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Cant get my New "Prince Of Wales" P2 Class to work???


JJ73

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I think that I have made a BOO BOO - I've just bought the P2 Class "Prince Of Wale" with Steam Generator (After a 2 year wait!!!) - I use Analogue Controllers - HM Duette & the HM 2000 but it is not moving - Am I correct in thinking that I have to go 'Digital' & want be able to use these Analogue Controllers. I never used Digital b4 & not sure what to do - Please help - thanks in advance 🤔🚂

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@JJ73 - Do NOT even attempt to use the Duette with an HM7000 fitted loco - it is extremely likely to kill the decoder!

Whilst the HM2000 could be used - there are a couple of significant limitations:
• DC operation would need to be enabled first (this is disabled by default) in either the app or using a DCC controller. 
• DC operation only allows control of an HM7000 fitted loco’s movement - sound & steam effects are unavailable in this mode.

To effectively use this loco - you will need to use the app or a DCC controller - please see the compatible power options chart & read the HM7000 manual:

https://d63oxfkn1m8sf.cloudfront.net/3216/8717/6518/HM7000-TXS_TRI-MODE_-_Compatible_Controllers_and_Power_Supplies.pdf

https://d63oxfkn1m8sf.cloudfront.net/1217/0065/0861/HM7000_Series_Decoders_Reference_Manual_V1.3.0_-_201123.pdf

Edited by LTSR_NSE
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23 minutes ago, JJ73 said:

I think that i might also need a Digital Power Track & a HM7020 Power Supply Adapter??? 🤔🚂

You would only need the digital power track (or simply remove any RF interference capacitor from existing power tracks) if you want to use a DCC controller & don’t want to solder wires directly to track.

Whereas if you just want to use the app with a DC PSU:

The HM7020 adapter is for using with the P9600W 1amp PSU.

The R7337 5amp PSU already includes the HM7020 adapter.

Edited by LTSR_NSE
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@JJ73  I recognise that you didn’t fully appreciate what you were purchasing - and therefore have sympathy for your disappointment.

You have purchased a brand new innovation - adding steam effects to a sound fitted loco.

The majority of existing sound fitted locos, only work in a very limited manner (or don’t work all) on DC.

Therefore expecting the most cutting edge loco tech, to be 100% compatible with 70+ yr old track power/control tech - regrettably guaranteed disappointment.

Unfortunately you do now need to choose to either embrace the new control technology that these ‘steam effects’ locos require - or decide that they aren’t for you & return it/cancel other pre-orders for this type.

Edited by LTSR_NSE
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Thank you LTSR I've waited 2 years for this Loco b/c I was interested in the Smoke Unit in it - May be I don't know have a little go at it & see what happen may be??? 🤔🚂

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8 hours ago, JJ73 said:

Thank you LTSR I've waited 2 years for this Loco b/c I was interested in the Smoke Unit in it - May be I don't know have a little go at it & see what happen may be??? 🤔🚂

Maybe set up a separate track @JJ73 powered directly by either a 1 amp or 4 amp PSU and controlled from the app or maybe a rolling road and then you can give it the beans whilst standing still.

Edit - Definitely do not use your existing controller track feed or even their aux outputs. This is specifically warned against in Appendix 11 of the famous manual.

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9 hours ago, JJ73 said:

Thank you LTSR I've waited 2 years for this Loco b/c I was interested in the Smoke Unit in it - May be I don't know have a little go at it & see what happen may be??? 🤔🚂

There are two ways to do this. You can either go the Hornby App route which means you have to buy a proper approved power supply, I know from personal experience that powering with the Duette is a "no,no" I blew up a decoder with one of those. I assume an HM 2000 is the same. So if you have a smart phone just buy an approved power supply off Hornby and load the App on your Smart Phone. If you don't have a Smart Phone then an easy solution is to buy a Hornby Select controller which will just do DCC, but will run your new loco quite happily. You could buy an Elite but they are super expensive. There are lots of DCC controllers around but probably the Select is the cheapest and easiest, there are some on EBay for about £80.

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JJ - Don't forget that (I think I am right in saying) all of your other loco's are DC so if you go down the DCC route for control of your 'Prince of Wales', that is the only loco you will be able to run while that controller is connected to the track, until your other loco's are fitted with a decoder.  [Happy to be corrected by others if there is a work-around.]

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You are absolutely right Going Spare, that is exactly how I got into DCC, bought a Hornby loco with sound that would only work on DCC. In my case it wasn't so bad, I already had an Elite that I had picked up cheap because it needed fixing.

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2 hours ago, Going Spare said:

JJ - Don't forget that (I think I am right in saying) all of your other loco's are DC so if you go down the DCC route for control of your 'Prince of Wales', that is the only loco you will be able to run while that controller is connected to the track, until your other loco's are fitted with a decoder.  [Happy to be corrected by others if there is a work-around.]

Simplest workaround is a separately powered rolling road and the app.

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Oppps Erm odear -may be I should of asked about it B4 trying 😞 it out, I was just too excited & also started to makes a vid about it - luckery I didn't hear or see any 'hisses' or 'pops' or any thing like that!!! 🚂

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@JJ73   definitely don't go switching your Duette to half-wave for any DCC fitted loco you might test on DC, in fact don't use half-wave for modern DC models either as coreless motors won't like it.  Under full-wave the output is a bit "ripple-y" and could suffer voltage spikes which is what can damage modern electronics.   
The old H&M Duette, Clipper etc. controllers were great and appropriate 50+ years ago with contemporary Hornby Dublo and Triang stuff etc.  I still have my H&M cases but I ripped out the innards and replaced with simple Gaugemaster panel controllers about 30 years ago 🙂 

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2 hours ago, JJ73 said:

Oppps Erm odear -may be I should of asked about it B4 trying 😞 it out, I was just too excited & also started to makes a vid about it - luckery I didn't hear or see any 'hisses' or 'pops' or any thing like that!!! 🚂

You have probably been lucky, if it had blown you would smell it plus it is guaranteed for a year. If you were into electronics there are ways you could make it work but the simple solution is just get the right equipment. You need to activate F1 to get it to smoke which you can't do on DC plus the amount of smoke is dependent on loco speed etc. so you need a computer (in this case the decoder) to work out how much smoke. If you have a "smart phone" then the decent power supply is the cheapest option.

To be honest it doesn't matter whether it is half wave or full wave when you are talking about nasty spikes.

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