How to change the default loco address 003 with Hornby Elite?

[ColinRE]

I have a hornby Elite DCC controller and am in the process of changing a train layout over to digital (25 locos). I have fitted R8249 decoders into 2 locos and both individually work well with with the loco address set to the default 003. I need to change the address of these locos (and another 21) so that they are all different and ideally not the default address.

Whilst I would image it is fairly straight forward, I cannot work out how to re-programme the locos address from the Elite instruction manual.

Please can someone help with a simple explanation?

[96RAF]

You need to connect a separate piece of track to the Elite PROG terminals.

Place the loco you want to change address for on this track.

Select Menu button on the Elite.

Press the rotary knob to confirm when you see on screen:

Loco, then Direct, then Address, Write and enter your chosen address.

The Elite will flash its red led several times then you can repeat the process this time asking to Read the Address not Write it. You select Read by turning the knob from where you see Write, then click the knob to accept Read.

If it comes back with the address you chose then you have done it.

It is all in the manual.

Out of interest what revision state is your Elite at - this shows on the start up screen. The latest revison is v1.41. Updates are downloadable from the Hornby web site.

[Graskie]

Hi Colin and welcome to the forums. I would suggest that, with the Elite, you consider setting any new loco IDs to 4 rather than just 2 digits. This has the advantage of being able to identify your locos on the track without referring to a list. For instance, and I don't know what era locos you are talking about, but any of my old BR diesels get converted to just the 4 numbers after the intial D, such as D6801 becomes 6801, D55 becomes 0055. I then change steam locos to just 4 digits by taking the BR Region first number, miss the 2nd one, then add the final 3, such as changing 31559 to 3559, 43096 to 4096, 53809 to 5809, 60077 to 6077, 70038 to 7038, 80097 to 8097 and 92077 to 9077. Western Region 4 digit ID numbers are the easiest, you just use their full real running numbers. I have loads of locos and only have the occasional clash of 4 digit IDs, but that's such a rare problem to deal with by just choosing different numbers, perhaps including the 2nd real one instead of one of the other 4 suggested. If you eventually start to use a PC program such as Hornby's RailMaster, such identification is not necessary, although I leave mine so that I can then continue to work locos from just my Elite for a change, if I fancy doing so.  

[96RAF]

I use much the same 4 digit addressing logic Graskie - for diesels I drop the middle number say for Class 56 I use 5613 instead of 56013 and 5698 instead of 56098. Ditto Class 37  - 3796 instead of 37096.

As you say when using RM afte rinitial setup it is pick and press rather than playing the numbers game.

[ColinRE]

You need to connect a separate piece of track to the Elite PROG terminals.

Place the loco you want to change address for on this track.

Select Menu button on the Elite.

Press the rotary knob to confirm when you see on screen:

Loco, then Direct, then Address, Write and enter your chosen address.

The Elite will flash its red led several times then you can repeat the process this time asking to Read the Address not Write it. You select Read by turning the knob from where you see Write, then click the knob to accept Read.

If it comes back with the address you chose then you have done it.

It is all in the manual.

Out of interest what revision state is your Elite at - this shows on the start up screen. The latest revison is v1.41. Updates are downloadable from the Hornby web site.

 

[Rog RJ]

@ColinRE

When replying to a post you don't have to click on the blue reply button. Instead write your text in the white box just above the green reply button and then click on the green reply button.

[ColinRE]

You need to connect a separate piece of track to the Elite PROG terminals.

Place the loco you want to change address for on this track.

Select Menu button on the Elite.

Press the rotary knob to confirm when you see on screen:

Loco, then Direct, then Address, Write and enter your chosen address.

The Elite will flash its red led several times then you can repeat the process this time asking to Read the Address not Write it. You select Read by turning the knob from where you see Write, then click the knob to accept Read.

If it comes back with the address you chose then you have done it.

It is all in the manual.

Out of interest what revision state is your Elite at - this shows on the start up screen. The latest revison is v1.41. Updates are downloadable from the Hornby web site.

Thanks RAF96 and Graskie.

I've been through RAF96's instructions using the PROG Track terminals connected to a short run of track. I'm am using 4 digit numbers 0001 and 0002 for simplicity. The software is v1.41. The 2 engines concerned are relatively new:- a Hornby A4 - 'Merlin' (DCC Ready) and a Hornby Pendalino (DCC Fitted) chosen as the most straight forward of the 20 engines. During 'Write' I get 7 odd flashes from the red LED and the engine clicks and moves slightly which at least indicates its responding to the programming in some way. When I go to 'read' however it fails to find the address - coming back usually with XXX; on 2 occasions (out of 20 or so) it came back with 1028 and 1060?

After each cycle of programming, when I then put the engines back on the normal track connected to the 'Track' terminals I am unable to make either engine respond to 0001, 0002 or the original default code 003. I also tried both 1028 and 1060 and the Search Function, but am unable to find any addresses the engines will respond to. In short I seem to have overwritten the default 003 code with 'nothing'.

Is this something anyone else has come across? Any suggestions?

The Elite Unit is second hand but appears as new; on the plus side it does have a 6 month warranty.

[96RAF]

Colin

If you get to a state where you have 'lost' the decoder address then using the Elite Menu system and the flow chart in the manual get to CV and using the rotary knob select 8 as the CV number, click the knob then select 8 again for the value and this will reset the decoder back to square one (003 address). You may have to repeat this 3 or 4 times if it doesn't reset first time of trying.

