Earl Bathurst Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Hi I am using an ECoS and I have installed Cobalt Point motors on my layout and have bought the ESU Switch Pilot to control them with and have read through the instructions which are as clear as mud, I am unable to get them to work. Can someone explain to me how I wire them and program them. I have 12 points and 3 switch pilot to wire and program. And I am so confused and stressed Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted November 22, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 22, 2011 . And I am so confused and stressed Thanks Just until someone replies who really knows I thought I'd say something hopefully to keep your stress down. The Switchpilot manual isn't as straightforward as some but at least version 3 (available online, or at least it was) does have all the information included. I haven't used mine for a couple of years but I think if you want to use motor drives (again I think that is what the Cobalt is) you also need the Switchpilot extension. I'm sure I was going to use the Switchpilot with solenoid motors. Hopefully someone with the ESU unit and point motors like you can help soon. I solved my point control by not using DCC for anything other than driving the train! Best wishes Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 When I spoke to the shop I bought them from didn't mention that I need the extension. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 I use the Switch Pilots for my Cobalt's but use the extensions as wired in the manual. I tried to get the Switchpilot to power the cobalt directly as shown in the wiring diagram for the cobalt using the resistors but it was not very successful so reverted to using the extension. It was combination of getting the pulse length right, does not seem to be adjust able enough to allow full travel of the motor, and the issue of the polarity change to reverse the motor. The way it is shown in the cobalt wiring diagram never did quite work. I was lucky in that I already had the extensions left over from my OO layout so was not a problem. All works well no so happy enough. Railcom also works as well for position feed back to ESU and RR&Co Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 I wish I was told that before I bought them now So I need to buy the extension? What would i need to do next ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Just hook up the extension to the switchpilot and wire it as per the manual page 13 figure 6. I have 'tuned' mine as I found that the motor ran too quickly, noisy and some clicked at the end of their travel which for me was quite annoying. By putting a resistor in series with the wiring it solved this. I used resistors ranging from 250 ohms to 540 ohms and tuned them by ear. They all run now about the same speed and no click at the end of the travel. I put the resistor in the +ve line and forms the first wire from the +ve out on the centre two contacts. Quite an easy set up really. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoingUnderground Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 Many accessory decoders designed to work with solenoids will not work with slow motion stall motors. If you want to use stall motors like the Cobalt or Tortoise, you need decoders specifically designed for them or additional bits and pieces like the SP Extension. The shop that sold you the SwitchPilots should have told you that. I believe the resistor is needed because the Cobalt is reported to be happiest when being powered by between 9 and 12v. Whilst the ECoS PSU output voltage is variable it doesn't go that low. Richard Johnson, whose company DCC Concepts makes the Cobalts, seems to feel that any controller that runs at more than 14.75 volts will damage your decoders. Where he gets the 14.75 volts from I don't know, but please don't say it's the NMRA spec, it's not, the graphs in the RP for the various scales/gauges are typical values, not maxima. When asked on MRF about a problem with a Cobalt running with a Switch 8, Richard's reply was that it was more likely to be the Switch 8 at fault, and that his own AD decoders would be the better choice with Cobalts. But his ADs don't have Railcom. I use servos with SwitchPilot Servo, and they work out cheaper than traditional stall motors especially when the lower price of the SP Servo is taken into account. Servos give you the same slow travel as a stall motor, and you can vary the speed of travel with the SP Servo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kal Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 Hi You do not need the extension, you just need a pair of 1 watt 100ohm resistors per output. Anything will work with anything if you know what you are doing and have the resources to implement. I have tested them out using two 100 ohm 1 watt Resistors parralled across the ip/op of switch pilot and cobalt and found them to work very nicely on 2500ms. The resistors can become warm if you switch rapidly so shape them away from the plastic case. The cobalt is ideal for the switch pilot as its gear ratio means the point stays firm after the power is dropped after 2500ms. And has the advantage that no current is drawn after switching. 2.5seconds is more than enough time to switch, you can try with 150 Ohm or 200 ohm if you wish but the switching time will be longer and may not complete before the pulse ends after 2.5 seconds. For tortoise you need a constant voltage rather than the pulse and I use 200 ohm resistors as they do not need to operate as fast . You can also use the two servo outputs giving the switchpilot 6 outputs for around 30 quid or 5 quid per turnout, not bad. with railcom if you like that sort of thing. Personally I prefer SE8C's, for most of my points, but the switchpilots certainly have their uses. A nominal 14.5 volts is the optimal voltage at the track for DCC (ho/oo), but cannot be bothered with that discussion again, so use whatever voltage pleases you, its your investment after all. Regards Kal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrB Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Hi You do not need the extension, you just need a pair of 1 watt 100ohm resistors per output. Anything will work with anything if you know what you are doing and have the resources to implement. I have tested them out using two 100 ohm 1 watt Resistors parralled across the ip/op of switch pilot and cobalt and found them to work very nicely on 2500ms. The resistors can become warm if you switch rapidly so shape them away from the plastic case. The cobalt is ideal for the switch pilot as its gear ratio means the point stays firm after the power is dropped after 2500ms. And has the advantage that no current is drawn after switching. 2.5seconds is more than enough time to switch, you can try with 150 Ohm or 200 ohm if you wish but the switching time will be longer and may not complete before the pulse ends after 2.5 seconds. For tortoise you need a constant voltage rather than the pulse and I use 200 ohm resistors as they do not need to operate as fast . You can also use the two servo outputs giving the switchpilot 6 outputs for around 30 quid or 5 quid per turnout, not bad. with railcom if you like that sort of thing. Personally I prefer SE8C's, for most of my points, but the switchpilots certainly have their uses. A nominal 14.5 volts is the optimal voltage at the track for DCC (ho/oo), but cannot be bothered with that discussion again, so use whatever voltage pleases you, its your investment after all. Regards Kal Hello Kal, Is the sketch above what you are describing for the circuit? Will be trying this set-up if it's correct for the Cobalt with 100ohm 1W resitors. Regards Roy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kal Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Hi Yes exactly Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kal Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Hi One caveat , I am not sure, I would set out to use switch pilots with cobalts if I did not already have them . This was really a work around to use what I had already purchased. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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