Elite programming track

[M109 RA]

Hello everyone.

 

just a short question.

Does the programming for the Elite have to power?

A have a Select, that I use to programme loco's, as the Elite won't

write addresses to loco's.  Could this problem be caused by lack of power

 to the programming track?  The Select prorammes with the track under power.

[ColinB]

Yes it does. I don't have a Select so I cannot tell you the difference but yes with the Elite when you program, the piece of track you are going to program on has to be connected to the program connections. It must be in the manual somewhere, for me to know.

[37lover]

The Elite has dedicated outlets for programming and these must be connected to the programming track. I believe it runs these outputs at reduced power. How else do you expect the Elite to programme decoders, by wireless?

[ColinB]

@37lover Obviously, the Select doesn't, so the guy when upgrading just assumed the Elite didn't. Actually wireless wouldn't work either you would need something to convert it back.

Anyway, I had already answered the question.

[37lover]

Colin,

Please don't use words like "obviously". The OP asked does the track have to be under power; he didn't ask does the track have to be connected to the programming outlets. I believe you could programme with the Elite using the main outlets but that is not recommended but if so then it would still need to be "under power".

[96RAF]

Select only has a Track outlet so effectively it programs on the main, but using Service Mode protocol. The manual shows how to wire a programming track length to your layout via an isolation switch. However to avoid mis-programming your fleet it is recommended with the Select to physicslly disconnect from the layout and connect to a separate programming track.

 

Elite as stated has a dedicated Track and Prog outputs and the NMRA standard for programming is that a low power command burst is sent only when actually programming, which is why if you put a meter on the prog output you will not get a reading. both Track and Prog can be connected to their own tracks so there is no need to disconnect the layout with an Elite.

 

By powered up it is presumed you mean will I see power at the track - short answer is yes,  but only during actual programming and likely you would only be able to see this on a ‘scope not  a digitsl meter.

[ColinB]

@37lover Sorry, to me it was obvious because why was the guy asking the question, he knew what he was doing so, no need to put him down, so it had to be something simple like the Select doesn't have a program track outlet, which RAF96 has perfectly explained. It must be in the Elite manual, which I read because when I started I had not used DCC, if I had used a Select, I probably wouldn't have read the Elite manual. The reason people come on this site is to get the answers to questions they don't know, otherwise they wouldn't bother.

[Bulleidboy]

My programming track is permanently wired to the Elite - it is also ballasted with weathered buffer stops at each end - I like to be different 😆

[ColinB]

When I program on the programming track you sometimes hear the loco buzz. If you have a tester unit there is a led that tells you when it is doing it. The Elite seems to do two operations to read the Manufacturer Id. I have had issues where some decoders don't work from new, so now I tend to put them in a tester and try and read the Manufacturer Id, that at least tells me it does something. I then fit them in the loco, it saves taking the loco apart to find that decoder doesn't work.

[96RAF]

Different decoders have different ways of providing an ACK (acknowledgement) to a programming command, most pulse the motor to give a surge of current, some flash the lights and some blipr the horn or whistle.

 

All the controller is asking for is ‘did you get that instructions’ - ACK tells the controller the decoder did receive and action the command.

[ColinB]

Oh thanks RAF96 that explains it.