Trouble with Elink in Aus

[Axiryth]

Hi,

I live in Australia and recently bought railmaater and elink. I paid a lot of money to buy it through a local hobby shop instead of online as I assumed the power conversion issue would be sorted for me. I've bought Hornby sets from the same place in the past and they always came with suitable Australian power packs. However, I was disappointed when I opened it, to find that the elink wasn't localised. It came with a British power pack. If I wanted that I could have bought online and saved a lot of money. Anyway, after hunting around to find a converter I was up and running.

The British power pack said it was for 220-240V input, and as we here in Aus are 240V I figured I'd be fine with a simple plug converter. I set it all up and it was working great. I left it plugged in and turned on for a few days as I went away for the weekend and forgot to turn it off. I came back a few days later, unplugged it all and packed it away. That was about a month ago.

Last week I unpacked it and now I can't get anything to work. The green light on the device comes on and remains solid, but railmaster just tells me it is unable to open the designated dcc controller port. There is also a comstant, quiet, but noticeable, high pitched hum coming from the elink device. To my knowledge, nothing on my computer has changed in the time between now and then. I've tried different USB cables, reinstalling the drivers, the railmaster software, checking the ports match, checking there's an exception in Windows firewall, everything people talk about in these forums. I've been at it for a week now. Does anybody have any suggestions?

Have I damaged the device using it with just a plug adapter? It said it could handle 240V input, so I figured it would be fine. I've also attempted to find a local power pack, one that is 15V and 4 amps, instead of 1amp, as that seems to be the preferred option of people on here. I thought that might help fix my pronlems. But I can't find such a power pack anyway in Australia. Is 15V and 4amp a UK only thing? If so, what Aus alternative can I safely use?

Does anybody have any suggestions before I contact support? I've been at this for a week now and am getting very frustrated.

Regards,

Axiryth.

[RDS]

Hi Axiryth, welcome to the forum.

There are plenty of forum members from Australia and hopefully they will be along in a few hours to comment about what they use.  I have visited Australia a couple of times and had no problems using UK electrical items.  The voltage range is the same as confirmed by you.

If the Light comes on to indicate the power is there, it seems like the e-link is working.

Not being able to open the designated port is usually caused by something as simple as the order in which it is all switched on.  Connect ALL your cables first, then your e-link needs to be powered up and completely settled BEFORE the computer is switched on.  When the computer has gone through it's start up sequence fully, run RailMaster.

[poliss]

It's not the mains electricity that's causing your problem. Could be that it's overheated by being left on for so long, or it could be something else.

[Axiryth]

Hi Axiryth, welcome to the forum.

There are plenty of forum members from Australia and hopefully they will be along in a few hours to comment about what they use.  I have visited Australia a couple of times and had no problems using UK electrical items.  The voltage range is the same as confirmed by you.

If the Light comes on to indicate the power is there, it seems like the e-link is working.

Not being able to open the designated port is usually caused by something as simple as the order in which it is all switched on.  Connect ALL your cables first, then your e-link needs to be powered up and completely settled BEFORE the computer is switched on.  When the computer has gone through it's start up sequence fully, run RailMaster.

I've been careful to follow the instructions precisely. I tried it again just now, following your instructions, just to be sure. Unfortunately it's still doing the same thing.

[96RAF]

What you may wish to do is check with a meter that there is a standing voltage on the eLink Track terminals.

As this is a DCC voltage use the AC Volts setting on your meter and you should see around 15vAC. This will prove your eLink is alive and kicking out track voltage.

If you don't have a meter then a simple 12v car bulb or specialist track tester gizmo across the rails will light up to show you the track is live.  

The rest is then as previously stated probably down to the pc side of things.

[Augustus Caesar]

Hi Axiryth... Don't know much about voltages in Aus but I assume Fishmanoz or another member from your area will soon be able to sort that.

The noise or high pitch electrical sound you hear is quite normal. Nothing to worry about. My unit does it all the time as does all my friend's models. It's simply the transformer converting voltages from the 240 taken in down to the output of 15. Honestly, don't worry about that.

If you are still stuck the you may want to refer to other posts in here or my help site linked to on a thread called RailMaster Help Site recently posted.

