eLink Power Supply...

[96RAF]

As I only use my eLink for changing points via RM, the Elite looks after the locos, I thought I would revert the eLink power supply from the Elite 4A unit to the eLink 1A wall wart.

Since them I have seen many program errors as points have failed to

 

change.

There is no logical reason for this so I may have to go back to the big boy again.

Any one else seen this effect.

[Yelrow]

RAF96, thanks for paper clip idea, i can tell you why you have problems, the power supply for points, has to be a a 4 amp transformer, from elink. You can happily run trains from elink on 1 amp, supply, but the minute you add points, it needs to be 4 amp.

 

This came from horses mouth(hornby), john

[96RAF]

Thanks Yel'

I'll put the 4A brick back on.

[Graskie]

Yet another reason for those retaining their Elite rather than switching to eLink.

[Yelrow]

unfortunately, those of us who bought the majestic, complete with elink, before they joined the forum, did nor get that choice. I did raise the suggestion of adding an Elite as a second controller, but got shouted down. I would like to try using one, or

 

seeing it in action, but not many exist in rural france. Has anybody switched from elink to elite, or vice versa, and if so, what is their experience, thanks, john

[RDS]

yelrow said:

..... Has anybody switched from elink to elite, or vice versa, and if so, what is their experience, thanks, john

John
There are NO advantages of e-link over Elite. There are just disadvantages:
- 1 Amp power

supply, as opposed to 4 Amp with Elite. (although 4 Amp could be added to e-link)
- No knobs on e-link to use manual control if you wish, without even switching the computer on.
- No extra Network connector on e-link to enable a Select to be used as

a Walkabout.

[Fishmanoz]

If you are operating your trains and layout via RM, Elite and eLink provide exactly the same interface capability. In this regard, the only thing is the 4Amp supply which comes with the Elite but has to be added to eLink.

 

If you also want to be

 

able to control your layout with physical knobs and push buttons, Elite will and eLink won't.

 

So you need to make a decision if you want knobs and buttons or not. If yes, by Elite. If not, buy eLink. Even adding the 4Amp supply, eLink is much cheaper

 

than Elite.

[beejack]

yelrow said:

unfortunately, those of us who bought the majestic, complete with elink, before they joined the forum, did nor get that choice. I did raise the suggestion of adding an Elite as a second controller, but got shouted down. I would

like to try using one, or seeing it in action, but not many exist in rural france. Has anybody switched from elink to elite, or vice versa, and if so, what is their experience, thanks, john

Would you believe, I'm about to do just that.

My

intended setup is to use the elite as the main controller form the layout. Use my redundant select as a walkabout and use the e-link as accessory control only{with the 4A supply) or use as programming tool.

Reasons for this.

Not too impressed

with Rail master at present and want sometimes to just use a physical controller, plus as my layout has the station on one side and the depot on the other, where do I put the monitor so I can see what I am doing in rail master whilst keeping an i=eye on the

movements, two monitors helps but sometime a physical controller as better.

[96RAF]

RAF96 said:

Thanks Yel'
I'll put the 4A brick back on.

I'll reply to myself in lieu of an edit facility:
Going back to using a 4A power supply each for the Elite (loco controller) and eLink (points controller) has resolved

my missed points events in RM programs.
All working again as it should.

[Yelrow]

RAF96, hello, self, thats good john

[Yelrow]

Beejack, how interesting, i run 12 trains on 12 controllers, and 2 on elink.Just about to start DCC points, it will be long, hard, and frustrating, as they have to go on surface. Elink is fine, when it connects first time, but it often does not, and you

 

have to fiddle. Only problem with elite, is justification, to her indoors, as they are not cheap, could do with someone packing up, and selling off. Problem further compounded by living in rural france, so no train fairs, john

[HornbyRailMasterSupport]

Just to clarify, eLink will switch points and we are not sure who at Hornby stated that you must have a 4amp supply with the eLink to do this. If you would like to use the Help Request facility within RailMaster and let us know we will ensure they provide

 

the correct information. It would not be acceptable to have a DCC controller incapable of operating points.

 

Using the Hornby R8247 accessory decoder with Hornby point motors as an example, this unit has a CDU (Capacitor Discharge Unit) built in, which

 

trickle-charges from the DCC track power. Therefore it makes no difference whether you are using a 1amp or 4amp supply as the CDUs will charge and operate in the same manner.

 

There may be an issue with using other manufacturers' accessory decoders and

 

point motors which draw more current, but we have yet to come across this with the most popular brands. Many accessory decoders, though, require an external power supply and this is recommended by their manufacturers.

