Seuthe Smoke Unit Fitted to A4 Mallard No DCC Function Available In RM?

[GarH]

I've just purchased a Mallard Loco and had sound, firebox ficker, lamps and a Seuthe Smoke Unit fitted and naiively thought that I could simply put it on my programming track, change the ID to the one I had allocated for the loco, put it on my layout insert some smoke oil into the smoke unit and off it would chug with a wondrous cacophony of sound and smoke but alas it was not to be.

It goes forward and backwards but no sound or smoke or lamps lit up.  A bit of tinkering and I managed to get into the CV's and allocate sound on or off via Function 1 and whilst I could see that I could probably manually get the other functions by individually choosing them but RM seems to restrict you to 6 yet in the loco box there are at least 16 buttons available.  There was however no suggestion there that I could turn on a Function 16 for auxiliary power to charge up the smoke unit.

People who did work unfortunately don't use RM but another system so couldn't help other than suggesting I reset CV8 to 8 to set it back to the default as it came from them - to no avail I should say - and perhaps google the problem or contact HRMS.  Before I speak with Hornby has anyone experienced the same problem and how did they resolve it.  I am perplexed that I can't enjoy the experience of DCC Steam or see the upset look on my grandson's face when I try to explain that his silly old granddad for once can't fix it.  So help please?  I have the loco back at default setting 003 and can use Function 0 for lamps on if not yet flickerbox and F1 to have some sound but there seems to be a problem with RM and the Lokosound V4 communicating

[St1ngr4y]

It sounds to me like you need to configure the loco in Railmaster by defining which function numbers control the sound, firebox flick, lamps, and smoke unit. Did you receive a list of the functions from the seller when you bought it?

If you have a list of 16 functions available for this loco, you can configure all of them in Railmaster, but RM only allows 6 to be shown in the loco's control panel on the main screen. So after configuring all 16 you then choose which 6 (usually the ones you will use most often) are to be shown. However, if you click on the loco's control panel on the main screen, another larger window opens up for that loco, where initially you will see 8 functions. Along the bottom edge of this window is a downward pointing arrow, which when clicked, enlarges this window to show all 16 functions.

Hope this helps

Ray

[GarH]

Thanks Ray.  I have a list of functions from the hobby shop for their settings on this loco and realised that I may well have to manually set the functions on RM but there is definitely nothing in the Hornby settings for an auxiliary power DCC Function to switch on power to the smoke unit.  When I bought a class 08 Diesel with sound from Hornby I got around a dozen DCC Functions on the big loco screen so was surprised when I got zilch after "setting" up the A4 and a bit miffed as to why when I've got a Loksound4 decoder fitted to this new Hornby Mallard - I should add - I can only access 6 functions.  There must be something that can be set to sort it out thus the query and thought there might be someone on the Forum who may have had the sameproblem and resolved it.  I will contact HRMS later but wanted to sound out the boffins on the forum first as they usually come up trumps.  Appreciate your comments.

[Yelrow]

hi, you can put my knowledge of dcc on a postage stamp, but another forum, raises many questions about these smoke units, drawing more supply than the hornby decoder, eg 140 MA. Just in case, this is going to be a problem, i thought i would mention it, as apparantly, if run, it may destroy decoder. they mutter on about a relay, or a 200MA function decoder. It would be a pity if you solve problem 1, to get problem 2.,  I have a locksound decoder fitted to  my, A4, sparrowhawk, with 11 sound functions, but was able to set up in RM, manally, easily, and for me, thats mind blowing, john

[GarH]

My knowledge is about the same for the effects of electrical supply and not much more for DCC but I'm always prepared to learn more before I progress into my 80's which is a few years off of course but not too many.

If push comes to shove and I have to decide one way or another I'll not worry about the smoke unit but it's a shame not to be able to have a more realistic model railway if one is possible.  A smoke unit is only a few pounds compared to the sound decoder and fitting.  I just feel a bit silly that I hadn't done enough research on the effects of a smoke unit on the system and on a whim really went ahead and ordered a lovely looking loco with all singing and dancing - that is until someone finds out how much it all cost and then a different sort of all singing and dancing will no doubt occur.

[Yelrow]

hi, i dont think you will have a problem with RM, and sound, as my loco is all but the same. I am approaching 71, and learning slowly. My redress would be to return to the shop that fitted this with your loco, and ask them to demonstrate it, on their layout. They must have tried it, after fitting, so should be able to show you. If smoke wont, get a refund for the unit. Loco is great, and in the meantime, someone on here will come up with more advice, but goods have to be fit for purpose, ask them to prove it. Courage, mon ami, john 

[GarH]

Thanks Rob very helpful for someone who probably really understands decoders - I'm afraid my knowledge is limited but I'll have a look at "mapping", thought that was the Ordnance Survey's expertise.  I'm using eLink and RM not the Elite so that might be slightly different but I do understand that a macro could solve the on off although I haven't tried to do that yet. I just press the button for on and press it again for off if the function carries on too long. When you get to a certain age you expect things to be fully set up for you and not have to use too much of the grey matter but it seems with model railways that isn't always the case.  As said earlier my Class 08 Diesel with sound was a doddle to set up but that was a pucker Hornby loco and set up decoder.  The Mallard is Hornby but the decoder seems to have been set up for a rival company although clearly I can set some of the functions on the loco screen?  The layout is in my loft and it's not the easiest of places to gravitate to when there are family and other things going on needing my attention but I'll certainly try and set up some more functions in the loco window.

