Troubleshooting while starting out on HM7000 - what am I doing wrong?

[Will Thompson]

Hi All,

I had some tremendous help from you guys a few years' back when starting out in DCC and hoping for some similar advice this time!

Inspired by the feature in January's HM magazine, I ordered an 8-pin HM7000 decoder which arrived this morning with a power bank. I have not been able to get it working at all. Perhaps I have fried it by doing something wrong? Or just misunderstood some basics? Please do point me to another thread if this has all been answered before but I could not see anything on an initial search. This is what I have done:

- Controller is an EZ Command which powers DCC chipped locos on a small end to end layout.

- Most of my locos are hardwired for DCC as they were Lima or older Hornby originally.

- I have hardwired a Lima Class 37 for DCC and hardwired in an 8-pin socket. It is this model I attached the HM7000 to.

- The app will not find the decoder despite multiple searches.

- I then tried the decoder in a modern Hornby Class 153, following the steps in the guide, but it still does not find it.

The EZ Command is powering the track and I have tried it in both DCC and analogue channels but not getting anything. I have also hooked up two old analogue controllers (H&M and Hornby) to my track but this doesn't work either.

Is it possible that attempting this in a converted Lima model is my downfall? Is the decoder unforgiving and likely to be fried? I have fried decoders before but not had the trademark burnout smell so not sure that's what has happened here. Or is the EZ Command not compatible?

Any help and advice gratefully received! I only ordered this as a trial but a pretty expensive one if I can't get it to work!

Ta!

Will

[ColinB]

Well firstly if it is blown up then I am sure you can send it back to Hornby for a replacement. I recently had one fail, it just stopped working when I refitted it to the loco with "stay alive" added, and they replaced it. What you should do in future is fit DCC sockets, Hornby do these as spare parts and it makes life so much easier. I am usually pretty critical of the Hornby HW7000 but I have to admit every one I have bought works perfectly when I load it. I quite often have to delete the App and reload it as the scan logic I found gets confused but in your case you only have one so that shouldn't be an issue. When we had all the problems with the Android app not being available I ran mine on DCC with the default sound so if you have not got the Bluetooth part to work, it should work on DCC, so that may be a way to see if it works. I have converted all my old Hornby, Lima and Bachmann locos (even those with split chassis) to DCC and I always use a socket. You can always use a 6 pin if space is a premium like on the Bachmann split chassis locos. It makes testing so much easier as you can easily convert from DC to DCC, plus upgrade decoders easily and believe me there is always room to fit one without machining the loco.

[P-Henny]

I have also hooked up two old analogue controllers (H&M and Hornby) to my track but this doesn't work either.

 

 

Others will be along to offer more detailed guidance, but your quoted statement could have caused permanent damage that is now unrecoverable.

Granted, you may have read Hornby documentation that indicated that Analogue controllers could be used to provide power, but that historic documented guidance has been redacted by Hornby in light of post launch customer experience feedback.

There is a pinned sticky thread at the top of this forum section that documents the power issues and latest updated recommendations.

Others can confirm this, but I believe (but may be wrong) that Hornby provide a no quibble replacement service for customers who have damaged their decoders by following their (Hornby) now outdated documented power guidance.

[Will Thompson]

Thanks both - very helpful thoughts. I will try reinstalling the app to begin with and see how that goes. I will also try using the decoder on regular DCC and see how that goes. Really appreciate the swift responses.

[96RAF]

Out of the box the decoder should respond to address 3.

Once you have loaded the app and grabbed the decoder it will only work from the app until you press the DCC button to revert control to your DCC system.

Which handheld device are you using the app on. Did it install OK and have you logged in to your Hornby account. If so you should be able to scan for and find the decoder then link to it and assign it to a loco. There is a series of step by step how to guides in the linked documentation talked about earlier.

[Fishmanoz]

The correct supply to use with your setup is DCC to the track using your DCC controller. You may have damaged the decoder by using the other supplies but not necessarily.

Using DCC, you can operate the decoder either Bluetooth via the app or with your DCC controller with the change effected via CV12 using the app. However, if starting from scratch, it should work DCC first up when supplied by DCC. See if it will run on address 03.

Best to go right through the troubleshooting guides though from the stickies at the top of the forum. Look at all the advice here.

[Will Thompson]

Thanks again for the responses.

I can't even get the loco to move on address 03 which suggests to me that there is a problem with the decoder - however caused. Is that a fair assessment?

I have Moto G8 smartphone and the app installed fine and all logged in no problem. It just won't find the decoder when scanning - it finds everything else (TV, speakers, headphones etc) so not sure it is that.

