Gaugemaster DCC80 frog juicer

[Junctionmad]

Is your booster tripping out before the juicer switches 

[Mel_H]

Going back to the original question, just in case somebody falls over this topic in the future like I recently did, I have had experience with both electronic and relay-based systems.

 

I’ve just installed a hex frog juicer to control a return loop, where the polarity is reversed.

 

It’s a DCC layout and elsewhere I’ve installed Megapoints relay systems.

 

The hex frog juicer is brilliant!. It’s great if you have a number of frogs you want to control in a short area. And it’s also brilliant if soldering isn’t your bag! You simply connect power in from the track to the juicer, and there are six outputs, which you connect the Central wire from an electric frog point. The hex from juicer connections are all screw based, and you could use miniature chocolate blocks with screw connectors to extend the wire from your electric points. Obviously soldering is preferred but this is a great get out.

 

It works absolutely brilliantly and takes up only a small amount of space, Being roughly 4 in. Square

  

The only downside is the cost per frog is more expensive than the gaugemaster, or megapoints solution.

 

I haven’t used the gauge master solution, as I wasn’t aware of it when I started work on the layout. It looks pretty straightforward, but clearly you need to be A dab hand with soldering.

 

The mega points relate based unit works on a similar principle, and will also throw your turnouts. Are use a server controller version. Again it’s more cost-effective than the frog juicer (depending on how you throw your frogs) butIt does take more physical space on the layout and involve more wiring as you have to take a wire from each of the stock rails plus the point frog, in other words three wires in total, back to the relay driver.

 

if you’ve got a lot of points, then this can be quite a bit of wiring.

 

In terms of running through a point the wrong way by accident, the hex frog juicer is the best as it will simply sort everything out and you won’t notice.

 

This would be ideal if for example you had trading points with the springs removed on the exit from Siddle yard. And, you deliberately want to run the trains through the points without having to change them. 

 

Also, due to the way the hex frog juice works – by automatically detecting and changing the polarity – if you want to hand work your points it’s the best solution.

 

With the megapoints module, and by the sound of it the Gaugemaster version, if you run through incorrectly set points it will cause a short and bring your layout to a stand. For the layout I’ve been wiring this is a very good safety feature as it prevents derailments and collisions caused by operator error. Which system you would prefer in that case is entirely down to how you view running through points that have not been set.

 

So in summary, the hex frog juicer is the most Expensive, but the easiest to install and use. The megapoints and gaugemaster system are less expensive, with the gaugemaster being the cheapest and suited to any type of point operation apart from handworked, but need more skills with the soldering iron. The Megapoints Controllers could be wired without using a soldering iron as again it’s all screw terminals.

 

Hope this helps anybody who wonders about the answer to the original question

[Nigelcliffe]

1 hour ago, Mel_H said:

Going back to the original question, just in case somebody falls over this topic in the future like I recently did, I have had experience with both electronic and relay-based systems.

 

I’ve just installed a hex frog juicer to control a return loop, where the polarity is reversed.

 

It’s a DCC layout and elsewhere I’ve installed Megapoints relay systems.

 

The hex frog juicer is brilliant!. It’s great if you have a number of frogs you want to control in a short area. And it’s also brilliant if soldering isn’t your bag! You simply connect power in from the track to the juicer, and there are six outputs, which you connect the Central wire from an electric frog point. The hex from juicer connections are all screw based, and you could use miniature chocolate blocks with screw connectors to extend the wire from your electric points. Obviously soldering is preferred but this is a great get out.

 

It works absolutely brilliantly and takes up only a small amount of space, Being roughly 4 in. Square

  

The only downside is the cost per frog is more expensive than the gaugemaster, or megapoints solution.

 

...............

 

The mega points relate based unit works on a similar principle, and will also throw your turnouts. Are use a server controller version. Again it’s more cost-effective than the frog juicer (depending on how you throw your frogs) butIt does take more physical space on the layout and involve more wiring as you have to take a wire from each of the stock rails plus the point frog, in other words three wires in total, back to the relay driver.

 

 

No, the total wiring is the same...    If all your turnouts are in the same power district, then two wires (from the DCC to the track) into the Megapoints relay modules,  and one wire per turnout out to the frog.  ie. same count as the hex frog juicer. 

 

That you choose to double up the wiring so each relay has its own track feed is unnecessary.   

