[Chinahand]

Hi Guys,

Nothing as spectacular as RJR's efforts but I'm pleased to report that I have, at last, finished my point control panel and turntable controller. I would have had it finished sooner but, based on the advice given on the MRF, I changed all the wiring from 7 x 0.2mm to 16 x 0.2mm.

I'm quite pleased with the finished article.

Expat

 

[Chinahand]

Sorry Basil, those are not LEDs, just contact studs to operate the point motors.

My electronics skills are, to say the least, limited. I am still trying to work out how to instell LEDs to show which way the points are set. Maybe YOU could let ME have a circuit diagram ???

Happy modelling,

Expat

 

[Chinahand]

Hi Basil,

Yes I've seen one or two threads on how to do this and have, I think, grasped the logic of how to wire up one point using the frog polarity switch on the Seep point motors I'm using. The brain goes numb though when I try to use the same logic for 34 sets of points. I just can't seem to work out which wires are common and which are specific to each point.

This is the wiring diagram I have made up showing how all the various electrical feeds go.

Then Richard sent me this one for connecting LED indicators to a single point.

View attachment Point_LED_Wiring.pdf

but I got lost when I tried to apply it to 34 sets of points.

HELP !!!

Expat.

 

[Chinahand]

Hi Basil,

Our messages must have crossed.

The only way I, in my simple minded way, can see how to do it is to connect an LED to the end of each leg of each point. With each of the rails leading away from the frog isolated from the next track section, only the LED on the open circuit would be lit.

Am I on the right track or completely off target.

Expat.

 

[Chinahand]

On second thoughts that won't work because both of the rails leading from the frog will always be live. It's just the polarity that changes.

Back to the drawing board.

Expat.

 

[Chinahand]

Hi Basil,

That looks great.

I don't need to know how or why it works. Just that it does.

Cheers,

Trevor

 

[Chinahand]

Thanks zmil. Nice piece of kit but I was hoping to do something a little cheaper.

I would need 5 of those units to operate my 34 sets of points which would set me back A$850.

Cheers,

Expat.

 

[Chinahand]

QUOTE (ebaykal @ 22 Jul 2008, 11:24) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Seems that with the feedback I have got up till now will probably change to switching the turnouts with "wire in tube" method.I am that hopeless

I know exactly what you mean Baykal. I'm begining to wonder if I should leave well enough alone and just stick with my probe & stud panel and forget about the fancy flashing lights.

After all what I want is a functional Model Railway. I'm not trying to recreate the flight deck of Starship Enterprise.

Cheers,

Expat.

 

[Chinahand]

QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 22 Jul 2008, 14:02) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>***I'll include a MASTERswitch in the parcel I'm about to send for you to try - No charge.

Thanks a lot Richard.

Strangely enough I was thumbing through Issue 118 of Model Rail Magazine at lunchtime today and came across the article on the MASTERswitch. I wondered at the time if it was what I needed and was going to look into it further this evening. How much are they by the way ??

Incidentally I have Seep PM1 motors, not Peco. Don't know if this makes a difference as they are both solenoid type but the PM1 also has auto frog polarity changing.

Thanks again,

Trevor.

 

[Chinahand]

QUOTE (Basil @ 22 Jul 2008, 15:46) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Expat,

I am in the process of drawingup a circuit diagram which would use three diodes (one for each leg of the point and one for the frog) , two momentary switches and ordinary multistrand wire which would require an outlay of about 7 euro per point wired up (each switch is about 1 euro and the diodes are 1.50 euro each (1 ero = 0.77 sterling pounds and not suraout he exchang rate foraussie dollars ). These items are available at any electronics shop (such as radionics etc).

It would mean adding LEDs to your layout near the points or on your control panel.

Richards layout and diagram is along the lines but I would use the dc from the track (about 10 mA of it) and the 16 v ac for the points.

It is the kind of thing where you need to have a little knowledge (which is not always dangerous ;-)) and just get the wiring right (use a number of colours to define each one).
It would certainly be cheaper but would take some time and effort.

Hi Basil,

Many thanks for the effort though my eyes glazed over after the two diodes bit - You are not dealing with a little knowledge here - you are dealing with absolutely no electrical knowledge apart from being able to fit a new plug and change a fuse.

As Richard says though, my layout is DCC whereas it seems you are working on the basis of conventional DC supply. I will have a good look at Richard's MASTER switch which seems as though it might be an answer to a maidens prayer. I suspect, however, that I am going to have to make a new front panel for my points control panel in order to get everything in.

Cheers,

Expat.

 

[Chinahand]

Hi Richard,

As I'm probably about half way between you and Bromsgrove I'll use the source I know best and can talk to. i.e. your goodself.

I actually have 2 points panels, one for the Main Line Terminus and one for the Branch Line terminus. Higher res. pictures are attached (hopefully)

The problem I foresee is the space availability at the 2 scissors where the studs are already pretty close together. One at the Station throat and one at the end of Platforms 1 & 2. I think a redesign is going to be necessary to get LEDs in.

Thanks again,

Trevor

 

[Chinahand]

QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 22 Jul 2008, 19:44) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Its a lot of work to redo the panel - I hope U don't have to.

As you say, a fair bit of work but, while building the 'Model of the Model' and after seeing the new Lyddle End models, I decided to add a siding running from the branch line to a Gas Works in the corner so I was already contemplating a 'redo' anyway. It's not actually a massive task to redo it and I do like things 'right'.

The top panel itself is 3mm acrylic sheet and I got the diagram screen printed onto clear self-adhesive plasic from a pdf file which started life as an MS Excel file. You know me and the things I do with Excel.

For the new panel I could miss out one of the studs in each direction at each of the crossings and, as you suggest, connect two points to a single stud so that they throw together. That would leave room for a 2mm LED in each direction.

Thinking even further ahead, could semaphore signals be sychronised with the points using the MASTERswitch or would I need the Pluses for that ??

Hmmmm. You've suggested a lot of options and me thinks it's time to dig out that Excel file and re-jig it. I might even go away from the stud & probe and use sub-miniature push buttons if I can make enough space. It's a good job I've still got plenty of planning time before actual layout construction starts.

I presume the MASTERswitches are installed at point locations under the layout. Space is a bit tight inside the panel and I definitely don't want to have to re-build the whole housing, though the space presently taken up by the CDU will become free if I understand the MASTERswitch concept correctly.

Incidentally, you might recall I was going to start running in my locos last weekend. Well that went seriously wrong. Booted up my brand new ECoS ESU controller for the first time and followed the instructions for running your first loco but nothing happened. Tried running the chip CV Detection but it just couldn't find a loco. After checking my wiring I ran a mini tester over the transformer output which was fine but I found that, while the controller appeared to be working OK with all menus accessible, there was actually no power getting to the track. The output connectors from the controller were completely dead so that is now winging its way back to Digitrains for examination. All a bit of a bugger really.

For the past few evenings I have had to content myself with wiring up some 25 pin D Connectors to connect the Control Panel to the layout, something I wouldn't even have contemplated trying 6 months ago, but my soldering is now up to it. I've also started assembling some N Gauge DG Couplers from brass frets. Boy are they tiny but a lot less fiddly to install than the micro trains ones.

Anyway, enough chit chat for tonight. I need my beauty sleep.

Cheers,

Trevor.