andysollis1

What size speaker did you use? I’ve got a really small one that’s smaller than a Lego brick in mine and it still really loud.

Hmm Ive had my turntable set up running and now having a few issues that if it should snag due to warm weather/expansion it wont align roads. The hall sensor though is brilliant at setting zero on power up each time (providing the deck doesn't jam. I'm wondering now, If I was to swap for a full board rather that the small board I have if I could instead add 5 more hall detectors and (as the 6 lines are all opposite) set it up so it just searches for the relevant sensor when the selection button for that entry/exit road is pushed? ie just ignore if it trips the other 5 in passing if the magnet should trigger them? Whats your thoughts Gents ? Andy

You are right on the first part, squeeze the body near the handrail (but avoid squeezing the hand rails) and the middle section should come away. Mine was tight the first 2-3 times. if you can start to see any gap appear try the credit card trick in the slot to try and stop it closing up again.

Mine cost me around a 3rd of that price at £4.50 i did a bit of shopping around, if you know your cat 5 equipment, then what the model companies sell are very much inflated prices sadly for the same thing you can get off eBay or even if you wanted a facia plate version, B&Q! Just because it’s branded. Be wary.

Yes, did that with my Gaugemaster as I mentioned a few posts back

I read a similar post on another forum about the Gaugemaster versions knob on the front packing up - I think it was down to Gaugemaster not using the same part as specified from MRC, but a cheaper equivalent to keep price down. Hopefully that’s not the case and it’s not what’s occurred with the WiFi moduals. Don’t tend to put Gaugemaster is budget when you think of the great DC controllers they’ve made.

The 6 year old will have more clue that the rest of us put together!

I’ve not actually done N gauge for a number of years and have recently been concentrating my 3D designs in OO and O (I have done some via Shapeways in N to sell) but have to say that your bridge supports are mighty impressive regardless of what support your have or not used!

I’ve got an Anycubic in order, but downloaded the software in advance. im wondering, if I were doing a roof of an apex building (say a signal box) and also the wooden top of a signal box that was open at the top (removable roof) which was the best orientation to print either part. Bottom to the bed or rotate it 180 and print the flat bottom last? andy

Have you already bought a controller? if not, why not look at a Sprog2 interface so you can program and drive your layout from the laptop or your phone? and at £60 it’s much cheaper than a commercial controller. all you need is WiFi! Decoder pro, Wii Throttle and a layout.

I don’t recall anything? Nor on the android version (sorry forget it’s name as I don’t personally use it, but my dad does) andy

I’ll also add that I’ve also used the WiThrottle app on the same phone using my own home WiFi back to the laptop and a sprog2 to control the running in of locos with no issues whatsoever. another reason for suspecting the Gaugemaster part.

As I posted last year, it can suddenly drop out leaving a loco running with no control. Yet the app itself will stop all trains when it’s changed to something other than the throttle (ie keypad or another app) which suggests to me it’s the Gaugemaster WiFi modual. My dad has also had it running on his android tablet, which although more stable, sometimes struggles with the saved functions of each loco in the roster. I still believe it may be the modual at fault and not the Android or Apple apps myself, but happy to be proved otherwise as I have no background knowledge in the systems, only logical common sense.

