TTS fitting issue

[markdcc]

Hi everyone 
I have a Hornby R3232 class J15 loco (which is new). I bought a TTS 9F decoder but I cannot get it to work. I’ve tried all the obvious errors (Programming, decoder plugged in correctly, etc). I am assuming that any decoder will plug in and work. I was wondering if I need to send it to a shop to get it working

 

[Chrissaf]

Did you run the R3232 J15 on DC first to test it before trying to fit the decoder? [you can use a 9 volt battery in place of a DC controller if you haven't got one].

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Did you test the loco when fitted with the decoder on the factory default 03 DCC address before trying to change it?

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These two things should be your standard routine with any new purchase as the results of these tests really do help to narrow down the cause of an issue.

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Finally, what DCC controller are you using? and do you have other DCC fitted locos that run OK without issue?

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Quality control on TTS decoders seems to be very poor going by the number of faulty new purchases raised as issues on this forum. If you tried my two tests documented above and the decoder is not responding, but the loco does work on DC without the decoder. Then the likelihood is that the decoder maybe faulty from new.

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If you are going to start fitting a number of decoders yourself. Then I highly recommend that you invest in a decoder tester. You can then test and pre-configure the decoder in an easy test bench environment to prove everything decoder wise works before you even think about removing the body of the loco for installation. Then if it doesn't work when fitted, and the loco ran on DC without the decoder. Then you know that the issue has got something to do with the decoder plug and socket or installation technique used. This also means that you can ferret out the faulty decoders before expending wasted time and energy fitting them. As an example research ESU 53900

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TIP: As a relatively new 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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[ColinB]

The thing to check is that the header is pushed fully home. Some of the decoders have thinner than normal pins so they don't always make connection. The DC headers seem to have thicker pins so always work and of course the thicker pins of the DC header it was shipped with has now opened up the holes, making it worse. The other thing to check is the socket, sometimes one of the individual sockets loses its grip and so does not connect properly. The good news is you haven't blown it up, because that normally results in a short circuit and you can smell burnt components. Other than that it sounds like it is duff. If you have another a loco you could try it in there just to check it works. The other thing it could be is that the socket on the J15 has a soldered connection that is not making contact, that happened to me on a brand new King Loco. I got so fed up with having these sort of issues, I had a lot, I bought a decoder tester, so I could check them before I fitted them. The decoder will work either way you insert it, if you put it in the wrong way the lights won't work and the motor runs backwards, so on your J15 not really an issue. You know it is covered for a year by guarantee, although sadly at the moment it might take that long to get it back.