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Programming the R8247 Point decoder


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I read from your posting history that you have an Elite. Read the Elite manual [Page 58 to 60] and use that instead of RailMaster to try programming it.

 

One thing that I advise you to do, if you haven't done this already. Find a length of 2 wire flex [the sort used as cheap speaker or doorbell push wire]. Disconnect the 'TRACK A&B' input of the R8247 and terminate one end of this temporary 2 wire flex in its place on the R8247.

 

Now take the other end of the 2 wire flex and terminate it directly onto the 'PROG A&B' output of the Elite controller [first disconnecting any programming track piece that might be currently connected to it].

 

A directly wired point to point connection between the Elite and the R8247 will give the best chance of success.

 

If you haven't done so already. Use the same direct wiring connection to try the RM Accessory Decoder configuration screen again.

 

Looking briefly at your posting history you seem to have a number of posts relating to R8247 issues. You do not seem to be making much progress with the R8247 product. Maybe it is indeed faulty.

 

I strongly suggest that you follow the Factory Reset process in the second clickable link below. Once a R8247 configuration becomes corrupted and won't accept new configurations, then a factory reset can sometimes recover it.

 

This selection of previous threads relating to the R8247 may also assist.

 

Programming & Configuring R8247 ADs – the Full Monty version – updated version of the earlier ** posts below (doesn’t include the CV8 factory reset guide):

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/programming-accessory-decoders/?p=1/

 

** Resetting R8247 Decoders using RM.

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/post/view/topic_id/9065/?p=2

 

  using Elite

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/programming-a-2nd-r8247-to-elite-controler/?p=1/

 

  using Elite version 2 method (doesn’t include the reset task, just configuration)

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/hornby-accessory-decoder-26895/?p=1

 

 

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Then what are you using with your RailMaster software?

 

If it is an eLink, then just look at the first two RM centric threads linked in my reply. As I said above, I strongly suggest you perform a factory reset of the R8247. It sorts out all sorts of problems. If the reset is successful then the ports will be addressed as 1 to 4. Test operation using those addresses first before trying to change them. You may need to amend your track plan temporarily to create points with addresses 1 to 4.

 

PS - Looking at your posting history again. One of your posts stated that you had an eLink but it was damaged.

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After acreset and proving the module works on ports 1-4 as advised by Chris, just use the elink to write the required port addresses you want to use in the RM accessory screen. Don’t try to read back from there as it can be unreliable.

 

If you have rev 2 modules then HRMS have said they are working toward providing on screen programming for the advanced features. In the meantime you can use the existing screen to set pulse duration as well as port addresses.

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Paul,

Your last reply infers that your posted question is not exactly as you wrote in the original post.

 

Are you now saying that you have a Revision 2 version R8247 and it is the advanced features that you're trying to configure in RailMaster, not the basic address and pulse configuration.

 

If this is so, then you should have made this distinction clear in your original question and a more direct answer could have been given as it is a question that has been asked before [recently].

 

If this revised question is not your question, then your current issue is not likely to be improved, as and when, HRMS add the Revision 2 configuration screen as those options have no impact on configuring the original Revision 1 R8247s.

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Thank you - I have followed your instructions to do the reset and it has worked, but your mention of a 

"Note: I believe in RailMaster ProPack the Accessory decoder screen has an additional "factory reset" icon included. But for us mere mortals with standard RM, then for writing to CV8 we must treat the R8247 as if it is a loco decoder."

This is not available on version 1.72 of Railmaster Pro ???

 

.

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The key bit in that line was "I believe" i.e I am not sure .... I do not have PRO pack myself to check.

 

Are you saying that factory resetting the R8247 has now got it working?

 

EDIT: Just had a look back at the manual at the PRO pack feature list. I obviously got mixed up with this highlighted one relating to Loco Decoders.

 

/media/tinymce_upload/64d48e3ffc9d174a342d3f6ec9d355c5.jpg

 

Thank you for confirming that it is not available in any RailMaster version. It might possibly be added in the Revision 2 R8247 RailMaster enhancement when it gets released.

 

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Hello - well the reset has worked to a point, but for some reason port one does not work but  2,3 4 are OK. The same thing is happening with all my other points decoders in sequnce, 5,6,7,8.. 5 does not work, 9,10,11,12.. 9 does not work and 13,14,15,16.. 13 does not work. If I connect a point motor to the first port on any of my point decoders then none of them will work. It's ok because I can cope with three ports on each and just ignore the first ports. Strange thing to happen though ?

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Have you at any time tried configuring these R8247s using a Select controller, particularly a Select controller with Version 1.1 firmware. The 1.1 Select firmware had a BUG which damages port 1 on a R8247.

 

Rob (RAF96) usually raises this BUG in response to others with R8247 Port 1 failures.

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Well put it this way. If you were a previous user that had damaged them using a 1.1 Select and bought replacements and you had an unscrupulous personality, would you be tempted to sell them on to some unsuspecting m*g to recoup some of your loss. Or would you put them in the electrical bin for recycling.

 

Personally I would go down the recycling route. I wouldn't even think of passing them on. But there are many who only look at the bottom line and don't care about others further down the supply chain. Look at the number of times eBay purchases of damaged / broken items gets raised on this forum.

 

Go to Rob's website [click the link below] and scroll down to known faults. This is where he decribes the Select V1.1 BUG fault acting on the R8247 and why it fails Port 1.

 

http://www.halton96th.org.uk/page16.html

 

In addition to the Port 1 being non operational you also wrote in your reply above:

 

If I connect a point motor to the first port on any of my point decoders then none of them will work.

 

If you read, Rob's description of the BUG affect on the R8247, you will see that he describes that observation virtually word for word. This means that your R8247's have absolutely most definitely been damaged by the v1.1 version Select BUG.

 

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Well you did say, that you could work with the limitation of only using 3 out of the 4 ports. So perhaps that is a choice that can be parked for a later decision.

 

Note also the edit I made to my last reply just after you posted your reply above.

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