Personally speaking I would have thought there would be little difference between our two countries and how voltages are applied, if any. See what Fishy or our other Aussie buddies say about it and the check the site. If it helps then great.

[96RAF]

DCC is a psuedo AC voltage so it doesn't matter if its upside down. ;-]

[RDS]

@Axiryth

It does seem more computer related but may like to just rule out the e-link if the hobby shop really is 'local' but I have come across 'local' in Australia.  Driving through the Outback, I saw a signpost, nearest hospital 350Km!

[Fishmanoz]

Hi Axiryth, I can confirm that Uk supplies work fine in Australia with only an adaptor, so that isn't your problem.  And it really should run continuously for a few days without problem too.  Unless it was running in well over 45 degrees heat.

 

Some have already suggested you look at your overall setup and that is what I'd suggest too.  AC has suggested his excellent separate site to you, or you could just run through the things in the RM Setting Up and Getting Started thread at the top of the forum, just to make sure you have it all set up correctly.  If it was operating fully before, I'd start by checking with Device Manager that the com port number is still what you have specified in the Setup screen of RM.

 

Let us know how you go.  If it still isn't working, it could be a return under warranty, in which case the expensive Aust buy may be useful.  I'd be complaining about it not having an Aust plug if you do that, it's not right that it comes that way.  But you are not up to that yet.  

[choralc]

That is interesting that it came with the UK plug.

 

I bought a universal plug from a Leading Edge Store because I bought from AJM and eLink works okay so I also agree that that should not be an issue.

 

I also have a spare Select 1 Amp (Aus) and Hornby 4 Amp (Aus) power adaptor to try with the eLink.

[Axiryth]

What you may wish to do is check with a meter that there is a standing voltage on the eLink Track terminals.

As this is a DCC voltage use the AC Volts setting on your meter and you should see around 15vAC. This will prove your eLink is alive and kicking out track voltage.

If you don't have a meter then a simple 12v car bulb or specialist track tester gizmo across the rails will light up to show you the track is live.  

The rest is then as previously stated probably down to the pc side of things.

I do have a meter from when I did electronics back at high school. I'll dig it out and check the track tonight and get back to you.

[Axiryth]

Hi Axiryth, I can confirm that Uk supplies work fine in Australia with only an adaptor, so that isn't your problem.  And it really should run continuously for a few days without problem too.  Unless it was running in well over 45 degrees heat.

 

Some have already suggested you look at your overall setup and that is what I'd suggest too.  AC has suggested his excellent separate site to you, or you could just run through the things in the RM Setting Up and Getting Started thread at the top of the forum, just to make sure you have it all set up correctly.  If it was operating fully before, I'd start by checking with Device Manager that the com port number is still what you have specified in the Setup screen of RM.

 

Let us know how you go.  If it still isn't working, it could be a return under warranty, in which case the expensive Aust buy may be useful.  I'd be complaining about it not having an Aust plug if you do that, it's not right that it comes that way.  But you are not up to that yet.  

I'll run trough it all again when I get home tonight. But I have checked the port and it does match. In device manager, the device occassionally shows up with a yellow error symbol on it and when I click for further info it says that there was a problem with the attached device and it has failed to start. Unplugging and reconnecting the elink seems to correct this. It has only happened three or four times in the last week.

[Axiryth]

What you may wish to do is check with a meter that there is a standing voltage on the eLink Track terminals.

As this is a DCC voltage use the AC Volts setting on your meter and you should see around 15vAC. This will prove your eLink is alive and kicking out track voltage.

If you don't have a meter then a simple 12v car bulb or specialist track tester gizmo across the rails will light up to show you the track is live.  

The rest is then as previously stated probably down to the pc side of things.

I went ahead and did the test. I'm getting 15V AC across the track from the elink. So there doesn't seem to be a problem there.

[96RAF]

Thats good Ax - it shows the eLink basic electrical in/out function is there, but not the comms with the pc yet, so now its down to working through the setup procedure again line by line - tedious but hopefully fruitful.