As to what wire the smoke unit is connected to I have no idea and don't want to dismantle the loco as I've already knocked a couple of small extras off it and don't want to do any more damage - this is what you pay experts the money for when you ask them to fit decoders and suchlike to your locos isn't it?

[GarH]

The shop is in the North of England I'm in the South so it would be the inconvenience of returning it and honestly I don't think there is a problem with what the retailer has done it is just some sort of communication problem between RM and the Decoder as certainly the sound and lamp lights can be programmed although not quite as I had hoped.  The loco was doing some strange things whilst I was on the phone to the shop trying to sort things out and there has got to be some very simple and logical answer to the problem.  The sound and lights I am confident I will sort out with the helpful comments on this forum, the HRMS guys when I telephone and what I have already done, the smoke unit I'm not so sure of and frankly I'm not that bothered about a few pounds which is all the unit cost I'm just miffed that it isn't as easy as I thought it would be like laid out on the plate as it were.

[GarH]

Thanks RAF96, spurred on by your comments and a co septuagenarian Yelrow I've at least managed to get into the DCC Programming and put 15 of the 17 DCC Functions on the Loco Settings and they are allworking fine.  Didn't actually realise you could edit the drop down menus and I now have 15 Function Buttons for the sounds and lamp lights.  Just need to find out how to activate the flicker box as this seems to be linked to the steam/smoke generator?  The sounds are pretty impressive and very loud so to keep her who has to be obeyed happy may have to tone them down a bit sometime or shut the loft hatch when I disappear up there.  The loco is very impressive too and certainly speeds round the layout at the set 90mph (Scale 90mph of course)

[GarH]

Looks like messages disappear like DCC Functions do on RM?

Having seemingly resolved the general problem of no sound functions by manually setting them up using the list downloaded from my retailer's workshop website it occurs to me from a logical point of view that if the Smoke Unit is "connected" to the decoder via DCC Function 16 which the workshop's list describes as Aux 2 all I need to do is allocate a function like Lights on/off to F16 and Edit the text in the function box to "Smoke Unit on/off" as I cannot see a spare identity in the default drop down list for F16 unless someone knows how to write another on off switch?  Or am I thinking too logically?  Answers on a postage stamp please

[St1ngr4y]

Quite right GarH - you don't have to use the descriptions in the dropdown list. You can use "Smoke unit on/off". The "on/off" is very important - if you omit it or put spaces each side of the /, then it won't work properly.

Ray

[96RAF]

I've just replied to Ray's comment above about post disappearing and my reply didn't come up.

Rob

[St1ngr4y]

And now the text of the one you replied to has disappeared!!

Ray

[96RAF]

I wonder if the site has a virus or the dreaded GOZeus malware...surely not.

[St1ngr4y]

Before posting this post, when clicking my username, it displays only two recent posts, whereas everyone else's seems to show three. It may go up to three after this post, lets see. This may be a red herring .....

I would guess that all of this forum data is held on a database. Perhaps this database has become corrupt and needs checking for integrity ...?

Ray

[GarH]

Okay Guys thank you for the input to my problem and clearly the brain cells are not as worn out as I thought they were given the panic that set in when the new loco didn't seem to respond as I was expecting.

Mallard is now resplendent with full sound, steam and lights and making rest of the layout looking decidedly tired.  It would seem that if you don't buy a sound fitted loco from Hornby but have the work done by an engineer who uses another system you may have to write the DCC Functions on setting up your loco in RM manually.  But boy is it worthwhile in the end.

[Yelrow]

Gar H, hi, glad it worked. My a4 sparrowhawk came fully supplied withsound and, it does put the others to shame. Did it work out cheaper your way, or is there much in it, buying from  hornby, cos once you have one, you tend to want another, john . 

[96RAF]

@GarH

Glad its all working to your satisfaction and to have been of some little help getting you further down the road to fully understanding the interesting world of DCC sound.

I am a relative beginner in sound having only received my sound decoders a couple of months ago and with the help of Hornby and RM Support and others on this and similar forums found out how to best convert my locos and make it all work.

Rob 

[Graskie]

I always type in my own function descriptions into RM. Keep them short, abbreviated if necessary, so that you can see them, especially if you're adding "on/off." For instance, why put in "smoke unit on/off" when "smoke on/off" will do. I think I'm right in saying that if they are too long and with on/off at the end, not only do they go offscreen but fail to work. I have quite often bought new sound locos where some of the functions described are not correct according to any list supplied with it, so it is also best to check that aspect as well. This generally doesn't happen with manufacturer produced sound locos but I neverthess still check things out as I go along. I now have a loco with as many as 27 functions but RM can only cope with 26. This is one of several 2 decoder locos I have recently acquired, the second decoder dealing with better smoke production.

[GarH]

yelrow to purchase a Sparrowhawk with all the extras of DCC Sound, lamps, Flicker Box, Smoke Unit fitting costs and postage would set you back £380 based on my retailer's current costs on their website to give you an idea to compare with what you may have paid but although cost obviously comes into the equation I was smitten by a Special Edition 22 Gold Plated Mallard and decided to buy it regardless.  There was nothing available to match on the H site at the time anyway.  Now it might be considered sacrilege by some to run a special edition but hey life's not a rehearsal it's the real thing and we're only here once - although some may disagree with me - so enjoy it while you can.