Select Has Died

[ozcavebear]

Hello All, hope some help is available for a problem with my Select unit. Purchased it November 2013 has operated well since then, until yesterday when it abruptly stopped operating. Symptoms are a dull sounding regular click like a relay and the LCD panel shows a slight flashing of a digit. First thought must be a track short circuit. Removed locos and checked, problem still there. I disconnected the unit from the layout and powered up, problem still there Select clicks and LCD flashes as a result I assume the problem is within the unit itself. Tried to reset, no keypad functions operated, powered down overnight no change unit still totally unresponsive. Can’t think of anything else to try, unit only runs Hornby decoders on my layout. Thanks in advance for any suggestions, a little disappointed at the short lifespan of this unit. Cheers Peter

[RDS]

Hi Peter,

Welcome to the forum.  It does sound as though the unit has developed a fault but it should still be under warranty, having been purchased only 8 months ago.  Suggest you contact the dealer, or if that is not possible contact Hornby directly with the serial number and (hopefully) they should be able to help.

[Michael_A]

If it is doing it with nothing connected to it's outputs, then return it to where you bought it and claim a repair or replacement under warranty. Don't be fobbed off with 6 month guarantees etc, if you bought it new you are protected under the Sale of Goods Act as well. Might also be worth contacting Hornby first, but the repair / repacement in UK law is the responsibility of the seller.

 

[Flashbang]

Before doing anything else its always worth trying a reset again of the Select. Refer to page 19 of the Select manual on how to do this. But try holding down the Stop left and right arrow keys all together then at the same time power up the Select and see what happens? 

If the unit recovers you're back in business, but if it fails then send it back to whence it came or return it to Hornby service dept for repair.

[ozcavebear]

Thanks to everyone for your help, have tried the reset as suggested  by Flashbang but to no avail, have writen to Hornby support so will see what they say. Having purchased online from UK to Australia its probably a bit difficult to get any sort of warranty claim. I guess the bad side of online purchasing. Thanks once again to all. Cheers

[St1ngr4y]

Hi Peter,

Have you reported to the Forum Feedback that there is some sort of problem with your username? In your thread you started off as Peter_Bell but your last post showed up as NULL.

Ray

[RDS]

Hi Ray

I noticed the 'NULL' entry and it is not the first time on this (now, not so new) forum.   I can't help but think that Hornby have now given up trying to solve the issues that we have all raised.  The 'replies' counter is not even correct yet and that can't be that hard to fix.  

I still think the only advantage we have gained over the, ever so reliable old forum, is the ability to edit our posts and that is excellent.

[walkingthedog]

And it's quicker. 

[Fishmanoz]

Certainly quicker and certainly more than one Null. They haven't given up fixing things though, see the recent answer to AC about finding a missing post and fixing the profanity filter. 

Peter, as another from Oz, you can always mail it back to UK and at worst wear the cost. You could also try contacting Hornby Customer Care by email to see if they would consider repair or replacement in Aust by their agent who I think is Hobbyco in Sydney. 

Then you could always consider upgrade to Elite or eLink/RM. Although Elite is a lot more expensive (my far cheapest option was to buy through Hattons although exchange rate not so good now), it has much greater capability for DCC. 

[ozcavebear]

Thanks for the replys Ray and Fish, yes I see my login name has dissapeard on posts, I guess I shall be forever known as "NULL". Have emailed customer support re the Select,not holding my breath but worth a try,will also see if I can get the NULL resovled. I chose the Select becasue of budget constraints but have decided to upgrade to something better and hopefuly more relaible. Dont think it will be from H though. I think the cost of  positng back and forth to UK and the time inolved to get the unit rpeaired is just not worth the effort, if an alterante repairer in Oz could be found it would be viable. Will wait and see what Hornby say meanwhile I will search for something better. I guess bottomline for me is this equipment should just last longer,but maybe I just got a bad one.  Cheers "NULL"

[Fishmanoz]

From previous posts, Select does seem to be reliable, I think you have just been unlucky. Not many reporting faulty Elites either. I wouldn't shy away from Hornby with just one experience like this, but there certainly are alternatives, even if we can't discuss here. 

[Gregd99]

not the question you asked..... but if you cannot get the select repaired at no cost then it might be worth thinking about going for an elite rather than a selct replacement.

 

Teh elite is much more capable, has two controls and can interwork with railmaster.

[pidder]

I managed to get my Select back from the dead by pressing a selection of all the buttons, ..stop, function, forward, reverse, cancel, select, control knob up slightly, 3 or 4 fingers on various buttons. can't say what worked in the end, but something did, now working o.k....at the mo. If you've got half an hour to spare....  

[cal646]

hi there my select also has this problem but after disconnecting the outputs and continually removing the power cord it does sort it self out after a while unless yours is really nackered it does this occasionally but after a bit of play it comes back to life so keep trying it good luck

[Graskie]

Not wishing to be pedantic, but shouldn't there be a "k" in front of that word? On the other hand, the post might then have been withheld by the Arbitrator.

It does seem, though, that, even with the Elite in conjunction with RM, it's occasionally worthwhile switching off and back on again to solve certain problems. I get the occasional glitch between my Elite and RM communicating properly, which said action seems to sort out.

[Fishmanoz]

You're right Graskie, spreading a few ks around always helps with the kpedantry. 

And surely you lot have watched the IT Crowd and know that turning it off and on again fixes everything. 

[Graskie]

Instead of waiting for a change to the number of replies, wouldn't it perhaps be simpler to just change the heading to number of "posts"?

[cal646]

the k is silent so who is to say whether its right or wrong with the k there at all in the spelling, and power cycling or switching on and off resets alot of equipment from  what maybe a sticky switch within a microchip  or other component it works for security cameras, monitors. etc etc but when all else fails there is also the  10lb sledge hammer for the ultimate fix of everything 

[Fishmanoz]

I'm with you on the 10lb hammer cal, unless of course you don't have a 10lb hammer. In that case, get a bigger one in line with the old mechanics' adage. 

And I didn't realise the k was like the p in psychology - silent as in mixed bathing.