[Augustus Caesar]

Hi Axiryth, I can confirm that Uk supplies work fine in Australia with only an adaptor, so that isn't your problem.  And it really should run continuously for a few days without problem too.  Unless it was running in well over 45 degrees heat.

 

Some have already suggested you look at your overall setup and that is what I'd suggest too.  AC has suggested his excellent separate site to you, or you could just run through the things in the RM Setting Up and Getting Started thread at the top of the forum, just to make sure you have it all set up correctly.  If it was operating fully before, I'd start by checking with Device Manager that the com port number is still what you have specified in the Setup screen of RM.

 

Let us know how you go.  If it still isn't working, it could be a return under warranty, in which case the expensive Aust buy may be useful.  I'd be complaining about it not having an Aust plug if you do that, it's not right that it comes that way.  But you are not up to that yet.  

I'll run trough it all again when I get home tonight. But I have checked the port and it does match. In device manager, the device occassionally shows up with a yellow error symbol on it and when I click for further info it says that there was a problem with the attached device and it has failed to start. Unplugging and reconnecting the elink seems to correct this. It has only happened three or four times in the last week.

That yellow triangle you are seeing in Device Manager is telling you there is no communication between the device and Windows. There are two possibilities here.

1. The unit has failed but is still able to give a decent output of 15V.

2. The more likely is the driver is at fault or the unit is connected to a USB port that is numbered higher than 4 or 5 which is really not where you want it to be. This will cause miscommunication between Windows and the unit. The driver could be an issue too. You may do well to look at my site as Fishmanoz says to see how to get round that issue by installing the software in a certain way or by simply uninstalling the driver and reinstalling it.

If you wish to view the site see the sticky post at the top of this sub-forum entitled RailMaster Help Site and if this sorts your issue then please let us have some feedback.

[Axiryth]

Hi Axiryth, I can confirm that Uk supplies work fine in Australia with only an adaptor, so that isn't your problem.  And it really should run continuously for a few days without problem too.  Unless it was running in well over 45 degrees heat.

 

Some have already suggested you look at your overall setup and that is what I'd suggest too.  AC has suggested his excellent separate site to you, or you could just run through the things in the RM Setting Up and Getting Started thread at the top of the forum, just to make sure you have it all set up correctly.  If it was operating fully before, I'd start by checking with Device Manager that the com port number is still what you have specified in the Setup screen of RM.

 

Let us know how you go.  If it still isn't working, it could be a return under warranty, in which case the expensive Aust buy may be useful.  I'd be complaining about it not having an Aust plug if you do that, it's not right that it comes that way.  But you are not up to that yet.  

I'll run trough it all again when I get home tonight. But I have checked the port and it does match. In device manager, the device occassionally shows up with a yellow error symbol on it and when I click for further info it says that there was a problem with the attached device and it has failed to start. Unplugging and reconnecting the elink seems to correct this. It has only happened three or four times in the last week.

That yellow triangle you are seeing in Device Manager is telling you there is no communication between the device and Windows. There are two possibilities here.

1. The unit has failed but is still able to give a decent output of 15V.

2. The more likely is the driver is at fault or the unit is connected to a USB port that is numbered higher than 4 or 5 which is really not where you want it to be. This will cause miscommunication between Windows and the unit. The driver could be an issue too. You may do well to look at my site as Fishmanoz says to see how to get round that issue by installing the software in a certain way or by simply uninstalling the driver and reinstalling it.

If you wish to view the site see the sticky post at the top of this sub-forum entitled RailMaster Help Site and if this sorts your issue then please let us have some feedback.

Hi,

 

Thank you for your response. Your site is very informative. Unfortunately it hasn't helped resolve the issue. I've read your site very closely and followed your instructions very carefully, it has made some difference, but no resolution.

 

Now, I only sometimes get the 'unable to open port' error. Other times it appears to give the impression of connecting, then shows a dialogue box 'initializing controller' with a progress bar. The bar will quickly fill in three segmemts, then stop. The dialogue box will disappear, the program will then continue without any error, as if nothing is wrong, untill I attempt to do something with the controller. At this time it will show an error that there is no active controller connected. Checking the indicator icon in the top right of the screen shows it is not highlighted and hovering the mouse over it will show text saying the conrroller is inactive.

