Gravy Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 This is going to create havoc amongst the troops however I am in Aus and we have little access to Hornby resources to return product.The nitty gritty I am needing is someway of conducting a "loop back test", as utilised for RS232 loops, on the communication loop of an elink. This process is the norm for testing many communication devices.Prior to the other day my mates elink functioned on his laptop and we had managed to carry out numerous programming functions on a loco including reading and setting CVs. I know the loco decoder is serviceable because when I use an Elite everything operates normally.Appreciate if anyone can provide me with some diagnostic tools, thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2e0dtoeric Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 I don't use e-link myself, but it would help if you told us what does - or does not - happen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gravy Posted July 14, 2015 Author Share Posted July 14, 2015 Someone has requested the symptoms regarding the failure. Laptop is configured to communicate on Com 2 using the Hornby Driver at 14400 baud. Railmaster is configured to use Controller 1 set at Com2 14400 baud. Loco decoder set at Address 002. Railmaster displays no error messages during the initialisation process, the green LED on elink is lit.Prior to the failure I could set the loco in motion, turn sounds on and off and read and set all decoder CVs. Now I have none of those functions.I have fabricated a full wave rectifier that allows me to convert the AC Bus voltage to DC so I can measure the rail voltage any where on the track. With elink powered I am reading 15.5DCV across the track.A separate programming track, which is connected to the elink via the correct connections, is used to read and configure CVs.System has been powered down and powered back up thus: power connected to elink, computer switched on and allowed to initialise, Railmaster selected and allowed to initialise. Latest release firmware an propack revisions are loaded. Laptop os operating on a WIN7 platform, computer bell sounds are active during boot up indicating the com port is initialising.Using an Elite set to Address 2, I can run the loco and operate sounds.Total mystery how this has gone "belly up", the reason for my post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanQ4 Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 If you go to page 17 of the Railmaster Guide you will find that the baud rate for the elink should be set to 115200. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_A Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Not sure why you need to rectify the AC to check for voltage, but... ;) Have you looked at https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/railmaster-failure-to-connect-with-e-link-continuous-problem/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Not sure why you need to rectify the AC to check for voltage, but... ;).Michael - see these:http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/nswmn2/DCC_Meters.htmhttp://www.wiringfordcc.com/track.htm#a4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_A Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 My point was if you are simply measuring for presence of voltage, the actual AC value mesured is irrelevent, as long as it is the same all over the layout. If you want accurate measurements, then yes you need a true RMS meter, but I'm not sure what that would tell you anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2e0dtoeric Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 I suspect not a lot, because the data buried within the a/c will alter the display due to the varied mark/space ratios. An oscilloscope might give more information, but what you would do with it is another matter!Then again - if you feed a decoder with the information - - - - - Oh, that's where we came in! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gravy Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 Many thanks Chrissaf for providing that link it opened the doorway to http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/nswmn2/DCC.htm which identifies every process that is involved in using DCC. Ok the hardware is not Hornby however the knowledge communicated can be utilised for any system. Top job, thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 The 'doorway' Gravy refered to is here..My point was if you are simply measuring for presence of voltage, the actual AC value measured is irrelevent.Totally agree.....I was just providing the information in answer to the question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB51 Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 Good link. Suppose now it's "Resource richer - knowledge getting better" then? R- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.