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Lancs_fus

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  1. This time we set up a BD4 with a Digitrax DCS50 Zephyr command station and compare resistor values for occupancy detection.
  2. This time I used the DCS100 Super Chief to program the TF4 which is a four function transponding decoder. May be interesting for those who have the DCS100 instead of a DCS51.
  3. No worries Rich, I equally have had some positive and some less positive experiences. Mostly comes down to planning and then execution. I hope you will find the blog entries useful. I will be videoing a lot of detection and transponding tests soon too. Paul Hamilton Perth, Western Australia
  4. There's been a lot of conversation over the years of programming and utilising Digitrax transponding. For what it is worth I was curious to try and program a new out of the bag TL1 and set up a new address and function control CVs. I have made a short how to video on it here and let me know if any questions or ideas for others too. Hope it helps someone.
  5. The second part of this project focuses more on the electronics and resistors for getting the right light level in the lamps and interior lights plus getting the pick ups installed and electrically connected. In this part I play with a stay alive capacitor by DCC Concepts called a FlickerFree which I will then attach to the output of the Digitrax transponder function only decoder TL1. Once addressed the TL1 function on will turn on the lamps on the van as well as send out transponding signals to RX1 transponder detectors connected to a BDL168 block detector board.
  6. Several folks have asked where the video is so I have cobbled together a suite of snap shots and videos plus time lapse actions on pulling together the primary stages of this modification. Video two covers off the electronics and wiring aspects and number three brings it all together in a finished package. Hope this is useful to someone and please let me know if there are any questions at all.
  7. Something a little bit different from wiring DCC control boards this long weekend here in Perth. Recently obtained two of the latest range of Bachmann 4mm scale LMS brake vans in grey with duckets and brown without duckets. Have decided to fit working lamps and interior lights plus transponding decoders from Digitrax that will broadcast the DCC address of the transponding decoder via Loconet. Have started by removing wheels, couplings and coupling pockets plus the plastic brake gear from the underside of the model. The wheels need be separated from the axle at one end, cleaned up and made to work as live pickup axles. Once cleaned up to remove the blackening I use a conductive paint to make an electrical connection between the wheel and the axle bypassing the insulated bush between the axle and wheel. While the paint dries I chose some LEDs and corresponding resistors to come up with a light intestity that would look good for the interior lights. I settled on DCC Concepts prototype white LEDs with 20k ohm resistor and soldered it to a PCB strip. Preparing the van for external lamps, I used a sharp blade to scrape off the moulded lamp irons. Then the lamps were glued using CA and a kicker to the rear and each side of the verandah. The lamps are also by DCC Concepts and are red for the rear lamp and red and white for the side lamps. Next will be wiring the resistors up and connecting a stay alive and decoder into the van itself.
  8. A great easy way to snap connect and splice wires together with no soldering or crimping required! I picked up these samples at a trade show and they are great for making under layout connections of wire sizes from AWG 24 to 12.
  9. Hello all, I took a little time to plan out some of the topics I will be covering this year as part of my layout construction and test track builds and have put together a short preview video of some of the Digitrax and DCCConcepts products that I will be using and covering off in my how to videos on YouTube.
  10. Tony, your post #127 mentions future compatibility with LocoNet. While I take it this is primarily to ensure your former CML boards can function seemlessly with th ACE can you expand on this development as it may present a nicer interface for us established Digitrax users.
  11. What are the lottery cards you refer to as planked flooring? I am in Australia so perhaps we have a different term?
  12. Does your decoder for DCC use have a firebox flicker function output? Most do and that will help create the flicker. Also, try an orange LED instead of red. They look the business I reckon. DCC Concepts do a range of these LEDs I have used before and they are most satisfactory.
  13. So the second bracket signal is underway plus wiring up the first to the Digitrax TSMK plus I made a 10 wire ribbon cable using IDCs which are insulation displacement connectors. I have put a short video together on how the signals and ribbon cable are built that hopefully explains it better than a lot of words!
  14. Well even though we are on a family holiday there is still time to do some modelling and in this case it is the wiring up of the coloured light signals that I have been looking forward too. I have extended the wires of the LEDs so that they will be long enough to penetrate the layout board using Kynar wire soldered to the LED wire ends and covered with heat shrink tubing to prevent shorting. Each LED had its own wire soldered to its respective cathode so I have made one common cathod for the whole signal and all six LEDs by soldering a single black wire to the six white wires which will simplify wiring. While I am currently not planning to use the Digitrax SE8C signal board I have adopted the Digitrax Terminal Strip Mounting Kit (TSMK) which per the photo you can see offers screw terminals for the signal wires plus a set of surface mount SMD resistors of 100 ohms each per LED and a 10 pin (2 x 5) IDC male connection. This IDC along with some rainbow ribbon cable will be used to run the wires from the signal to the Signatrak CML SIGM20 control board.
  15. Let us know how you get on Ray following your use with the ZTC it should make an really interesting comparison.
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