Hornby select controller

[Lancey]

I just purchased an 08 class Shunter with sound. When I input the new dcc control number the class 08 accepts the input and gives a slight forward movement then nothing, no sound, no movement. I also have a marklin 30050 steam loco converted to dcc and

 

also has smoke doing the same as above. Is the select controller powerful enough to run these locomotives. Thanks Paul. P.S: I am very new to model railroading and DCC.

[Flashbang]

Hi

A lot depends on the address number you're trying to enter?

Remember the Select can only allocate address numbers in the range 1 to 59.

Avoid 3 as thats the default number for all decoders.

I assume that once the correct address number

 

has been set, you have the same number displayed for the loco when attempting to operate its sound options and for movement?

 

[Fishmanoz]

Lancy, the Select is powerful enough to run a sound loco, although you can only control 9 sound functions, not all of them.

We need more info to help you and answers to Flashbang's questions will be a good start.

[Lancey]

The address I used for the steam loco was 07 and 04 for the 08 class Shunter. The functions I used for the Shunter are as per instruction sheet supplied with this Shunter. As for the steam loco I tried using the functions that were supplied with it. I

 

get no sound from either loco and no movement from either. I have reset the select controller as per the instructions on page 19 of the manual. I still have no joy. Thanks for all help given. Can't return to shop as they were both purchased on EBay (Australia)

[Flashbang]

Hi again

Set the 08 shutter to address number 3 then see if you can move it forward or reverse with the Select showing 03 in its display.

If it moves, then operate function number F1 this should turn on the sounds. F1 pressed again will turn Off

 

the sounds. So with F1 On try pressing F2 or F3 etc and see what happens.

[Lancey]

[reply]Flashbang said:

 

Hi again

Set the 08 shutter to address number 3 then see if you can move it forward or reverse with the Select showing 03 in its display.

If it moves, then operate function number F1 this should turn on the sounds. F1

 

pressed again will turn Off the sounds. So with F1 On try pressing F2 or F3 etc and see what happens.

 

Did all of the above and still no go. Looks like I've got bit, that will teach to buy off EBay. If the loco's are set to four number display would

 

that effect the way they operate as the select only has two number display. Thanks anyway.

[poliss]

If the locos have a 4 digit address they won't work on the Select. You'll need to use a more advanced controller, such as the Elite, to reset them to 2 digit addresses. Maybe your local model shop could help.

Do you have any other locos?

[Fishmanoz]

Poliss is right - if the decoders have been set to a 4 digit extended address above 99, the Select cannot address them, nor can it reset the decoder to return default values to CVs 17 and 18 which are used to define extended addresses in the first place.

 

 

 

If this is really the case, there may be nothing at all wrong with your locos, just that they are set such that the Select is unable to handle them. Can I suggest you do 2 things. First, ask your seller if he is aware what address they were set to.

 

Also, ask Hornby Customer Care what you can do about it. The second answer will almost certainly be that a controller such as the Elite will be needed to reset them, something HCC will be able to do for you if no one else you know can.

 

Can I also suggest

 

that since you are running sound locos, you might consider upgrading to Elite or eLink/Railmaster. For a start, you will be able to address more sound functions as the Select is limited in this regard, as well as in many others. If you continue to buy DCC

 

fitted locos second hand and any have non-Hornby decoders fitted, Select may not handle these either. It is acknowledged by Hornby not to be NMRA compliant.

[Lancey]

poliss said:

If the locos have a 4 digit address they won't work on the Select. You'll need to use a more advanced controller, such as the Elite, to reset them to 2 digit addresses. Maybe your local model shop could help.
Do you have any

other locos?

yes I do have other loco's such as 2 Bachmann Diesels which work perfectly fine and great western castle steam loco that came with the Cornishman train set I purchased 18 months ago which works great.

[Lancey]

Fishmanoz said:

Poliss is right - if the decoders have been set to a 4 digit extended address above 99, the Select cannot address them, nor can it reset the decoder to return default values to CVs 17 and 18 which are used to define extended

addresses in the first place.

If this is really the case, there may be nothing at all wrong with your locos, just that they are set such that the Select is unable to handle them. Can I suggest you do 2 things. First, ask your seller if he is aware

what address they were set to. Also, ask Hornby Customer Care what you can do about it. The second answer will almost certainly be that a controller such as the Elite will be needed to reset them, something HCC will be able to do for you if no one else you

know can.

Can I also suggest that since you are running sound locos, you might consider upgrading to Elite or eLink/Railmaster. For a start, you will be able to address more sound functions as the Select is limited in this regard, as well as in many

others. If you continue to buy DCC fitted locos second hand and any have non-Hornby decoders fitted, Select may not handle these either. It is acknowledged by Hornby not to be NMRA compliant.

Both the loco's have four digit address's. So it looks like

I'm having to buy a better controller, maybe a NCE controller. What do you think about these controllers, Are the elite any good.

[Flashbang]

Hi

If we had been given the information initially that the locos were used and also had four digit addresses allocated to them then the answer would have been immediate......

You cant do anything about it other than locate someone who has a better

 

DCC system and get them reset to address 3 ideally, then you can readdress them with your Select to whatever address number required between 1 and 59!

 

[Flashbang]

BTW were unable to discuss other manufacturers equipment on this forum!

[Lancey]

Flashbang said:

BTW were unable to discuss other manufacturers equipment on this forum!

Sorry about that I'm new to this forum and did not realise. I only found out today they were 4 digit addresses. Is the Hornby Elite controller

a good one to go with. Thanks for all help and information given.

[Fishmanoz]

The Elite can be considered to be a fully functional DCC controller. It can control more locos and accessories than you are ever likely to need, and it can read and write all of the CVs in the NMRA specification.

 

If you have any inclination to

 

use a computer with your layout, you might also look at the eLink/Railmaster combination which is due out this month, much cheaper than Elite and equal in capability if you upgrade it with the 4Amp power supply that comes standard with Elite.

[RDS]

I agree that the Elite is the one to go for but as Fishmanoz says eLink and RailMaster will provide a cheaper solution but only if you are satisfied to run your layout completely off the computer. The Elite has the advantage that it can control the layout

 

on its own or if RailMaster is added, in conjunction with the computer.

[Dinger_Bell]

Fishmanoz said:

The Elite can be considered to be a fully functional DCC controller. It can control more locos and accessories than you are ever likely to need, and it can read and write all of the CVs in the NMRA specification.

If

you have any inclination to use a computer with your layout, you might also look at the eLink/Railmaster combination which is due out this month, much cheaper than Elite and equal in capability if you upgrade it with the 4Amp power supply that comes standard

with Elite.

Hi,

Can you confirm that we can use the 4amp Elite power supply with the eLink; Having just got my eLink today I plugged in the Elite power supply and it seemed to be running a bit hot: What is the official line on this?