Resetting Loco address

[Higgy326]

I was given a Hornby R8213 Select digital controller and have since purchased a Bachmann 32-355 DCC fitted loco (used). I now realise that my controller can only address up to 59 but the loco is already addressed as 136. How do I reset the loco back to default (3) or re-address it to within my controllers range.

I am just venturing into the DCC world so pardon my ignorance.

[RDS]

@Higgy326

if you have a manual for the Select, you will find the information you require in there. Just set the address to whatever address you require and it will overwrite the 136 address that is currently set. I suggest you do not pick 03 because that, is as you say the default, so any Loco's you use in the future are likely to have that address as well.

If you don't have the manual, one can be downloaded from this link on the Hornby Website.

R8213 Select DCC Controller – Hornby Support

Edit: Please see the post below which suggests a need to reset the Decoder back to factory settings before choosing your new id.

(and thank you for changing your Forum id)

[P-Henny]

DCC Address 136 is above 127. This makes it a DCC long address. This means that the 136 address is currently written in CVs 17 & 18 with a long address flag set in CV29.

Therefore just overwriting the address in the 1 to 59 short address range (in CV1) may or may not reset the CV29 value back to the short address value.

Unless someone can confirm differently regarding CV29 reset, I suggest a decoder reset to factory configuration first (DCC ID 3) which will also reset CV29 to short addressing, then change it to the new address you want in the 1 to 59 range.

The issue with that is that you need a Select with firmware 1.6 or higher to perform a decoder factory reset (writing 8 to CV8). Select firmware upgrades are done via return to Hornby and typically cost less than 20 GBP. The current installed firmware level is displayed as the very first number to display on screen as the Select is powered up. 1.6 will display as the number 16. Firmware 1.6 & 2.0 requires both the version 1.5 manual and the 1.6/2.0 addendum manual to be downloaded as the user interface is completely different to earlier than 1.5 firmware versions.

[Fishmanoz]

Don’t know the answer on whether the Select will overwrite CV29 or not, maybe someone can try it and let us know?

You can also fix it directly for sure without resetting:

• write desired short address as per manual, then
• write 2 to CV29 for 128 speed steps, or
• write 6 to CV29 for 128 plus DC Running enabled

That will leave accel and decel at whatever they were set at and not returned to default.

[P-Henny]

Note that writing directly to CV29 using a Select as suggested above, still requires firmware 1.6 or above. Selects below 1.6 have limited direct CV writing capabilities.

[96RAF]

Given time later I will write a long address to a decoder with an Elite, then overwrite a short address with a Select, then read-back the value of CV with the Elite just to confirm what actually happens.

This will be a Hornby decoder. The OP doesn’t say what make decoder his loco has fitted.

Edit - as below

Use Elite to write address 9018. Confirm motor and functions, OK.

Read-back CV29=34.

Use Select to write address 18. Confirm motor and functions, OK.

Use Elite to confirm address 18 and read-back CV29=2, also CVs17/18=227/58. Use back-calc to confirm this is long address, noting it is stored in the decoder until switched in by CV29.

Note that it is possible to switch to a previously stored long address by way of CV29 with the Select but of course you cannot use it.

[RDS]

May be the OP (Higgy326) could update us when it is known if it worked or not.

Feedback is always helpful.

[Higgy326]

Thank you for all the info. In the end the easiest option was to give it to a friend who reset the address on his setup.

[96RAF]

That may have been the easiest workaround but you really need to get to grips with your own kit and learn how to use it so you get the best out of it and the hobby.