 

We have a RailMaster test layout

 

of around 5m x 3m on two levels, with around 50-60 operating points (including many crossovers where two points are wired into the same accessory decoder port) and running six trains simultaneously, all working through RailMaster and the eLink with a 1amp

 

power supply. All point motors are under-surface Hornby devices and all accessory decoders (12 of them) are the R8247.

 

It is possible that something on a layout can draw an awful lot of current. We have found that with very old (albeit faulty) locos

 

which draw enough power not quite to create a short circuit condition can cause other devices not to operate correctly. If the layout is 'clean' you should have no problems running an average-sized layout, with a number of locos and points (and signals) with

 

the eLink using the supplied 1amp supply.

 

[RDS]

beejack said:

Would you believe, I'm about to do just that.

My intended setup is to use the elite as the main controller form the layout. Use my redundant select as a walkabout ....

I am sure you will not regret it.

That

is exactly what I did some time ago and I can either just use the Elite to control the trains (I don't have motorised points - yet!) or I can also switch on the computer and control it all using RailMaster. Unlike you though, I am very impressed with RailMaster.

I enjoy (and so do our Grandchildren) just running a program I have written in RailMaster and watching the trains go by.
With the layout I have at present, I have 4 loops and multiple sidings in the centre. I have a program that runs 6 trains (4 around

the loops and 2 in the sidings) all independently, stopping and starting, without any input from me other than to start the program running. It repeats a number of times, all automatically. I have a command at the beginning of the program to reset the clock

to zero, so that it looks like a stopwatch (thanks St1ngr4y) so that I know how long the program has been running and another command at the end of the program to set the clock back to real time.
Of course I realise this would not suit everyone but I am

convinced that Elite and RailMaster, with select as a walkabout gives me the best of both worlds. I like the fact that even when a program is running on RailMaster, I can still control another train independently, using Elite.
The reason I use the Select

as a walkabout, is so that I can let one of our grandchildren control a train themselves on one of the loops.

[PJ_model_trains]

RDS said:

John
There are NO advantages of e-link over Elite. There are just disadvantages:
- 1 Amp power supply, as opposed to 4 Amp with Elite. (although 4 Amp could be added to e-link)
- No knobs on e-link to use manual control

if you wish, without even switching the computer on.
- No extra Network connector on e-link to enable a Select to be used as a Walkabout.

Hi

This is because the eLink was designed to work with RailMaster.

The decision

for the user is knobs or no knobs/computer or no computer. You want one or the other and which ever you want determines the system you use.

[PJ_model_trains]

yelrow said:

RAF96, thanks for paper clip idea, i can tell you why you have problems, the power supply for points, has to be a a 4 amp transformer, from elink. You can happily run trains from elink on 1 amp, supply, but the minute you add

points, it needs to be 4 amp. This came from horses mouth(hornby), john

I think it is ridiculous Hornby sell the eLink with a 1amp transformer and then say you need a 4amp if you want to use points. It is very probable they do this to keep prices

down for the entry level but, the cost to them for a 1amp or a 4amp transformer is peanuts so is it a money making situation?

Why say RailMaster with eLink can run a massive amount of trains and points but you need a larger amp-age just to get started

with points. Why say with RailMaster trial version you can run a couple of trains and control a couple of points when you have to upgrade the transformer to do so.

I like Hornby but, what we are seeing is profit before customers. I like many purchased

the Majestic train set for £399 (£359 with 10% discount) it is now £299 (£269 after discount). I paid £90 more than I needed to if I had waited.

I would purchase loco detection as soon as it comes out and so much more but, it is now doubtful I will

do so now. I will wait and see if the price comes down, I will no longer rush to buy from them. Had I waited until the price dropped on the Majestic I could have spent the £90 with them on other things, £90 is a lot of money. A 25% drop in the price of this

set is massive.

I have my concerns regarding Hornby and with supplies not coming and sales down massively, making money could very possibly what they will have to do to come through this but, they can do it with good products and prices or take the

headless chicken approach and loose customers and sales they so desperately need.

[RDS]

PJ_model_trains said:

... than I needed to if I had waited. ..... I will wait and see if the price comes down,

Hi PJ
I don't think Hornby are by any means alone when it comes down to paying a few pounds more at the start,

or waiting and paying less.
I replied to a post a week or so ago, that asked the same sort of thing.
In my view, you either buy early and enjoy the product or you wait and decide if you want to purchase later. I tend to buy early!

[beejack]

yelrow said:

Beejack, how interesting, i run 12 trains on 12 controllers, and 2 on elink.Just about to start DCC points, it will be long, hard, and frustrating, as they have to go on surface. Elink is fine, when it connects first time, but

it often does not, and you have to fiddle. Only problem with elite, is justification, to her indoors, as they are not cheap, could do with someone packing up, and selling off. Problem further compounded by living in rural france, so no train fairs, john

I

could never justify buying an Elite which is why I went down the E-link route as an upgrade. I was lucky enough to come across an almost new Elite on e**y and they accepted my nearest offer at just under £150 so took the plunge!
Should arrive in the next

few days.