 

I've attempted to do this on two different computers now. I'm getting the same result on both computers. This was working fine when I first bought it. I don't understand what is going on now. But I'm getting extremely frustrated. I just want this to work.

[Fishmanoz]

Ax, I suggest you email RM Support from the facility in the Help window of RM.

[Axiryth]

Ax, I suggest you email RM Support from the facility in the Help window of RM.

Indeed. A message in the help window says to email support at a given email address for all elink related issues and not to use the built-in form feature. I emailed them at this address two days ago now and am waiting for their response. Hopefully one with a quick and easy solution. 

[96RAF]

That email link is to Hornby Customer Support for eLink hardware issues, not RM software associated issues which likely this is. Send HRMS a report from the built in reporting system.

[Fishmanoz]

In the first instance Ax, you have an RM issue not an eLink issue as such. Anyway, email RM Support from the program and you'll have an answer in 2 hours, not still be waiting after 2 days.

[Axiryth]

In the first instance Ax, you have an RM issue not an eLink issue as such. Anyway, email RM Support from the program and you'll have an answer in 2 hours, not still be waiting after 2 days.

program support request. I can't tell if this is a response to my original email or the recent request. It simply says it's from Hornby Railmaster support. However, which ever it is, I find the response very disappointing. K is  tust a generic sort of response going through the basic steps that we've already discussed here. "Make sure the port numbers match, make sure the baud rates match, make sure you do it in this order, make sure the port number is less than 5, etc". They haven't provided any new solutions. I explained that I've already done all these things at least ten times. I'm about to respond to tell them I've already tried all these things a number of times. Hopefully they'll respond quickly with some more useful suggestions

 

[Fishmanoz]

I can understand why they come back that way first up Ax because so many think they have done all of that when in fact they haven't. So the first thing they do is to eliminate such setup issues.  Once those things are eliminated, I think it allows them to interpret what your log.txt file is telling them too.

 

Then the conclusion might be that you do have an eLink issue - it's faulty.  Having gone this way about determining that will mean you won't have any issue with HCC simply replacing it.

[Axiryth]

I can understand why they come back that way first up Ax because so many think they have done all of that when in fact they haven't. So the first thing they do is to eliminate such setup issues.  Once those things are eliminated, I think it allows them to interpret what your log.txt file is telling them too.

 

Then the conclusion might be that you do have an eLink issue - it's faulty.  Having gone this way about determining that will mean you won't have any issue with HCC simply replacing it.

Sorry about my mangled previous post. I was attempting to write it on my phone. Despite there being a mobile version of this site, it doesn't appear to actually be very mobile friendly. 

 

I can certainly understand why they go through those steps. It's like any time you call a tech support line, they always have to go through the basic steps with you first. Even if it is painful to go through them all again, lol. I was just hoping to not waste that time. This has all been going on long enough. I'm just getting really frustrated. I've got a layout here with half a dozen engines and accessories converted to DCC now and I can't run a single thing. I just want this resolved as quickly and easily possible. 

 

WHat do you know about their warranty stuff here in Aus? Is it hrough a local agency, the retailer, or am I going to have to pay a small fortune to ship the device all the way to the UK?

[Fishmanoz]

I believe the agent is Hobbyco in Sydney.  Even more important to get HRMS to agree it is faulty, if they do think that. Then you should be able to organise via HRMs/HCC that they just get Hobbyco to do the replacement, with any luck.

[Axiryth]

I believe the agent is Hobbyco in Sydney.  Even more important to get HRMS to agree it is faulty, if they do think that. Then you should be able to organise via HRMs/HCC that they just get Hobbyco to do the replacement, with any luck.

Unfortunately, I've not had any luck at all with this. I've been trying to reply to the email they sent last week without success. I've tried three times now to respond. However, each time a get an email back several hours later saying the message could not be delivered. It says the delivery failed and the connection was refused. There was nothing in their original message saying not to respond to the email address that it came from. It was an actual message, not an automated response. I've still had no reply from the message I originally sent to the general help email either. So now I don't know how to contact them apart from go through the program again and try and explain that I'm trying to respond to an earlier message, not starting a new request for help.