/* Example sketch to control a Peco Turntable in OO using a 28BYJ-48 stepper motor with ULN2003 driver board, AccelStepper and Arduino UNO: acceleration and deceleration. By A.Sollis Dec 2020 */ // Include the AccelStepper library: #include <Stepper.h> #include <AccelStepper.h> #include <Wire.h> // Motor pin definitions: #define motorPin1 8 // IN1 on the ULN2003 driver #define motorPin2 9 // IN2 on the ULN2003 driver #define motorPin3 10 // IN3 on the ULN2003 driver #define motorPin4 11 // IN4 on the ULN2003 driver // Define the AccelStepper interface type; 4 wire motor in half step mode: #define MotorInterfaceType 8 // Initialize with pin sequence IN1-IN3-IN2-IN4 for using the AccelStepper library with 28BYJ-48 stepper motor: AccelStepper stepper = AccelStepper(MotorInterfaceType, motorPin1, motorPin3, motorPin2, motorPin4); int Pin07Read ; // step Road 1 (head) int Pin06Read ; // step Road 2 (head) int Pin05Read ; // step Road 3 (head) int Pin04Read ; // step Road 1 (tail) int Pin03Read ; // step Road 2 (tail) int Pin02Read ; // step Road 3 (tail) int PinA1Read ; // Nudge left int PinA2Read ; // Nudge right void setup() { digitalWrite(16,HIGH); digitalWrite(15,HIGH); digitalWrite(7, HIGH); digitalWrite(6, HIGH); digitalWrite(5, HIGH); digitalWrite(4, HIGH); digitalWrite(3, HIGH); digitalWrite(2, HIGH); Serial.begin(9600); // Start screen print // Set the maximum steps per second: stepper.setMaxSpeed(60); // Set the maximum acceleration in steps per second^2: stepper.setAcceleration(5); //configure pin13 as an input and enable the internal pull-up resistor pinMode(13, INPUT_PULLUP); //configure analogue pin 1 and 2 to be used for "nudge" sequence pinMode(A1, INPUT_PULLUP); pinMode(A2, INPUT_PULLUP); //read the sensor (open collector type) value into a variable int sensorVal = digitalRead(13); // if near reference point move away sensorVal = digitalRead(13); Serial.println("Finding Sensor Clockwise"); // Turn clockwise to find sensor while (sensorVal == HIGH) { sensorVal = digitalRead(13); stepper.moveTo(stepper.currentPosition() + 1000); stepper.runSpeedToPosition(); delay(5); } // step forward to sensor index point Serial.println("Finding Sensor anti clockwise"); // turn to find sensor while (sensorVal == LOW) { sensorVal = digitalRead(13); stepper.moveTo(stepper.currentPosition() - 100); stepper.runSpeedToPosition(); delay(50); } stepper.setCurrentPosition(0); } void loop() { // run to position with set acceleration stepper.runToPosition(); Pin07Read = digitalRead(7) ; Pin06Read = digitalRead(6) ; Pin05Read = digitalRead(5) ; Pin04Read = digitalRead(4) ; Pin03Read = digitalRead(3) ; Pin02Read = digitalRead(2) ; PinA1Read = digitalRead(15) ; PinA2Read = digitalRead(16) ; // check which button is being pressed - chooses which road is set if (PinA1Read == LOW) { stepper.move(+20); Serial.println("Nudge Clockwise: "); delay(500); } else if (PinA2Read == LOW) { stepper.move(-20); Serial.print("Nudge anti-clockwise: "); delay(500); } else if (Pin07Read == LOW) { stepper.moveTo(350); Serial.println("Current Road 3 +350: "); } else if (Pin06Read == LOW) { stepper.moveTo(0); Serial.print("Current Road 2 zero: "); } else if (Pin05Read == LOW) { stepper.moveTo(-350); Serial.print("Current Road 1 -350: "); } else if (Pin04Read == LOW) { stepper.moveTo(2400); Serial.print("Current Road 6 2400: "); } else if (Pin03Read == LOW) { stepper.moveTo(2090); Serial.print("Current Road 5 2090: "); } else if (Pin02Read == LOW) { stepper.moveTo(1725); Serial.print("Current Road 4 1725: "); } else { digitalWrite(8, LOW); digitalWrite(9, LOW); digitalWrite(10, LOW); digitalWrite(11, LOW);; Serial.print("Current steppermotor position: "); Serial.println(stepper.currentPosition()); } } Here is my code should anyone be interested. 6 pre-set positions, hall sensor to set zero from the deck. Andy

Thank you guys, Sorted! Just need to physically wire it in to the box and then set the steps to nudge. Andy

I think it will probably be more fun in the end to just add the extra nudge buttons. what I’ve tried and failed in is actually doing the nudge so far. I can move to a preset position, but it seems to throw an error when I add in to the sketch a +or- figure ? I’m guess I’m not doing it right as still learning. It’s not quite like the BBC basic and Comodore basic I did 30 Years ago as a kid !

Oops! Yes. edited the auto corruptions!

Thanks Gents. I’ll give this a try as I don’t seem to be getting any joy with dialling out backlash on my turntable (see Simond’s turntable thread mentioned previously) so I thought I’d add two more push buttons to nudge the deck a step or two either way. andy

Odd question ...I’m using an Uno and have used all the digital inputs. can I also use the analogue ones for a switch to trigger an action with a stepper motor? or would I be better looking at a mega board?

A very grateful PM has been sent. andy

Well I seem to have come to a standstill, waiting on others to give me a hint with code that I can’t fathom on my own. Maybe a model forum is not the best place to ask, but also lacked replies on the other forums. it may have to simply be I add another button to just nudge the deck

Very interesting. any progress?

Yes, that’s just the issue.. maybe I need to be less of a cheap skate and go for a better stepper .. lol but that will probably mean a re-write of the sketch. (Why is it a sketch and not coding?? We never had sketches when I did GCSE and A level computing in the 1990’s? Mind you it was on a BBC model B! A sketch was what you did in art class!)

Hello again... Ive finally caught up on the previous 27 pages of the topic.. now a few years back someone mentioned re adding in a line to the sketch re “Backlash”.... as I’m still learning on the programming side, how do I set this up? I think I can follow how to add it in later in the loop, but I’ve not really understood the setup phase? Would it be something like stepper == backlash ? I think if I can master this bit it will really put the cream on the cake for my very basic (and cheap) set up non DCC using the 28BJY-48 stepper with the ULN2003 sheild. Andy

Gents, I’m not getting a result I expect and would like to ask for some further help. so when the turntable is in place and on the layout I can work out the final figures to align the tracks to I have used the following to show on the serial monitor.: Serial.print(“Position: “); Serial.print(stepper.currentPosition()); but this only updates when it stops? anyone know a change to show it as it increments and decreases live? (Is it possible?) Andy