Morley Controllers

[Junctionmad]

Both the gaugemaster and the vector are simple emitter followers ,  very simple circuit 

 

Dave 

[mikesndbs]

Anyone got the 'Crawler' yet?

[spikey]

2 hours ago, mikesndbs said:

Anyone got the 'Crawler' yet?

 

I haven't - but I do wish he'd brought it out before I bought my Vector Zero 2. 

 

Having said that, I'm perfectly happy with what I've got - I'm just left with a nagging feeling that I'd be even even happier still with the Crawler ...

[mikesndbs]

3 minutes ago, spikey said:

 

I haven't - but I do wish he'd brought it out before I bought my Vector Zero 2. 

 

Having said that, I'm perfectly happy with what I've got - I'm just left with a nagging feeling that I'd be even even happier still with the Crawler ...

 

Ah OK, did you catch my modification?

[spikey]

2 hours ago, mikesndbs said:

 

Ah OK, did you catch my modification?

 

Was that the one with the two matched replacement capacitors?  If so, yes - but not a goer for me because (a) no facility to match a pair of electrolytics and (b) if in due course I decide to go to DCC, I can flog the one I've got as unadulterated, so to speak.

[mikesndbs]

42 minutes ago, spikey said:

 

Was that the one with the two matched replacement capacitors?  If so, yes - but not a goer for me because (a) no facility to match a pair of electrolytics and (b) if in due course I decide to go to DCC, I can flog the one I've got as unadulterated, so to speak.

ah yes I see your point.

Cheers

[KGV]

Seem like Morley have upgraded their Vector to a Zero Three version.  It seems that these are same/similar price and have a centre-off knob.

I think I'll be getting a MORLEY Vector Zero Three Crawler when the wallet allows it.  I think they look much better than the Gaugemaster ones.

[DCB]

On 28/10/2017 at 14:19, Inversneckie said:

It's very interesting to see that this firms awful "customer service" i.e. rude responses to perfectly reasonable enquiries go back such a long time.  As has been mentioned on this thread such behaviour does call into question the usefullness of their 5 year guarantee.

 

Does anybody have any experience regarding how the company have dealt with requests for service during the guarantee period please? 

Had to send a Vector back for attention a couple of weeks ago one of the cut outs was cutting out embarrassingly quickly.  . Phoned up for advice and they said send it back.  Posted it off with return postage and it came back a couple of days later with problem fixed.  I get the impression they like phone calls rather than emails.

 

 

On 01/03/2019 at 07:40, TheQ said:

Building controllers is not that hard,  I've got R. A.  Penfold circuit  books dating back 40+years. There are updated copies around.. 

Not sure Penfold did these controllers.   Morley don't like people opening their controllers up, it voids the guarantee apparently.

However I have had an N gauge OnTrack apart, they use the same centre off pot as the Morley, and it appears to be two circuits per output fed by an 16 -0 -16 volt transformer. I did have a cunning plan to upgrade it with different transistors and better heat sinks and feed it 16 volts from a remote transformer to use on 00 but it looks like I need a remote 16 - 0- 16 volt unit which is much harder to source.  The remotes are great, I made up a 5 pin to 4 pin Din adaptor and use OnTrack and Morley hand helds interchangeably, and also a centre off pot secured to the baseboard hidden by a plate layers hut when not in use. 

[mikesndbs]

Morley's controllers are flexible, elegantly built and designed.

However, until I modified mine I had poor low speed control and sharp start offs due to (in my opinion) too much smoothing on the dc rails inside.

I suspect the Crawler to have implemented my change, but it's also very possible that they have done something even better that does not affect the top speed.

Trouble is, they became very shall we say 'odd' when I did a review of the 02 and compared it with the GM model D. I was favorable to both.

 

 

A real shame because GM is open and happy to discuss and work with you.

 

All a GM model D needs in my opinion is a 33uF non polarized electrolytic across each channel to act as a filter for coreless motors and then its lovely. But the Morley plug in handhelds win over every time. I use the Morley all the time now.

Edited May 14, 2019 by mikesndbs
No point digging at them

[paul 27]

On ‎14‎/‎05‎/‎2019 at 14:10, mikesndbs said:

Morley's controllers are flexible, elegantly built and designed.

However, until I modified mine I had poor low speed control and sharp start offs due to (in my opinion) too much smoothing on the dc rails inside.

I suspect the Crawler to have implemented my change, but it's also very possible that they have done something even better that does not affect the top speed.

Trouble is, they became very shall we say 'odd' when I did a review of the 02 and compared it with the GM model D. I was favorable to both.

 

 

A real shame because GM is open and happy to discuss and work with you.

 

All a GM model D needs in my opinion is a 33uF non polarized electrolytic across each channel to act as a filter for coreless motors and then its lovely. But the Morley plug in handhelds win over every time. I use the Morley all the time now.

Would this conversion be suitable for the GM  DF and  HH  feedbacks I need to get rid of the buzz from the locos

but not change there superb slow running qualities.

[Paul_sterling]

On 13/05/2019 at 09:00, mikesndbs said:

Anyone got the 'Crawler' yet?

 

Hi Mike, 

 

I've now taken delivery of two Vector Zero3 Crawler units. 

 

first impressions are good. tried it on a Bachmann K3, and it was totally silent, with great slow speed control, up to a respectable top speed. 

 

My Hornby Class 50 was less co-operative, but I think this is because the loco needs a decent wheel clean (drat those traction tyres!).

