Using Cobalt Digital point motors with DC

[Lacathedrale]

I've got a layout which is wired up for DCC - I've not yet decided to chuck the towel in, but I think it would be helpful to be able to toggle between DC and DCC to simplify things. It looks like, based on the owners manual for the Cobalt Digital point motors that they can be powered by DC and actuated with a momentary contact pushbutton. Presumably because they are intended for DCC layouts, they note 'since the track power will be different from the DC power to the unit, you can't use the frog polarity switcher and have to use the associated auxiliary switching points' - but in my case I would be running both the layout AND the point motors on DC. Is this a configuration that's supported/advised/possible?

 

Owner's manual here, I can't seem to find the answer: https://www.dccconcepts.com/manual/owners-manual-cobalt-digital-point-motors/

 

I was planning on using a cheap 12V 2A power supply to feed the motors, if this worked out.

[Sol]

Why not contact DCC Concepts direct ?  https://www.dccconcepts.com/contact-us/

[Brian]

Hi

I think the answer is simply No, you can not run the frog switch via the T3. The two power feeds to the Cobalt need to be independent.  The motor requires 12 volts regulated DC to operate. Your DC supply to the rails will not be regulated and will fluctuate between zero volts and a nominal 12 volts DC and it will reverse when direction of travel is changed.   Therefore it cannot be used to operate the Cobalt nor the T3 frog polarity as that will be at the motors drive voltage not the rail volts.  Note the T3 frog or LED output is taken directly from the motors operating input connection T1 and T2 and switched internally.   

Hope that makes sense?    

As this is the older non ip version of the Cobalt motor (according to the manual link provided) you will need to feed the T1 & T2 operating terminals with a fixed  and regulated 12 volts DC and use the electrically independent change-over contacts T6, T7 & T8 to feed the frog. Connect momentary non locking normally open push button to T4 and T5.

The ip range are slightly different and not covered in my text above.

[Junctionmad]

Quote

I was planning on using a cheap 12V 2A power supply to feed the motors, if this worked out.

yes that can power up the Digital IP Cobalts fine , you just cant use DC track power, but you clearly understand that 

 

You can use the CLR switch on the Cobalt  independently to switch the frog using the DC  track supplies from your Dc controller of course 

 

 

Edited June 4, 2019 by Junctionmad

[Lacathedrale]

Thank you all, I spoke to dcc concepts and they said basically the same thing - The T3/Frog output coming straight out of the input connection explains everything