Blink Bonny not working on HM7000

[taunmarc88]

I wasn’t sure where to post this but as it is a TT loco I thought someone here might be able to help.

I have installed the app and installed the next18 chip and speaker as per instructions. Now I have placed it on the track, controller is on (the one from the train set) and the loco is lightly humming. I have linked on the app but it is not responding.

I have updated the app.

Am I missing something, I’m not sure where to start, take it apart and check it’s all plugged in or is it the controller? The app will not download the sound file profile although I assume that is due to the amount of people using it?

Help !

[Clement Matchett]

I don’t know.

But I suspect that if the whole of the profile is not working, then nothing will work.

I will be corrected, but my inclination would be to get up early and try loading SD036 again.

That is what I did. If the Function pages are empty, I suspect that your download is incomplete.

[taunmarc88]

It has now downloaded the sounds, they also do not work. I’m really confused as all the guides say it should at least move. I have taken the tender apart and checked it’s all there as it should be. Is the hum normal?

[Rallymatt]

Might be worth double checking your connections. What track power do you have?

[taunmarc88]

I am using the controller that came with the set. I was under the impression that when turned up full that would provide the power. I’ve disconnected and reconnected the chip so I’m totally lost. I feel like I’m missing a massive ‘on’ button or something similar.

[P-Henny]

It has been pointed out elsewhere on this forum (and in the thread linked to below) that the set controllers should now be avoided when using the HM7000 decoder products. It is now advised that a pure DC power supply should be connected directly to the track (if you don't have access to a traditional DCC controller). The humming you can hear, is the issue of using the cheap set controller as the power supply, as its PWM output affects the decoders.

Hm7000 power :: Hornby Hobbies

[Clement Matchett]

I don’t know about the hum…I use the 4 amp transformer, but noise like hum is, from what I have learned, more a function of the controller in use, rather than the loco. More, but not exclusively, responsible.

Have you got to a position on your device where, if you can see all three function pages, you can press the yellow control icon far left?

You may need to press the Resume Operational Control tab at the bottom of the page, and then ensure that the tab, top right, is in red saying Stop Layout. If it is green and says Resume Layout, I assume it thinks you have just engineered a train crash!

Like you, apparently, I am learning, but it doesn’t sound as if your installation is faulty: I had very similar issues.

Just trying to help…Fishmanoz and RAF96 are far more knowledgeable than I.

[taunmarc88]

I did try to look around but when you are a complete novice it is hard to spot everything… I must have missed that my controller is useless for this purpose.

I was going to wait until the DCC fitted Eastener came along and then start using that power so I will now look and see if I can order the wire and adaptor now. I only have Bonny and with her out of action I have no loco so I will have to take the hit and do it.

I hope I can get it working, it has knocked my confidence a little as I’ve never opened up a loco to do anything other than clean and now I’m concerned I’ve ruined the thing. I will update when I get the wires, I’m currently on the dining room table so I will pack up for now and leave it alone until I have the new power supply.

Thanks for the help, I appreciate the speed of response.

[96RAF]

Take the controller and put in in a drawer. Then go and read the decoder manual available to download from the support area additional manuals. In the first few [pages it tells you the train set controller is unsuitable for what you are doing. Connect the PSU that powers the controller direct to the trails using the adaptor cable. Then try it all again and you will see it works as advertised. You are not the first to make this mistake and you will certainly not be the last, but there is no excuse for not reading the basic instructions before leaping into the 7000 puddle.

[taunmarc88]

96Raf - I genuinely feel like I’m missing something. Do I need to purchase the DCC power connecting clip, what is the adaptor cable? I have the adaptor, is that what you mean by PSU. I’m so sorry to ask the questions, I did look through the online help first but it just didn’t seem to make any sense to me if I’m honest - it can’t have done it I’d not be in this mess. If I hadn’t have already bought the chip I’d just wait until the DCC fitted stuff for idiots like me came out…

[Fishmanoz]

You don’t need the DCC power track, use the one that came with the set.

On the power side, you have a PSU that plugs into the wall and the controller with the red knob which in turn plugs into the track. It’s the controller that goes into the drawer.

Now you need the adaptor cable that connects to the PSU at one end and the power track at the other. This isn’t part of the set so you need to buy it.

Just a check on the decoder installation - the Next18 plug and socket are quite small and hard to see when you install the decoder. Make sure there was a noticeable click when they went together with the plug on the decoder going noticeably inside the socket.

Once you have checked the decoder and connected the PSU via the adaptor cable, go through the linking, upgrading and sound file downloading again as per pp10-12 of the manual, then report back.

[Rog RJ]

@taunmarc88

PSU = Power Supply Unit.

[taunmarc88]

Thanks everyone, I’ve ordered the relevant gear and checked the connections on Blink Bonny which look fine. I will report back as soon as I get the bits from Hornby.

[Andy-350113]

I had all sorts of issues with this. Installing the App on my older iPad ( I was using an iPhone 14 ) and not using the flying scottsman sound files seemed to make it work.

[Railbob]

Taunmarc88,

I started a thread on a similar problem with my A4 and with some excellent advice from several posters I managed to identify the problem. I have ordered the R7337 bundle and it should arrive shortly.

I will let you know how things go.