[96RAF]

I can't even get the loco to move on address 03 which suggests to me that there is a problem with the decoder - however caused. Is that a fair assessment?

I have Moto G8 smartphone and the app installed fine and all logged in no problem. It just won't find the decoder when scanning - it finds everything else (TV, speakers, headphones etc) so not sure it is that.

 

 

You do not scan using the phone Bluetooth scanner, you scan from the app. If you find it from the phone as you would speakers, TV, etc then pairing with it locks out the app from finding it. Unpair it from the phone then go back to the app and scan for it.

[Will Thompson]

Sorry - I mean the app finds all the other devices under the "unfiltered" tab so what I mean is that the app is successfully scanning, it just does not find the decoder.

[96RAF]

At the top of the scan page in the app is a manage devices button. When pressed is your decoder already listed there.

[Will Thompson]

At the top of the scan page in the app is a manage devices button. When pressed is your decoder already listed there.

 

 

Thanks for the tip - still nothing there I'm afraid. Appreciate the engagement!

[ColinB]

From what you are saying Will it sounds like there is a fault with the decoder. Believe it or not usually finding the decoder using the App is quite easy. Send it back to Hornby, they will test it and either tell you there is nothing wrong or give you a new one. When you get it back select one of your locos that has a socket and test it on that using DCC. Once you are happy it works on DCC then use the App to do the load profile bit. That way you know you are starting with a decoder that works, so any issues are with the App. The App is a bit "clunky" but it does generally work.

[Rallymatt]

At the risk of stating the obvious… have you checked the 8pin wiring, are you getting any power to the correct pins on the socket you installed? Casting my mind back to my old Lima locos, some of the pick up wiring was less than robust

[Will Thompson]

Thanks for all the replies. Having heard all these thoughts and gone through various troubleshooting I am convinced this is a decoder fault. The Lima loco is running fine with a Zen 8-pin plugged in.

I'll send it back for an investigation as advised. Thanks everyone!

[Rallymatt]

Apologies, I’d missed that test with the Zen. On that basis and using the app to scan and nothing showing does point to a decoder issue. It’s only a collection of electrical components so these things are as exposed to faults as anything else. Hornby CS is absolutely superb so no doubt they will get this sorted 😁

[Will Thompson]

Hi all,

Sorry to reopen this but trying to work out what to do next.

I sent my decoder back to Hornby as advised and they have tested it, say it works fine and have returned it to me. So far, so good. Very grateful for them testing it for me.

I then followed the advice above and tested it on a DCC ready loco with an 8-pin socket (Hornby 153 DMU) to see if I could get it to operate on address 03. No response. The 153 works fine with the usual decoder plugged back in.

Again, my DCC controller is the Bachmann EZ which I know is basic, but should it operate these new chips?

I am happy to admit defeat but would be uncomfortable (for example) selling the decoder on because I simply can't get it to operate for me. Any thoughts about what I should do next?

Thanks for all the help on this - massively appreciated!

Phil (Will is a pseudonym!)

[LTSR_NSE]

Hi Phil,

Is your Bachmann EZ capable of writing CVs? If so try writing 0 to CV12 (to force decoder into DCC mode.)

Alternatively (if it isn’t) use the HM | DCC app to switch from Bluetooth to DCC. (Provided that your original issue of app not detecting decoder has been resolved?)

[P-Henny]

Have you worked your way though the text based tutorials & troubleshooting guide downloadable from the centre area of this page:

https://uk.hornby.com/hm7000/hm-dcc-guides

[ColinB]

To me it sounds like it is set in Bluetooth mode. Lets go back to basics, have you downloaded the Hornby HM DCC to your smartphone? Next assuming the APP works does the APP find your decoder, when you do a scan. Excuse me if I am telling my Granny to such eggs but to me it sounds like you haven't used the APP.

[Will Thompson]

Thanks everyone, I am up and running! It was in Bluetooth mode and this time the app did detect it - I just hadn't tried that as I followed the advice to test it on address 03 first.

Really appreciate everyone helping with this. Just excellent to get the wisdom of the room. Many thanks indeed.

It does make me wonder why it didn't work on the app before sending it to Hornby for a test, but not to worry - I am delighted it is working.

Now for the features... Thanks again!

Phil

[ColinB]

I think the search software is a bit iffy. I had an issue with my HST, first one, no issues, second one it definitely had its sulks. Normally when they are delivered they are set in DCC mode, but perhaps Hornby had been testing it in Bluetooth and forgot to convert it back. When they are running they are really good, but reading all the issues on this site I think the App needs a lot more work especially on error handling (a common issue in a lot of software).