 

 

If using wires into screw terminals, its worth investing in a ferrule crimping system, and fitting ferrules to every wire.  Seems a faff when you start, then you realise after a while how much simpler stuff is.  They're not expensive tools - probably paid £25 for mine with a large starter box of ferrules.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Nigel

 

 

[thegreenhowards]

On 22/09/2020 at 15:52, Mel_H said:

Going back to the original question, just in case somebody falls over this topic in the future like I recently did, I have had experience with both electronic and relay-based systems.

 

I’ve just installed a hex frog juicer to control a return loop, where the polarity is reversed.

 

It’s a DCC layout and elsewhere I’ve installed Megapoints relay systems.

 

The hex frog juicer is brilliant!. It’s great if you have a number of frogs you want to control in a short area. And it’s also brilliant if soldering isn’t your bag! You simply connect power in from the track to the juicer, and there are six outputs, which you connect the Central wire from an electric frog point. The hex from juicer connections are all screw based, and you could use miniature chocolate blocks with screw connectors to extend the wire from your electric points. Obviously soldering is preferred but this is a great get out.

 

It works absolutely brilliantly and takes up only a small amount of space, Being roughly 4 in. Square

  

The only downside is the cost per frog is more expensive than the gaugemaster, or megapoints solution.

 

I haven’t used the gauge master solution, as I wasn’t aware of it when I started work on the layout. It looks pretty straightforward, but clearly you need to be A dab hand with soldering.

 

The mega points relate based unit works on a similar principle, and will also throw your turnouts. Are use a server controller version. Again it’s more cost-effective than the frog juicer (depending on how you throw your frogs) butIt does take more physical space on the layout and involve more wiring as you have to take a wire from each of the stock rails plus the point frog, in other words three wires in total, back to the relay driver.

 

if you’ve got a lot of points, then this can be quite a bit of wiring.

 

In terms of running through a point the wrong way by accident, the hex frog juicer is the best as it will simply sort everything out and you won’t notice.

 

This would be ideal if for example you had trading points with the springs removed on the exit from Siddle yard. And, you deliberately want to run the trains through the points without having to change them. 

 

Also, due to the way the hex frog juice works – by automatically detecting and changing the polarity – if you want to hand work your points it’s the best solution.

 

With the megapoints module, and by the sound of it the Gaugemaster version, if you run through incorrectly set points it will cause a short and bring your layout to a stand. For the layout I’ve been wiring this is a very good safety feature as it prevents derailments and collisions caused by operator error. Which system you would prefer in that case is entirely down to how you view running through points that have not been set.

 

So in summary, the hex frog juicer is the most Expensive, but the easiest to install and use. The megapoints and gaugemaster system are less expensive, with the gaugemaster being the cheapest and suited to any type of point operation apart from handworked, but need more skills with the soldering iron. The Megapoints Controllers could be wired without using a soldering iron as again it’s all screw terminals.

 

Hope this helps anybody who wonders about the answer to the original question

Why do you say that the gaugemaster DCC80 is not suited to hand worked points? I use two on my hand word peco electro frog 3 way and it works fine.

 

Andy

[Oldddudders]

I have about 20 DCC80s on two layouts, OO and HOn3, and all points are handworked. Never an issue. 

[thegreenhowards]

On 08/07/2017 at 22:23, The Bigbee Line said:

My parcel arrived today.  The DCC80 units are quite compact with just a few electronic components on the board.  I wired the 2 units to a couple of Peco O gauge points.  I had previously wired the switch and stock rails together with a fly lead to each loose heeled switch.  The wire link from the frog to the closure rails was removed and a wire soldered to the wire link under the frog.

 

 

Using the Roco DCC system the DCC80 switches worked fine.  As the locomotive entered the dead section you could hear a slight click as the relay operated.

 

 

 

Seem simple enough.  Forgot to mention, the loco is a Dapol Terrier with Sound.  That works fine with no hesitation when negotiating and switching the frogs. I did wonder if the sound would stutter, but it was faultless.

 

The feed to the track was connected with wires soldered to fishplates rather than direct to the rails, to enable changes to be made if required.  The wiring below is not in its final position

 

 

Pictures now uploaded

Sorry to quote a very old post but I wondered if you could confirm that they are still working well on your 0 gauge layout?

 

I’m a huge fan of these in 00 gauge and have several working reliably. I’m now considering using them for our new club 0 gauge layout but worried about the stated max current draw of 2 Amps. Any comments on their suitability for 0 gauge would be much appreciated.

 

Regards

 

Andy