ESU SwitchPilot

Now see Neil, high faluting technology is not always the answer

The old fashioned way of controlling points still works as good & not as expensive.

QUOTE (Sol @ 12 Jan 2008, 12:23) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Now see Neil, high faluting technology is not always the answer

The old fashioned way of controlling points still works as good & not as expensive.
I bet you're loving this Ron.

The biggest problem is that there are no english language instructions and it refers you on to non existent manuals which have not yet been published. A bit of co-ordination would have been good.

QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 13 Jan 2008, 01:52) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>***The Lenz LS150 - One unit will power six points for you - it is economical and pretty robust and easy to programme with every brand of system I've tried it on

Regards

Richard
DCCconcepts
This is pretty much my conclusion. One of the problems with the Switch Pilot, other than being faulty in this case which is a separate issue, is that it is aimed at combining the functions of two Maerklin decoders the K83 qand K84. The K83 is the type that drives snap action point decoders and the K84 peforms another function which escapes me for the minute although I think it was current as long as your finger was on the button for uncoupling ramps and the like. In K83 mode it is set for snap action motors but the default settings are for lower current than required for PECO points, you need to prgram it to get it to provide a higher current. You only get four outputs for your 35 euros against six for the Lenz LS150 which can be bought for 33 euros. The Lenz can also handle slow motion point motors which the Switch Pilot cannot. In order to drive four slow motion point motors you need a Switch Pilot and a Switch pilot extension, a total of 70 Euros as opposed to 33Euros to drive six with Lenz. The only benefit is that Railcom is an additional feature with the SwitchPilot option. Personally I would rather save money than have the limited benefit of Railcom in this instance. There are only six points on my layout that I cannot see so the extra hassle and mony do not make this feature a big deal for me. If I use Tillig slow motion point motors, whic I tend to, I can hear very clearly whether the point switched or not. Most of my point motors are slow motion too and I have no intention of going back to snap action ones so that reduces its appeal as well.

The other issue you have to contend with is that there is no English language manual available and it is unclear how you are supposed to programme it. Unlike conventional point decoders it has CV's which you can, and if you are intending to use PECO motors you will have to, adjust. You have to set CV 3-6 to 1 for PECO pointsto allow for the higher current, if you cannot set this CV then you are probably not going to have much joy with this product. From the translations I have got through bablefish etc all it says is that it is incredibly easy to do this with ECoS and refers you to instructions that do not seem to have been made available yet. The net result is it tels you what the cv's are but not how to program them. There are several lengthy threads on the ECoS forum about this product and it does appear that there are some issues that need to be sorted out. So even if you do speak German and have the instructions it doesn't stop there. I tried all the usual methods of prgramming before it gave up the ghost and they were unsuccesful until at one point it took on an address I did not give it. I also was not able to read the CV's on it and there doesn't seem to be any advice on how to do this. Too many unanswered questions really.

The ESU website did say that some initial models had a fault and that they would replace these, so I am guessing that is what I have encountered. I have contacted the place in Germany I bought it from so I can hopefully change for another one or preferably a Lenz LS150.

Rob,
I would not say the product is no good. I'm sure once the problems are ironed out that it will be a decent piece of kit but there are some problems and limitations and it is not the cheapest or most reliable option currently. It seems to be primarily aimed at combining the functions of the two Maerklin point decoders with other point switching options as an after thought. I will stick with the LS150 for the moment and when English language instructions are published possibly revisit it as the problems will hopefully be sorted by then. I would recommend waiting until English instructions were available.

For those who do have a go with the SwitchPilot, I received this advice on how to program them. This may be of use to others so I will replicate it below.

Dear Neil,
I try to give you a short instruction how to get the CVs read and write:
1. if you are not able to adress the SWP via the decribed procedure in the instruction (program switch on the board, yellow LED etc.), the SWP is failed. This failure has been reported several times in the forum and is based on quality problems during the fabrication of the first batches.
2. in order to read and write the CVs first you have to connect the SWP with the programming track. Parallel you have to use the same connection for the power supply.
3. please don´t connect any output channel with a point machine or something else. Only connect the output channel 1 (OUT A and C) with a resistor of 180 Ohm. You also can use a lamp. This is important!
4. Open the menue for decoder programming in the ECoS. Fill in the correct DCC adress! This means, with regards to the created point on the point panel, you have to use the DCC adress 1 for the point no. 1 to 4, the DCC adress 2 for the point no. 5 to 8 etc. Select the programming track and DCC.
5. Now you can start reading the CVs and writing the CVs.
6. For reading and writing the CVs from the main track you have to write the value 6 to CV 28 and the value 136 to CV 29. Afterwards you can check reading the CVs via main track while selecting the main track, DCC mode and point load.
7. When everything is ok, you can install the Switch Pilot and connect the points.

