Converting 0-4-0 and others

[IanS]

I've installed harnesses on a number of locos and they all respond on Analogue/DC as well as they did before I cut wires etc.

Some however are presenting a problem on the Hornby Select.

The version shows 11-30 then 03 (I know it can be updated but it should still work as far as I can tell). It works with the ringfield diesels I've converted OK and with the 0-6-0 it came with in a set.

On 2 0-6-0's I've converted the Select shorts out in a peculiar way. The Select LCD show the top half of 11, then the bottom and alternates between them, but sometimes resets itself in-between if I don't quickly lift off the loco. This is also happening with one of the 3 0-4-0's I done.

I'm using Laisdcc chips plugged into the wiring harness I installed to be able to 'test' the conversion before placing chips in them as I was unsure I could get things to work and felt I'd like to be able to use them as DC again easily if not.

Has anyone any idea what the error is meant to indicate? I've checked as best I can and can't see any shorts on the locos and the 3 0-4-0's were pretty much the same method and conversion.

I'm at a loss. what to do as I've tried checking for the obvious connection errors (presumably if they were wrong their would be a problem on DC too). I've checked without the blanking plug in, with it in (it responds fine on the Select as Loco 00) and with a decoder in,

Could it be the Decoder has blown? Or too much power is being demanded? (I would have thought it wouldn't work in DC mode on the Select if that was the case). The track is very clean as are the wheels.

[scratchbuilt]

Did you remove the capacitors across the motor terminals?

[IanS]

Yes, the capacitors were removed on all of them. Some were de-soldered off, some clipped off, but all removed.

[Rog (RJ)]

A short circuit (or partial short circuit) can be present on DCC with a decoder fitted that doesn't exist on dc. Often caused by bad factory soldering on the wiring connections of the DCC socket, sometimes just a very fine trace of solder between two adjacent pins, so check the underside of the DCC sockets if they are present.

I would suggest trying a different make of decoder because sometimes what works fine in one loco won't work properly in another.

[scratchbuilt]

Sounds like LAISCC chips and Select are incompaible with that software installed . That would be my first move , to get the latest software,

[brian1951]

Hornby select regardless of how many updates it gets, is just not up to the job, well documented all over the web. http://www.dccconcepts.com/wp-content/u ... n-2014.pdf

[RAF96]

The behaviour seen above is just the Select self protecting itself against the short.

The way it does this depends upon the power source in use.

The 1-amp wall wart-unit protects by dropping its output voltage, which is why the Select screen is corrupting. This dropped voltage makes the Select reboot continuously until the short is removed.

If using the 4-amp PC brick type unit then the Select itself will self protect by way of an internal self resetting ‘fuse’.

I would suggest you get your v1.1 Select updated to v1.6 by Hornby as then you will be able to change any CVs as well as the self protection being improved to isolate the track in event of a short or leave it live for an emergency stop. Hornby currently charge £15 for the update and return postage.

The latest update also gets rid most of the criticism levelled at the Select in the past. I note that the ‘critique’ linked to above is dated 2014, and likely irrelevant. I shall read it and see.

Edit after reading the linked item above - it is vague, out of date and without supporting facts. I am surprised it is still on their website. It incorrectly states the Elite has been deleted at last - it is still going strong, as are the Select and eLink. the ref back to the German review in 2008 is irrelevant now that all those controllers have been updated many times and tested for compatibility with most other makes of kit.

Edit again - Running an analogue loco as loco-zero on a DCC track is normally not recommended as it uses what is called a stretched zero bit signal, which can corrupt what other DCC locos on track receive. You may like to either reset your Select to get rid of it or select loco zero and turn the speed knob first up then fully off, as you may have inadvertently left loco-zero ‘running’ and thus sending out this ‘bad’ command.

[IanS]

Sounds like LAISCC chips and Select are incompaible with that software installed . That would be my first move , to get the latest software,

You could be right, but why would it then work in other locos with the same make of chip?

[bulleidboy]

Ian - As a side issue, it is probably worth getting your Select upgraded. I recently sent my Elite back for the latest upgrade. I rang the repairs department at Hornby and was given a "Job number" which I had to quote when returning the Elite. I posted it on a Tuesday afternoon and it was back with me Friday morning - a first class service. Barry (aka BB).

[IanS]

Thank you to those that advised me to update the Hornby Select. When I purchased this as part of a set on e-bay I knew it was likely that it would need doing.

I intend to get this done sooner rather than later.

I also realised when purchasing it that the select wasn't a fully functional DCC controller and will need replacing sometime next year. My intention is to learn a little, use it to test out the layout and then sell it on e-bay for a good portion of the price I paid (as it will have the latest firmware ) to recover some of the costs.