Hornby DCC wiring problem

Hi Ray,

Check out this page, it should help.

Regards,

IC125

Thats looks just the ticket. I will have a good read and see if i can get it working.

many thanks

Ray wrote: [...]

Hornby's guides work only with locos that are "DCC ready", ie, have an=20

8-pin interface fitted for the decoder to plug into. Your loco is=20 obviously not one of those...

However, people have successfully fitted decoders to all kinds of=20 engines. The key requirement is that the wires are correctly attached to =

the decoder. NMRA has a recommended practice (which it will propose as a =

standard) for colour coding the wires to make that task simple. See below= =2E

You're lucky that you haven't burned out your decoders, just tripped=20 their internal overload protection. At least, that's what the described=20 symptoms indicate -- I hope for your wallet's sake I'm right!

AFAIK, Hornby uses the NMRA standard colour code for the wiring. You'll=20 find it at:

You may also have to cut away some bits of chassis or loco body=20 (internally) to make room for the decoder. Finally, do a thorough=20 mechanical tune-up. DCC cannot compensate for mechanical problems.

Have fun.

--=20 Wolf Kirchmeir

DCC chips (apart from one old ZTC example) require the motor to be fully isolated from the pickups. In Zero-1 I believe there was still one common connection from one motor brush to the wheels on one side? So, a loco that was chipped for Zero-1 may still require some work for DCC.

Hornby ringfield motors often (always?) have a connection from one brush to the chassis which needs isolating.

The common (blue) wire is only used for lighting and similar "functions".

MBQ

You're best to do a continuity check to prove that the motor is isolated from the pickups before putting a loco on the track. Some ringfield motors have a jumper lead to the chassis and some don't.

Chris

To be fair to Hornby, their website has a whole range of instructions for installing DCC chips into their locos, including ones without the 8 pin interface. For example, I chipped Thomas earlier this week and he certainly didn't have an 8 pin socket, although he was easy enough to do (I think Hornby must have redesigned many of their older locos at some stage as I have yet to have a live chassis yet, whereas others with the same model but slightly older do). On the other hand I'm not looking forward to doing my split chassis Ivatt tank or old style Royal Scot...

The other person may find useful Phil Grainger's article in Model Rail from I think April 2002 (you may need to look up the online index at

if I'm wrong with the edition) where he chips a live chassis Thomas.

Yes, I missed that, my bad.

[...]

You placed your reply below the sig separator. I almost missed it, as my newsreader displays it if faded grey type.

blem-5367...,

I hope he's sorted it out in the 3-1/2 years since the post you just replied to.

You're new to Usenet aren't you :-)

MBQ

Yes, you're quite correct ... but ... this NG is on its last legs, is the best way to encourage new folks to stay and help restore it to the vibrant community it once was the best way to point syntax errors out without even a "hello"?

:-)

FFS!

"Yes, you're quite correct ... but ... this NG is on its last legs, is it the best way to encourage new folks to stay and help restore it to the vibrant community it once by pointing out syntax errors out without even ..."

I wouldn't mind but I'm not even drunk!

Yes when(1) they are replying to years old posts and (2) were told about the errant sig separator the day before and blatantly did it again.

MBQ

Apparently it works OK in some newsreaders but not Thunderbird or Xnews.

I pointed it out the first time, and there was quite a discussion. I guess Wolf didn't see that thread.

You should be able to customise how a "sig" displays; I use a different font from the main message.