 

1028 and 1060 sounds like it is trying to program a long address. Long addresses are 4 digit address obviously above 999. You must first enable long (extended) address in the Elite Config Menu system (follow the flow chart)before you can Write a long address. If you don't want a long address then resetting the decoder should put things back to short address status.

 

Try again with your basic address change, but this time instead of typing the numbers in just rotate the knob to crank the numbers up/down then press to confirm. Careful though as the Elite is notorious in clicking onto the next selection as you press the knob. I use finger and thumb to hold the knob and my other hand's finger to press the knob.

 

Hopefully next time you will report success.

[Rog RJ]

 

Cleaning the wheels and track may help. You could also try pressing down on the loco during programming to help the current flow between the track and the wheels. .

[Fishmanoz]

Colin, good suggestion from Rog above to apply slight pressure.  I find that is often necessary  

 

When you talk about 4 digit addresses 0001 and 0002, they aren't long addresses due to the leading zero, they are short addresses.

 

Now you mention your Merlin is DCC ready.  That means it is a DC loco containing a socket where you can fit a decoder to make it into DCC.  Have you done so?  If not, you can't program it to anything.  And you shouldn't leave it on your powered DCC track as there is a rewl risk you'll blow up the motor.

[ColinRE]

[snip - long text]

 

Hi RAF96

 

Thanks for the guidance to re-establish default codes which I went through with one loco to apparent success however, since the second loco also responded to 003 without going through the same process I suspect it had more to do with switching the controller off and on. Almost certainly there was never a problem with over-writing the default codes Getting two loco responding to 003 again however was progress so not unhappy - it also provides some confirmation that I have yet to achieve any re-programming of an address. I also went through the flow diagram as you suggested and set the address to 'extended' (just in case this was the issue).

 

So back to trying to re-setting the addresses again on the Prog track ensuring good contact with the rails by holding down the loco (thanks Rog RF). In addition to trying to set addresses 0001, 0002 I also tried 0100, 0200, 0111 and 0222 - both by carefully turning the controller knob and using the alpha numeric buttons. In all cases the train clicks enthusiastically in response to the 'write' instruction and the red LED flashes on the controller. But afterwards it will just not respond to a 'read' with what I thought had been written. It clearly struggles and sounds like it is cycling through a routine 2 or 3 times eventually the display either shows: nothing, occasiuonally XXX or several different 4 digit addresses:- 1028 (twice as earlier), 9252 (twice),0036, 0004 and a few others. I did explore if there was a pattern between 'write' and 'read' addresses but failed to find an obvious one. If I then put the train onto the 'Track' track it will only espond to address 003 i.e the programming function hasn't worked.

 

So what does work with the Elite? Both trains individually work extremely well on 'Track' mode including travel at incredibly slow speeds on address 003. I can turn the lights on and off on the Pendolino and I can give address 003 a name that will stick - even if I turn the controller off at the mains (so some programming features work). Unfortunately the show stopper is that it still wont let me write a loco address. I Feel as though I must be missing something incredibly obvious? 

[Fishmanoz]

Colin, there is little point in hitting the blue reply button on a post then posting it with nothing added.  Just go to the White area at the bottom of the thread, write your content and hit the green Reply button, just as I have now.

 

Oh, I see now, you've put your content at the top of the yellow box, most confusing and hard to see who is saying what.  Just do as I suggested and use the white box at the bottom.

[Fishmanoz]

You say it is second hand but under warranty, it could well be that your programming output isn't working so I suggest you take it back.

[ColinRE]

Fishmanoz,

I've tried with pressure again, also tried setting the address back to short.

I fitted a R8249 decoder to the Merlin, which clickes multiple times in response to a write instruction so it is interacting with the controller.

Its behaving as if the train decoders are write protected.

Colin

[96RAF]

OK Colin

Last ditch effort before you take it back.

Reset the elite - In the Menu there is a Unit and Reset. You are asked to Confirm this and it rattles away for a bit before rebooting.

 Unfortunately this loses any Favorites you may have set and deletes any Names you have give to an address. At this stage no much of a problem for you I shouldn't think.

I have one Elite that has no effective Programming output, but it goes through the motions and oddly runs the loco motor for a second on several occasions and flashes the loco lights as it does its thing but surprise, surprise - no actual programming gets done. This motor twitch (mine is more a Vroom) is the decoder acknowledging the controller apparently but mine appears to shout the answer back not just give a wave.

Good luck

Rob

[ColinRE]

Hi Fishmanoz,

I fitted an R829 decoder to the Merlin which does make a clicking noises during 'writing' process. 

I've tried holding the trains down, changing the address back to 'short' from 'extended' but the problem persists. Its as if the loco decoders are write protected?

Colin

[96RAF]

Presume you mean R8249 decoder Colin and decoders don't click just controllers - maybe a problem there if it does.

did you reset the Elite yet.

[ColinRE]

Hi Rob,

Thanks for all your help.

After resetting a couple of times the problem persists.

I'm going to go for the return option

Thanks again

Colin

 

OK Colin

Last ditch effort before you take it back.

Reset the elite - In the Menu there is a Unit and Reset. You are asked to Confirm this and it rattles away for a bit before rebooting.

 Unfortunately this loses any Favorites you may have set and deletes any Names you have give to an address. At this stage no much of a problem for you I shouldn't think.

I have one Elite that has no effective Programming output, but it goes through the motions and oddly runs the loco motor for a second on several occasions and flashes the loco lights as it does its thing but surprise, surprise - no actual programming gets done. This motor twitch (mine is more a Vroom) is the decoder acknowledging the controller apparently but mine appears to shout the answer back not just give a wave.

Good luck

Rob