Railbob

[Moccasin]

Take the controller and put in in a drawer. Then go and read the decoder manual available to download from the support area additional manuals. In the first few [pages it tells you the train set controller is unsuitable for what you are doing. Connect the PSU that powers the controller direct to the trails using the adaptor cable. Then try it all again and you will see it works as advertised. You are not the first to make this mistake and you will certainly not be the last, but there is no excuse for not reading the basic instructions before leaping into the 7000 puddle.

 

 

I guess, like me and many others, @taunmarc88 may have seen Hornby’s upgrade path page which clearly states that the DC controller that comes with a train set is all you need. In fact https://uk.hornby.com/hm7000/upgrade-paths cites this as a major advantage. As this apparently differs from the decoder manual (that is far less prominent), I guess Hornby may need to correct the upgrade path page, or at least add a disclaimer that upgrade is better with direct connection or a DCC controller.

[Mr Quint]

I think scoulding the original poster for not reading the manual is a bit much. The last TT talk Simon said these work with DC controllers. As someone else said the webpage says to keep your DC controller plugged in on max power. The front of the box of the decoders says "Tri Mode - Functions with HM - DCC app control - DCC and DC Controllers

I thought exact as OP said, you put it on DC track with standard DC controller turned to 100%

If thats wrong, its not OPs fault, its Hornbys

[Mr Quint]

BTW Sams Trains uploaded a review today and in his intro he said the same thing as Hornby. Use existing DC Controller turned up to 100%. If this is wrong and shouldnt be done then Hornby need to clarify this ASAP. "Sorry we were wrong, DC users should bin their controller and buy our dongle"

[Moccasin]

It looks like Hornby need to clarify which information is correct. I’ve now ordered the adapter but it would have been nice if I’d known about this when ordering my decoder, rather than believing what the upgrade path guidance told me. My installation has not gone well & now I’ve wasted another £7 on express shipping which I wouldn’t have needed if this had been clearer.

[ntpntpntp]

You'd expect a PWM controller on full whack to be pretty much 100% duty cycle with very little "pulse power" still present, in which case a decoder should to be able to cope with it. That said, bypassing the controller box and just using the PSU directly to the track via the adapter cable removes the PWM from the power.

Whilst DCC decoders generally are designed to work on DC (unless it's turned off in the decoder) it's always been a concern that they may be confused by PWM based DC and will prefer smooth DC (or a true DCC signal). Some of the decoder fitted locos I've tried on my 1990s PWM controllers over the years didn't run well. Others were fine.

[Daedalus]

I'm going to annoy you further you can buy the connector and socket ( you obviously only need the socket ) for £2 free postage as they appear to be used for cctv power applications and just use flying leads to the sprung power track connections

[Fishmanoz]

My apologies if my advice was seen as scolding, that was not my intent. My intent was to give the current, correct advice on power for these decoders.

If you go back to the first reply to the OP from Paul, you’ll see that he emphasised “now”. The unfortunate situation here is that, initially, Hornby believed the decoders would work on any analog DC controller turned up to maximum. They have discovered as part of extended testing this is not the case. Many modern cheaper controllers use PWM (pulse width modulated) outputs which work well with DC motors but have been found to cause interference with the sound in HM7000 decoders. Hence the changed advice to use only their PSUs (manual, p17 near the top confirms this).

Consequently , there is still conflicting advice in the Hornby documentation with the previous advice yet to be completely removed.

One clear indication from Hornby can be found in the digital sets now on pre-order. They don’t include the controller, just the PSU and the adaptor cable.

A final thing to note if you are planning a larger layout with a number of locos running. The set PSU is only capable of supplying 500mA, enough for one loco, probably two but unlikely for three. For such layouts, an upgrade to a higher power supply will be needed. On p16 of the manual, there is quite comprehensive advice on alternatives to consider and what to avoid.

PS. Nothing I’ve said above is new. It’s now been known for the better part of the 3 months since HM7000 launch but, given the rapidly growing content in the forums, it is getting buried in older threads and not seen by the newer entrants.

PPS. Just on reference to the manual - these new decoders have capabilities way beyond previous offerings from Hornby and many other manufacturers, with some exceptions at the very high end of the market. To fully document this capability, the manual is some 130 pages long, although half of that is in appendices. While we understand that “go read the manual” is not a good answer to questions raised, it is also beyond the time commitment of many members here to include in replies the full content in the manual. Hence my approach is a brief reply with reference to the specific area in the manual for further reading. As you become more experienced, I would hope you all read the manual for yourselves, it is well worth it once you have some understanding of the basics and jargon around DCC and BLE.

[Mr Quint]

I wasnt refering to you Fishmanoz, It was RAF response I found annoying. The thread starter has a legitimate issue and he fobbed him off saying its his own fault. Its not a good way to help new users. It looks like we were all fed incorrect info and unless we kept up with all the conversations in 2 different forums we have no idea.

Hornby would do well to put out a short 10 minute basics video on youtube for newbys, not a 1 hour 20 minute marathon of more confusion

[Mr Quint]

How to do a youtube video making something very complicated simple:

How to do a youtube video making something very simple complicated:

Its not rocket science Hornby

[Fishmanoz]

The first 5 minutes of the Hornby video provides a reasonable intro, haven’t watched more yet.

But try this one which has been posted into the forums a couple of times already, again featuring George the developer: https://www.world-of-railways.co.uk/news/video-hammant-and-morgan-hm7000-what-is-it?fbclid=IwAR1hDU4JLhR0_53QBn64ZO_-De0C-FYp7s75IPIckWeKHxAQ7CGUJyAr8pU