Heljan container crane operating probs??

QUOTE (normski @ 9 Jan 2008, 14:53) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Advice from anyone who has one please.I brought this last week after being inspired by Dyserth RD layout! it should plug and play but doesn't! I can get it to move the trolley across the top, turn on all the lights and rotate the basket but it won't move the gantry.Now it states it should run off your track controller, mine is a prodigy giving 14/16v 3.5amps but to no avail.So i rigged it up to my 12v battery charger giving up to 4.5v and still no joy?? any advice appreciated.Also as you move the trolley the light dim suggesting not enough power.When i tested it with my prodigy it was a direct link into the base unit with no other tracks connected up.It also sais dcc operable can someone advise how to rig that up! The manuel is pretty useless.thanks in advance.

Although I have never had a play (as in setting one up) with one of these I would not advise connecting the GM Prodigy to anything but the supplied power unit.
Increasing the input to the controller will not increase the output.
Somehow, though I don't think the problem is power related, the motors are very small & they would draw very little current.
John from Bromsgrove Models has, I understand experience with the unit.

QUOTE (normski @ 9 Jan 2008, 14:53) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Advice from anyone who has one please.I brought this last week after being inspired by Dyserth RD layout! it should plug and play but doesn't! I can get it to move the trolley across the top, turn on all the lights and rotate the basket but it won't move the gantry.Now it states it should run off your track controller, mine is a prodigy giving 14/16v 3.5amps but to no avail.So i rigged it up to my 12v battery charger giving up to 4.5v and still no joy?? any advice appreciated.Also as you move the trolley the light dim suggesting not enough power.When i tested it with my prodigy it was a direct link into the base unit with no other tracks connected up.It also sais dcc operable can someone advise how to rig that up! The manuel is pretty useless.thanks in advance.

Hi Normski, I have mine connected to a separate 15v 5amp ac power supply. Tried 12v 5amp AC but was under powered.
When putting the base together make sure all top components are pushed down tightly especially near the gantry running tracks. I had to slightly bevel the edge of the plastic roadway each side of the gantry tracks. Also make sure the base is absolutely flat, any distortion of the base can also cause the gantry to catch or rub on roadway and stop.
Operate the gantry and put ear close, listen ,if motor is wuring but not moving it means the bottom of gantry legs are catching.
BTW I have connected mine to my Lenz DCC system and it works fine but as the gantry and trolley have separate addresses they can not be operated simultaneously as with the control box.
HTH
Ian sa

QUOTE (iansa @ 10 Jan 2008, 00:55) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Normski, I have mine connected to a separate 15v 5amp ac power supply. Tried 12v 5amp AC but was under powered.
When putting the base together make sure all top components are pushed down tightly especially near the gantry running tracks. I had to slightly bevel the edge of the plastic roadway each side of the gantry tracks. Also make sure the base is absolutely flat, any distortion of the base can also cause the gantry to catch or rub on roadway and stop.
Operate the gantry and put ear close, listen ,if motor is wuring but not moving it means the bottom of gantry legs are catching.
BTW I have connected mine to my Lenz DCC system and it works fine but as the gantry and trolley have separate addresses they can not be operated simultaneously as with the control box.
HTH
Ian sa

Hi Normski, further to my last post. Are you operating your Heljan CT with DCC system? If so, the Gantry and trolley have separate addresses which means with DCC system your have to toggle between the two addresses. This is why I op mine with control box supplied.
Ian sa

QUOTE (iansa @ 10 Jan 2008, 10:09) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Normski, further to my last post. Are you operating your Heljan CT with DCC system? If so, the Gantry and trolley have separate addresses which means with DCC system your have to toggle between the two addresses. This is why I op mine with control box supplied.
Ian sa

*** Just a small point. The voltage is the key issue here, not the current of the power supply. It will have a bridge rectifier at the start of the circuitry which will drop about 1.5 volts so you'll need to use a 15 volt supply as a start point.... i amp should be more than enough, so an old trainset controller with uncontrolled AC will be better than a lower voltage high current power supply.

Ian:

It seems very clumsy using two separate decoders. It must be possible to re-wire so one will do the job with the help of micro relays. I'll take a look at the owners manual if its available online anywhere (is it?) and see what I can come up with.

My mind is seeing a single 4 to 6 function decoder switching micro dpdt relays so each can control a motor......

The same problem dogs the Roco crane - an old decoder type with less than 2007/8 functionality makes it harder than it needs to be.

Richard
DCCconcepts.

QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 10 Jan 2008, 12:21) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>*** Just a small point. The voltage is the key issue here, not the current of the power supply. It will have a bridge rectifier at the start of the circuitry which will drop about 1.5 volts so you'll need to use a 15 volt supply as a start point.... i amp should be more than enough, so an old trainset controller with uncontrolled AC will be better than a lower voltage high current power supply.

Ian:

It seems very clumsy using two separate decoders. It must be possible to re-wire so one will do the job with the help of micro relays. I'll take a look at the owners manual if its available online anywhere (is it?) and see what I can come up with.

My mind is seeing a single 4 to 6 function decoder switching micro dpdt relays so each can control a motor......

The same problem dogs the Roco crane - an old decoder type with less than 2007/8 functionality makes it harder than it needs to be.

Richard
DCCconcepts.

*** Doop just found the manual.... adequate voltage certainly is the key but With the magnet to be used with simultaneous motors(s) will certainly mean the 2.5 amps recommended supply will be needed....sorry.

I'll see if I can nut out a single decoder configuration, but to be honest I'd never be an easy change and don't see why you'd want to use anything other than the supplied controller which seems to be simple and direct. Is there anything that can be done under DCC control that can't be done with the control pad... there's nothing obvious to me.

Richard
DCCconcepts