accessories & the ECoS

1549 Views 10 Replies 6 Participants Last post by neil_s_wood, Jun 5, 2008

Puzzler

Discussion Starter · Jun 4, 2008

Please does anyone know if the ECoS controller has a separate output for powering accessories, or are the lights & turnouts etc.. powered from the track power?
thanks
Puzzler..

Save

1 - 11 of 11 Posts

Neither!

Like all DCC systems, you can choose to power accessories from the track, but it is good practise to use an additional, totally separate power supply. For example, a loco causes a short circuit by running a point set against it. This shorts the controller so power is cut. This means you cannot reset the point as it has no power source.

Rob

Save

Puzzler

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jun 4, 2008

Thanks Rob.. Yes that does make sense, so what power supply would you recommend? and does it have to be AC or DC or does that matter, I am at present running my assessories from the track in AC.

Regards
Puz..

QUOTE (80class @ 4 Jun 2008, 16:57) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Neither!

Like all DCC systems, you can choose to power accessories from the track, but it is good practise to use an additional, totally separate power supply. For example, a loco causes a short circuit by running a point set against it. This shorts the controller so power is cut. This means you cannot reset the point as it has no power source.

Rob

Save

80class

· #4 · Jun 4, 2008

You match the power supply to the accessory that its powering. For example for my peco and seep point motors I use a gaugemaster 16v AC power supply wheras for my internal lighting inside buildings I use a 5v DC power supply.

Rob

Save

neil_s_wood

· #5 · Jun 4, 2008

QUOTE (80class @ 5 Jun 2008, 02:57) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Neither!

Like all DCC systems, you can choose to power accessories from the track, but it is good practise to use an additional, totally separate power supply. For example, a loco causes a short circuit by running a point set against it. This shorts the controller so power is cut. This means you cannot reset the point as it has no power source.

Rob
Unforunately the same applies (you cannot reset the point) if you are using the ECoS to control your points as the DCC power bus is cut of when you get a short.

I have been using the 16v ac for powering my lights and it seems to work fine.

Save

80class

· #6 · Jun 4, 2008

oopse!! I had of course forgotten that I am using "dual control" for my points, a switch pannel with indication and my ECoS......

Rob

Save

neil_s_wood

· #7 · Jun 4, 2008

QUOTE (80class @ 5 Jun 2008, 08:30) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>oopse!! I had of course forgotten that I am using "dual control" for my points, a switch pannel with indication and my ECoS......

Rob
This seems to be the preference of a few people Rob and as we see here it does have its advantages. I wanted to be able to switch my points through my Mobile control so I have them digitally controlled.

Save

miksterr

· #8 · Jun 5, 2008

80class and neil_s_wood, just wondering how you achieve this.

I am currently building my control panel and want to achieve :

DCC control via Acc decoders as well as the "Old style" push buttons on a panel. Bi color leds on both the layout next to points as well as on the control panel are a must (and must change when either command, dcc or push-button is used).

Mike.

Save

randolph

· #9 · Jun 5, 2008

I'm new to all this, still in the planning stage, and this thread is getting me really confused.

My plan is to use EcoS and I thought the idea was to split the power bus, using one supply to the track and the other for accessories, now you guys are talking about using a separate power source. If you do use a separate power source for points etc I assume that you wire the points motors into the separate source and the points decoder into the track power bus??????

Whilst on the subject of EcoS the one thing that bothers me is the lack of English back up, do you EcoS users find this to be a problem.

R

Save

Hugh Williams

· #10 · Jun 5, 2008

QUOTE (randolph @ 5 Jun 2008, 16:43) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I'm new to all this, still in the planning stage, and this thread is getting me really confused.

My plan is to use EcoS and I thought the idea was to split the power bus, using one supply to the track and the other for accessories, now you guys are talking about using a separate power source. If you do use a separate power source for points etc I assume that you wire the points motors into the separate source and the points decoder into the track power bus??????

Whilst on the subject of EcoS the one thing that bothers me is the lack of English back up, do you EcoS users find this to be a problem.

R

Is this ESU Site any use to you:ESU Website?

By the way, buy their decoder tester, every dcc layout should have one!

Cheers,

Hugh

See less See more

Save

neil_s_wood

· #11 · Jun 5, 2008 (Edited by Moderator)

QUOTE (miksterr @ 5 Jun 2008, 20:55) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>80class and neil_s_wood, just wondering how you achieve this.

I am currently building my control panel and want to achieve :

DCC control via Acc decoders as well as the "Old style" push buttons on a panel. Bi color leds on both the layout next to points as well as on the control panel are a must (and must change when either command, dcc or push-button is used).

Mike.
David (DWB) was aiming to do this and did a thread on how to wire this some time ago. Fulgurex point motor control

QUOTE My plan is to use EcoS and I thought the idea was to split the power bus, using one supply to the track and the other for accessories, now you guys are talking about using a separate power source. If you do use a separate power source for points etc I assume that you wire the points motors into the separate source and the points decoder into the track power bus??????

A points decoder has two inputs for current, a set for the track DCC power bus and a separate input for an external power source. It may help to look at some instruction manuals for the Lenz LS150 or the LDT S-DEc-4 to see how these are wired. Diagrams are usually better than words for these things.

QUOTE Whilst on the subject of EcoS the one thing that bothers me is the lack of English back up, do you EcoS users find this to be a problem.

Yes this is the main down side to the ECoS however there are a lot more English speaking people using the ECoS now than when I initialy started with it. When I first got mine I had to translate everything from German using the google language function. Now you have the benefit of the findings of English speaking ECoS users whereas when I started there was no-one to ask. If you ask questions on the ESU Forum in English you will get an answer in English. There is also an English language yahoo users group which you may find helpful. I have to say that I have learnt an amazing amount of technical German though.

See less See more

Save

1 - 11 of 11 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Top Contributors this Month