locos you are using by catalogue R- number if possible or the train set R-number. If not Hornby locos then the same info for whichever make and model they are.

[Chrissaf]

When you reply to Robs request above. Note the 'How to reply' TIP below.

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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.

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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/

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[Powmill009]

Thanks for the responses.

The unit is a Select Unit with the single speed knob. When I turn it on the number is 11.

The locos are:

Mallard - R2938-33-312

Class 40 - R2339-04-162

Class 47 - R3287TTS-12-078

I hope you can help. Note the track runs fine with one train and the others not on the track. The problems only occur when another train is put on the track.

[96RAF]

Thanks for that info PoW.

 

I presume any one of those locos runs fine as an individual and that the problem only arises when two or more are on track together.

 

Your Select is powered by a 1-amp wall wart supply and this protects against overload or short by dropping its output voltage. This usuall makes the Select reboot in a cycle and you may see numbers flashing on screen. The 1-amp PSU should be able to run 2 possibly 3 small locos but experience has shown that they can be faulty and struggle with more than one larger loco. The answer is to swap the PSU for the Elite 4-amp unit. This is man enough to run up to 10 locos depending upon total load as sound and lights add to the load.

 

If you look on the product page Hornby list the 4-amp unit as the only replacement, hinting to me that the original PSU wasn’t up to the job of running more than a single train set loco.

 

Your Select is at a very early firmware revision state and will not be able to operate all of your TTS sound functions, only F0 to F8 inclusive. An upgrade is advised by return to works Hornby. Cost is £18 and you must call Customer Care to get a returns number.

 

The upgrade will enable you to operate all 29 functions, as well as chamge CVs which is a very handy thing to be able to do later. Overload protection is also improved.

[Powmill009]

Thanks for this info.

When you say PSU, do you mean just upgrade my unit to the 4 amp as opposed to purchasing the Elite controller?

What does PSU mean?

Also, rergarding the updagrde, do I have to physicaslly return the controller unit to Hornby in the UK. I am located in Australia.

[Howbi]

PSU = Power Supply Unit, the transformer that plugs into the wall and the Select....Have you allocated different adresses to each loco? i.e. 01, 02 & 04.....you miss out 03 as that is used by all new locos with a decoder fitted so you are expected to allocate your own number when you receive the new loco or decoder.....instructions in the Select Manual..........HB

[96RAF]

As Howard says just swap out the power supply unit. No need to buy the Elite as well. If you can find a suitable PC ‘brick’ power supply outputting the same voltage and with the same sized jack plug they can be much cheaper.

 

Yes the Select has to go back to Hornby in UK as they have not set up any local overseas service centres to do the update. The bonus is you only have to pay P&P one way. They pay for it to come back. It will be interesting if you decide to go down that route if they stick to the £18 (Oz $ equivalent) price for the update.

 

[Seacommander]

As Howard says just swap out the power supply unit. No need to buy the Elite as well. If you can find a suitable PC ‘brick’ power supply outputting the same voltage and with the same sized jack plug they can be much cheaper.

 

Toshiba make some 15 volt 5 amp supplies with, as luck would have it, a jack plug of the correct dimensions and polarity. These can be picked up on Ebay for about £10. I have bought two - PA3378E-3AC3 15V 5A - and they work perfectly. I think one was £8 and the other £10. 

 

[Powmill009]

Ok. Thanks for threse replies. This is what has occurred. I could not acquire the official hornby 15v 4 amp PSU being in Aus. So I got a generic PSU from a local elecronics shop that has a variable adjustable voltage thing on it. I ramped it up to 15v. The generic PSU had a plethora of connectors but did not have the correct connection into the Hornby select unit so I stripped the Hornby wires back and stuck them into the 2 holes on the new generic PSU wire connection. The PSU worked and the Hornby select unit powered up. Brilliant. It was great to a point as I got all 3 locos going better than ever before by themselves and all together on 3 loops round the tracks. However, the moment I added carriages to a loco everything stopped and the Select unit said "OL", which I presume means ;'overload'. So I've tried and tried again but the same thing happens. Any additional weight attached to the locos and the select unit goes to "OL".  What is your advice from here?

[96RAF]

We need to know the output spec of that PSU from the data plate.

Generally those multi-voltage devices have an inversely proportional current, i.e. the higher the volts the less the current, simple Ohms Law.

[Fishmanoz]

If you still want to buy the Hornby 4 Amp, buy one from UK plus a conversion socket from Uk to Aust plug. That's how I bought my Elite many years ago, much cheaper and works perfectly.