I am still undecided about point control - DCC control is attractive but for me a couple of control panels might still prove to be my best option.

[PJ_model_trains]

RDS said:

Hi PJ
I don't think Hornby are by any means alone when it comes down to paying a few pounds more at the start, or waiting and paying less.
I replied to a post a week or so ago, that asked the same sort of thing.
In my view,

you either buy early and enjoy the product or you wait and decide if you want to purchase later. I tend to buy early!

Although I agree this happens, 25%, £100, is a large drop in price.

They will not do it to me twice, that would

apply where ever I purchased from, I will wait in future or buy else where.

As much as I really want loco detection, I have to admit it is a want and not a need. I have lots going on with the layout so will just change priorities and wait and see.

To

be honest I don't think we will see Loco Detection before the end of the summer, they will use it as a before Christmas product (providing they get patent and can manufacture and supply in time), TTS sound (in locos) I think will be first. I don't think we

will see TTS sound chips on their own this year either, they have given no guarantees on this being available on it's own. I think, subject to getting stock, the market, speed of competitors or sales levels will dictate what happens.

[Graskie]

I find it very nice to have the option of knob control on my Elite when I want to work my layout that way rather than use RM.

 

It would appear that you perhaps didn't read HRMS' statement regarding the Select's power capabilities earlier in this

 

thread, PJ.

[Yelrow]

RAF 96. hornby Railmaster support comments interesting, bearing in mind the minute you replaced your 4 amp transformer, all your problems stopped. Do you have all hornby points and the 8247, points decoder. If so, curious, john

[Graskie]

Sorry, please substitute eLink for Select in my last post. At this rate it'll soon be my last post.

[Yelrow]

Fishy, interesting comments by hornby about 4 amp supply for elink. It is not the general feeling on the forum, may be cos of other makes of points and decoders, brought about, by lack of supply of decoder. Still, it makes for stimulating discussion, john

[PJ_model_trains]

Graskie said:

I find it very nice to have the option of knob control on my Elite when I want to work my layout that way rather than use RM.

It would appear that you perhaps didn't read HRMS' statement regarding the Select's power capabilities

earlier in this thread, PJ.

Thanks Graskie, I hold my hand up to that, I missed it.

But my statement regarding the £100 drop in price on the Majestic still remains.

[PJ_model_trains]

yelrow said:

Fishy, interesting comments by hornby about 4 amp supply for elink. It is not the general feeling on the forum, may be cos of other makes of points and decoders, brought about, by lack of supply of decoder. Still, it makes for

stimulating discussion, john

Very good point yelrow.

I would have purchased Hornby de-coders had they had them (5 decoders). There are other things I would have purchased from Hornby but had to go else where in the end. I also ordered

some Hornby products via a retailer and they had to refund me they didn't have them either.

This lack of supplies is damaging their name, their reputation and interest in the model trains as a hobby.

[96RAF]

yelrow said:

RAF 96. hornby Railmaster support comments interesting, bearing in mind the minute you replaced your 4 amp transformer, all your problems stopped. Do you have all hornby points and the 8247, points decoder. If so, curious, john

@John
I

have all Hornby track parts including turnouts, all Hornby acc decoders (R8216 and R8247), all Hornby point motors now (the Mk2 type and the newer surface mount one), my only P*co surface mounted one recently broke so I replaced it with a Hornby spare.

eLink

only runs the points, which are set up like this:
The motors are connected to 3 x rotary switches and 2 x each push button switches which fire a GM CDU into the solenoids.
The DCC side has 4 Hornby acc decoders firing into the relay pull-in coils of

2 x each port SPST relays (car head/spot light flasher relays).
The relay main contacts s are paralleled into the analogue switching system previously described, so there is no additional load seen by the acc decoder as it has no idea if it is firing a

relay coil or a solenoid motor, when signalled by DCC it fires the port, which is enough energy to pull in the relay and discharge the main CDU into the solenoids.
The DCC side and the analogue side never actually see each other.
As Hornby says the acc

decoder fires then trickle charges again, so I can only suppose the 4A unit trickle charges it faster, though the electronics should limit this rate regardless of power unit amps.
I have no explanation as to why RM would skip points events with the 1A unit

but not with the 4A unit, but it did.
The problem only appeared when running a long program.
If points are switched by DCC manually from the RM screen all is well, unless you go too quickly when the eLiink can freeze requiring an RM restart (this can

occur using either power unit). The program events are well spaced to allow the acc decoders to recharge.
One of life's little mysteries.