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Point motors stopped working


steve_gallagher

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Hi everyone having a problem with accessory decoder r8247 working with surface mounted point motors. I am using select controller to operate accesories only. Wired up two point motors which worked fine, wired up The third point motor now none of the motors work even when I disconnected the third one. Hope someone can help

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I am using a select controller to operate accessories only.

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That statement infers that you are using a different controller for your locos. If you are, then hopefully it is either an eLink or Elite. The R8247 has an issue where it can suddenly and for no apparent reason lose its configuration and stop responding to the previously configured DCC addresses. The 'Select' controller does not support general CV reading / writing, but the eLink & Elite do. Writing decimal value 8 to CV8 performs a factory reset of the R8247 to default.

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If you can't write to CV8, then try re-addressing your R8247 back with the same 61 to 64 addresses you were using previously. If you can do a factory reset to default you will need to do this anyway as addresses 61 to 64 are not the default ones.

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If that doesn't work. Check that the R8247 is receiving power on the 'DCC in' terminals. With a multi-meter set to measure AC voltage, you should get a reading in the region of 14.5 volts. If no meter available, connect a 12 volt car side light bulb across the 'DCC in' terminals to see if that lights up.

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Further to previous reply. When you were wiring up the third R8247 port. Were you doing that live, or with the power off. If live, it is possible that you might have damaged the R8247 with an unintentional short during the wiring up process.

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Steve,

If the R8247 has just lost its configuration and not been permanently damaged then it may be recoverable by re-addressing or resetting (resetting subject to having a suitable controller to do it). Wiring it up live, may have caused a configuration loss. All wiring up should be done ideally with power off.

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Steve,

Connect the R8247 to the programming output of the Elite and treat it from a CV writing point of view as if it is a loco decoder. Based upon instructions in Elite manual version 1.41 Page 36. Use this download if you don't have the 1.41 paper version.

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Follow steps 1 to 6 as documented on page 36 of the 1.41 manual. In step 7, rotate controller 1 till you get 'CV 0008 W' instead of the manual documented example 'CV 0004 W', followed by step 8 to display CV 0008 W 000. Then in step 9 rotate controller till you get 008 before pressing controller 1 button to confirm and write. Followed by step 10 as documented. Writing value 8 to CV8 performs a factory reset of the R8247 and returns configuration to factory default with addresses 1 to 4. Now connect R8247 back onto the 'Select' and try re-programming again to addresses 61 to 64. If however, the R8247 won't accept the CV8 reset command from the Elite (i.e you don't get the 6 LED flashes and the display showing CV as documented in step 9), then it is probably now faulty and you will need to replace it or have it repaired.

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Personally, I would put the Select away in a drawer and use the R8247 with the Elite and use default 1 - 4 addresses. But I can understand the appeal of having the points controlled by a separate dedicated controller knob.

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Can I say as a first step in my advice, follow Chris's last and put the Select in your bottom drawer, then close the draw.

 

Now all the advice you've been given on what has happened to your 8247 is good, but let's see if we can simplify things.  For a start, it has likely reset itself to default, so let's not try to reset it yourself, just check with Elite track output if your points are now working on default ports 1, 2 and 3.  If they are, problem solved.  If not, you can try the reset route using the programming output and see if they now work on 1-3.

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It sounds as if your R8247 is sick and needs to be put down for its own good.

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Seriously though, it should be behaving better than that......it sounds permanently damaged.

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I had three R8247s of which one particular one would lose configuration at the slightest provocation (just swearing at it would give it the hump). I replaced it and haven't had a problem since.

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Good Luck.

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In my case, my third R8247 was out of Warranty as it had been stored in a box for a year before being installed. Yes I did power it up and check its basic functionality when I first purchased it. But the resetting issue didn't arise until after I had my first short circuit on the layout after it was finally installed a year later.

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