Having scrapped my DC system due to a combination of inability to expand and a "request" from my wifelike person for her go at the workshop room, I started work making another room in the grain loft which could provide me with some space and a guest bedroom. This of course dictated the construction of another bathroom / toilet as all existing accomodation is on the ground floor.
Model wise I had decided to try this DCC stuff as I had 20 or so locos left over from my big sell off. I chose three to modify:
1 A Hornby Class 31 with the X337 power bogie. This had had it's magnet replaced and runs at 250mA max. 2 A Lima GWR Railcar which has a super smooth power bogie. 3 A Hornby Cl 47 with the last type of ringfield motor.It was fun struggling with how best to tackle the first but it eventually gave in. The second a dream. The third taxed my supply system to find a self taper small and short enough to replace the long, staight into the chassis screw which holds the brush retaining plate in place.
All were fitted with the standard Hornby 8 pin receptor block so that reversion to DC would be quick and simple.
I obtained a new Select unit at a good price, this despite not getting any feedback from this august readership, and took the plunge.
The Railcar was first and all worked well! The 31 next and no problem - whow! On goes the 47 and we have 3 out of 3.
On go the covers and pow - the fun starts.
Railcar = no go!!! This turns out to be 3 wires detached at the chip solder points (clearly dry joints). These were successfully replaced but only due to my extraordinary skill and knowlege plus a little luck!
The 31 proved to have a dead chip.
The 47 sat quite smugly and simply worked.
Hattons - bless them- replaced the money into my card account immediately for the dead unit. I actually was more concerned about the quality control. Is this a one off experience?
The next phase after having mastered the change of acceleration/ deceleration I decided on setting up a double header (all this on my
3metre test track). This would not happen and resulted in nothing more than a continuous red flashing light. Even to stop this needed a powerdown. Now each of the locos work well individually but there appears to be no way that a Railcar will double up with a 47. Perhaps there is an answer out there somewhere.The acceleration business of having 99 steps makes me wonder how anyone can control a locomotive in a coupling/ decoupling or other slow manoeuvre with more than 20 set. Is the answer that resetting the Time Constant is necessary from mainline to manoeuvre operations?
The handbook makes reference to the red lamp and indicates that it is a programming operation tell tell. I assume that my never ending flashing is a simple method of telling me that I am not with it.