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Gaugemaster/Lenz ls150


John Swain
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I have a gaugemaster prodigy advance controller and am trying to route set with Lenz ls150 accessory decoder. The points operate correctly individually but when trying to set up a route the direction of the points does not change using the direction button on the handset. If I set each point correctly before setting the route some of the points throw the opposite way after the route has been set. All suggestions as to the reason gratefully received 

 

John

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It's a while since I dealt with an LS150 but I do recall it does not have a built in CDU as some points decoders do, so assuming you are using solenoid motors it is probably down to a lack of current to shift several points at once. I believe if you have several LS150s the solution is to spread route setting across several decoders. Sorry it is not a very helpful answer.

 

Richard

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Does it consistently throw the same points ‘incorrectly’.  I don’t want to sound rude but is there a mismatch in your wiring to to left hand/right hand solenoid coils and is the route set up to change the point accordingly.

Edited by BoD
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I used LS150 on as previous layout and found some issues similar to what you describe and it was down to the inability of the LS150 to supply sufficient power when switching multiple points. I mostly cured it with a separate and much beefier power supply to the LS150, though 2 turnouts still needed the DCC Concepts individual CDU fitting as for some reason the LS150 would not overcome the locking spring in one direction - I never got to the bottom of why the 2 wouldn't work correctly, i just masked the problem :) 

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I use the prodigy Advance 2 with Peco solenoid points and have 3 routes set  from  Team Digital accessory decoders without a problem. It is important to set all points in the route to the required direction  individually to the same setting (i.e.setting No 1 or No 2 it doesn't matter as long as all are the same) this can be done by switching the wires at the decoder or possibly at the point and then  the route can be set. 

 

Michael

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I have the same set up on 6 of my points. I had alot of problems with LS150 operating routes. In the end I fed each output from the Ls150 to a relay. The relays were connected to a CDU unit which then fired the point motor. I had to put a diode in series to each relay from the LS150 output. It was a fair amount of work but it has been reliable since.

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Have you looked at the software-set interval of your Route command ?

 

The LS150 is not a CDU design, but definately a switched ac supply device (requiring the supply voltage to fall to zero to turn Gate-Turn-Off each output ... and perhaps one reason why a minimum load current is mentioned ( as well as maximum )...

....BTW I found a reference in the USA downloaded  manual that I do not recall reading in my european (original relase?) version concerning incoming volltage/current and a resistor, about device protection.

 

Within a particular module, only 1 output can fire at once ... and so the points become sequenced, however quickly the commands are sent .... and if the time-on duration has been increased for any reason - that will increase the delay before the next point fires.   [ This can be a LONG time if they have been set to 10s each !!! ]

 

I use the LS150 in my loft layout operating rocoline points - which are end-off switching and low current especially compared to peco standard!  I do periodically in in conjunction with certain points experience 'bounce' despite the inbuilt end-off switching - and have had the same experience on our portable layout which used Geoline points .... but for the portable I changed them all to TrainTech CDUs and the problem disappeared (as well as the need for a 16Vac supply)

I have also had problems with or when programming outputs 5 and 6 if a new LS150 had not been given a full factory reset beforehand.....but mine all date from when they were launched.

 

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