Overcurrent on Autocalibration

[96RAF]

Yes thank you. I found the forum after I read the leaflets enclosed with the decoder. There is not a strong enough warning there IMHO.

I will, in future start a separate thread. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Season's greetings.

 

 

You appear to be in the category that requires a label on the microwave saying - ‘Don’t dry your pet in here’. The decoder manual lays it out plain and simple that your particular controller is unsuitable.

[LTSR_NSE]

Considering pets, like all living things, don’t come with any instructions, (so everything is suck it & see) - not sure I understand anything particularly relevant in that analogy?

However most Microwaves definitely do come with instructions informing you not to place metal inside them (or anything else likely to cause damage.)

Therefore whilst the manual is definitely a must read, it would probably be sensible for Hornby to include a physical warning sheet in the box - informing users that sensitive electronics (decoders) require suitably protective power supplies (which excludes the majority of analogue controllers!)

[Britannia Builder]

Steven, the TXS decoders are still being sold in boxes that say on the front in bold print 'Tri-Mode - Functions with .... DC Controllers'. This has clearly turned out not to be the case. In view of this I think you should be entitled to expect Hornby to replace or refund your decoder, and I've no doubt that they will if you ask them. You should not be expected to trawl forums or online user manuals before switching the device on.

To follow up the microwave analogy, it's as though the microwave said on the box 'You can dry your cat in this'!

Regards, John

[ntpntpntp]

If the decoders are marketed as functioning with DC controllers that should be true for the general case the same as it is with the vast majority of other DCC decoders (which don't fail just because they've been used with a DC controller). Other brands of decoder I've used in the past have been rated up to 24V, and 35V for large garden scale decoders. I have seen a couple of decoders become confused by PWM DC but never seen one actually damaged by it.

[96RAF]

The packaging tri-mode statement is true.

If you take the time to read the manual - as you would with anything you buy - you will see a whole section about power supplies and a statement that although the decoders do work with a DC controller for say running in steady state conditions, this is not the same as powering your layout by applying full voltage from such a controller to the track. In the DC mode this has to be selected by way of CV12. Folk are trying to use DC power in modes other than DC.

In the quick start guide there is only a direct DC supply by PSU or DCC supply by DCC controller shown, not a controlled output at max from a DC controller. This subject was done to death in the early days of the product after folk winged it without reading the blurb and it likely even made the 9 o’clock news, not that anyone would take any notice.

[Rallymatt]

9 O’ Clock News! Showing your age there Rob 😁

Thanks for the heads up on cat drying and microwaves, this could be why Tiddles was not a fan of bath night.

[Fishmanoz]

Given I like my skin coverage to be continuous and not interrupted by deep, long score marks, I shall not be putting Tiddles in the bath with me either.