 

I bought them with 5m handheld units, and on reflection, with switch-gear, I could probably operate the whole layout on just one Vector unit, but the intention is that one room "Grosmont"  can be worked independently of the other room "Goathland and Ruswarp". Having the handheld units is a revelation, and I'm so pleased I went with the Morley units. 

 

I will write a more detailed review in due course, though in the case of model railway electronics, i am merely an operator! 

 

Thanks, Paul. 

Edited November 22, 2019 by Paul_sterling

[mikesndbs]

4 hours ago, Paul_sterling said:

 

Hi Mike, 

 

I've now taken delivery of two Vector Zero3 Crawler units. 

 

first impressions are good. tried it on a Bachmann K3, and it was totally silent, with great slow speed control, up to a respectable top speed. 

 

My Hornby Class 50 was less co-operative, but I think this is because the loco needs a decent wheel clean (drat those traction tyres!).

 

I bought them with 5m handheld units, and on reflection, with switch-gear, I could probably operate the whole layout on just one Vector unit, but the intention is that one room "Grosmont"  can be worked independently of the other room "Goathland and Ruswarp". Having the handheld units is a revelation, and I'm so pleased I went with the Morley units. 

 

I will write a more detailed review in due course, though in the case of model railway electronics, i am merely an operator! 

 

Thanks, Paul. 

 

 

Great news Paul, I'll look out for updates from you.

[Gwiwer]

No Crawler here but for 15 years in Australia I was very happy with my Vortrak Australian model which included an in-built cooling fan.  Even with that addition it could cut out on very hot days but remembering we are talking air temperatures of the high-40s Centigrade plus the residual heat any controller generates.

 

That beast came back to the UK when we returned home and was set to be used on the in-build layout but wasn't looking its best and I had managed to fry the CDU at some stage though I have no idea how.  

 

So a new Vortrak was obtained and is even better than the Zero-Nine I had before.  Upgraded to the Zero-Ten specification it features centre-off clicks which was a frustrating omission on the earlier models and regularly commented upon.  When the competition is the Gaugemaster range something that minor makes a difference.  

 

If anyone wants an old Vortrak Zero-Nine inbuilt fan model with one dead output / CDU and in need of some serious spit and polish then it's available for collection in return for a sensible quantity of modelling vouchers.  Aussie voltage is the same as UK, I have changed the plug for a UK one and it is perfectly compatible.  

Edited November 22, 2019 by Gwiwer

[paul 27]

On 14/05/2019 at 14:10, mikesndbs said:

Morley's controllers are flexible, elegantly built and designed.

However, until I modified mine I had poor low speed control and sharp start offs due to (in my opinion) too much smoothing on the dc rails inside.

I suspect the Crawler to have implemented my change, but it's also very possible that they have done something even better that does not affect the top speed.

Trouble is, they became very shall we say 'odd' when I did a review of the 02 and compared it with the GM model D. I was favorable to both.

 

 

A real shame because GM is open and happy to discuss and work with you.

 

All a GM model D needs in my opinion is a 33uF non polarized electrolytic across each channel to act as a filter for coreless motors and then its lovely. But the Morley plug in handhelds win over every time. I use the Morley all the time now.

How does the latest Crawler 3 compare with the Gaugemaster D are they the same or better

for very slow running would like opinions please before purchasing.

[DCB]

3 years and 10 months on....    

1 hour ago, paul 27 said:

How does the latest Crawler 3 compare with the Gaugemaster D are they the same or better

for very slow running would like opinions please before purchasing.

You are asking the wrong question, the Morley will run good condition well set up locos at ridiculously low speed.   It's not as good as even an old Duette on half wave at getting dog rough loads of junk to rattle along like a 3 legged  Crustacean with arthritis.    As I understand it the Gaugemaster has 330 ish degrees travel from 0 to max plus a reversing switch and the Morley 165 ish degrees 0 to max or 330 degrees Max - stop -Max, with no separate reverse switch so the Morley needs far more skill to get fine adjustment of  low speed, and the Gaugemaster the dexterity of a rattlesnake to arrest a slip,    The Morley has no OFF position on its potentiometer going straight from forward to reverse, which can be an issue.  It will deliver under 0.25 volts at minimum speed  ( a Duette is over 21 volts by comparison.)  I test LEDs with mine.  The Morley has the best remote I have ever used, 3 wire,  (uses 3 has 4 ) one of mine has an extension lead well over 30 feet long,  It doesn't get hot.  You can make extra ones for about £2.50's worth of potentiometer.   If you sit at a control panel  then the Gaugemaster makes sense but if you like to move around the layout operating  in different places the Morley with its remote (Extend it with Stereo Jacks like I do if you habitually step on wires)   is brilliant,  but change the control knob for a H&M or similar the bigger the knob on a half turn travel the easier it is to judge the speed setting. 

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, DCB said:

The Morley has no OFF position on its potentiometer going straight from forward to reverse, which can be an issue.

The most recent models address this and do have a centre-off click on both the main controller and the walkabout ones.  A simple and much-requested improvement.  

[paul 27]

All my steam locos are of the newer Hornby and Bachmann models i can run

them so slow you can barely see them move but this is on GM DF Feedback.

 

[paul 27]

Just purchased a GM model D  some of the 8 pin  models run slowly

but the 21 pin  run eratically and will only run constant at high speed

not sure what causes this i dont know  if returning to Gaugemaster

will be able to solve this.