It is very important to note the part about the power supply and resistor across output 1 during programming!

QUOTE (neil_s_wood @ 14 Jan 2008, 17:06) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>For those who do have a go with the SwitchPilot, I received this advice on how to program them. This may be of use to others so I will replicate it below.
Dear Neil,
I try to give you a short instruction how to get the CVs read and write:
1. if you are not able to adress the SWP via the decribed procedure in the instruction (program switch on the board, yellow LED etc.), the SWP is failed. This failure has been reported several times in the forum and is based on quality problems during the fabrication of the first batches.
2. in order to read and write the CVs first you have to connect the SWP with the programming track. Parallel you have to use the same connection for the power supply.
3. please don´t connect any output channel with a point machine or something else. Only connect the output channel 1 (OUT A and C) with a resistor of 180 Ohm. You also can use a lamp. This is important!
4. Open the menue for decoder programming in the ECoS. Fill in the correct DCC adress! This means, with regards to the created point on the point panel, you have to use the DCC adress 1 for the point no. 1 to 4, the DCC adress 2 for the point no. 5 to 8 etc. Select the programming track and DCC.
5. Now you can start reading the CVs and writing the CVs.
6. For reading and writing the CVs from the main track you have to write the value 6 to CV 28 and the value 136 to CV 29. Afterwards you can check reading the CVs via main track while selecting the main track, DCC mode and point load.
7. When everything is ok, you can install the Switch Pilot and connect the points.
It is very important to note the part about the power supply and resistor across output 1 during programming!

Hi Neil,
Thanks for the help, I just joined this forum, b/c its about the only place where english speaking people seem to be using ECOS + Switchpilot.
I am still confused by the addressing of switches and accessories. The SWP has its own address (Just like any loco has). While the points have different addresses. I have been scouring the ECOS forum, but sadly my german is too basic.
If you have any pointers I would be greatful.
I use tortoise switch machines, and I must say so far all I got from the SWP is a LED plugged in the output channel 1 that I get to blink!

Thanks

Fred

Hi Fred,

In the end I gave up as I eventually found out that they would not do what I wanted them to do at a reasonable price. You can do tortoise switch machines but you have to get the SWP extension. No-one seems to know how to program these. The basic SWP will do the job of a K-83 or K84 whereas the SWP Extension will only do slow motorised machines. The wiring I seen in the manual will apply to the Tortoise machine i.e. two wires, however I use a lot of Tillig machines which are three wires and there is no wiring shown for how to connect these. All things considered I figured I was better off with Lenz.

The advice I put below is probably the best english language info available on these points and the guy who gave me this advice doesn't know about the SWP extension. I think that most German users will be using Maerklin, Roco or Fleischmann track and the related point motors which will be snap action. For this reason the SWP extension may not be in such great demand.

My best guess for programming the extension is to connect it up to the SWP and program the first address of the SWP and hopefull it should become programmed along with the remaining three points of the SWP.

I've pretty much translated the whole manual although my translation may leave a lot to be desired. If you have any specific questions ask away.

cheers Neil

QUOTE (Sol @ 22 Jan 2008, 13:52) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Neil, that is normal practice - like just after one has kit or scratch built a loco, a RTR is available.
So your translation is the same - spend hours trasnslating & the next day, the English version is available.

Sol
I'm telling you Ron, my German has really come along big time since I started with the ECoS.

So you can read it with a Scottish accent?

QUOTE (Sol @ 22 Jan 2008, 14:56) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>So you can read it with a Scottish accent?
I read everything with a Scottish accent!

By the way Ron, this device here will tell you which way your points are facing with RailCom technology on the ECoS.

Thanks but no thanks, Neil, I am just starting to read up on NCE which should be here next week. I can't get too confused at my tender age !!

Anyway, I use LEDs or signal/point levers to tell me how things are set.
Can't get too lazy & have everything in the palm of your hand/on thePC screen