Dapol working signals review

[xm607]

I am just trying to find out which component fails, if any one knows.

Steve. 

[rue_d_etropal]

Given all the problems and the returns of these signals, I would expect the to be a large store of non working signals somewhere. I am sure that if these were offered as non working ones, at a much reduced price there would be a lot of interest. I would certainly consider buying some more.

One part of the design I don't like is having to have a baseboard deep enough( I mainly build lightweight micro layouts).

Not everyone build layoutsin traditional way, hence why surface mounted point motors are so popular. I would consider motorising the signals using some form of surface mounted motor. I could easily connect up the operating signal wire with a Peco point motor adapter(PL12), which then means it can be operated by motor or hand. Keepin it simple is best way to have a fully workin system, which is easy to fix, and is less likely to fail half way through an exhibition.

[Stevelewis]

Given  that  the  change  of  power input  requirement  for  the  signals  was  flagged  over  6  months  ago,  it  is  interesting to  note  that  the  instructions  have not ben amended!

 

I recvd  2  from  Hattons  yesterday,  which  have been out of  stock for  a  while, so  obviosly  been  recvd  from Dapol recently   BUT   still no mention  of  not  using 16V AC

 

If Dapol  find  it  difficult to open  up each pack to  place  amendments inside  before  distributing  them to the  trade   (assuming  these  are  packed in China)  Then  surely it  is not  beyond  the  realms  of  practicality for  a  sticker  indicating  the  power  requirement  change  to be  attached  to  the  OUTSIDE of  the  pack.

 

Thus  perhaps  reducing   the number  of  returns  Dapol   would  receive from  'new users'  Thus  saving  them additional  expense  and  protecting  profits

 

I sometimes  wonder  at  the  logic  or  lack of logic  some  manufacturers  show.   

[Barry Ten]

One of mine failed over the weekend. I've removed it for bench testing but other than a flicker of light from the LED on DC, it seems dead. 

 

It's not been a great innings. My first unit failed mechanically, my second (which I installed on Paynestown and then sold) was reported to have broken, and now this one. I've got one

remaining unit in use but I'll think I'll look for other signalling solutions now. I don't want to get into Dapol bashing as I do like their diesels but these signals have been a bit of a disappointment

to me. I'd have been willing to pay more for a more robust, realistic and better engineered product, but then in fairness I wouldn't have needed to buy more than a couple.

[Stevelewis]

One of mine failed over the weekend. I've removed it for bench testing but other than a flicker of light from the LED on DC, it seems dead. 

 

It's not been a great innings. My first unit failed mechanically, my second (which I installed on Paynestown and then sold) was reported to have broken, and now this one. I've got one

remaining unit in use but I'll think I'll look for other signalling solutions now. I don't want to get into Dapol bashing as I do like their diesels but these signals have been a bit of a disappointment

to me. I'd have been willing to pay more for a more robust, realistic and better engineered product, but then in fairness I wouldn't have needed to buy more than a couple.

 

Thing is  though  that since  the  change  of  instructions  re  the  lower  voltage, I  have  experienced no failures  whatsoever  ( 6 months) on  those  I have newly   installed or   altered  the  power supply  on those already in use ( around  15 signals) and others  I know who  have them on their  layouts  have  reprted  the  same  success.  So as far  as  I am concerned  the signals  are OK  Now  I don't think  that  robustness  is  an  issue.

[Barry Ten]

Thing is  though  that since  the  change  of  instructions  re  the  lower  voltage, I  have  experienced no failures  whatsoever  ( 6 months) on  those  I have newly   installed or   altered  the  power supply  on those already in use ( around  15 signals) and others  I know who  have them on their  layouts  have  reprted  the  same  success.  So as far  as  I am concerned  the signals  are OK  Now  I don't think  that  robustness  is  an  issue.

 

I only heard about this change of instruction last week, when looking through this thread - it's not much use to those of us who bought the signals and just read the instructions that came with them!

[Rshakes3]

I`ve been keeping an eye on this thread as I was interested in purchasing some of these but was very disappointed to hear of the number of failures. However I have purchased 4 new LMS Upper Quadrants from Hattons with the new instructions and a 9 V 500ma dedicated power supply following the suggestions made earlier. Once delivered I set them up on a ‘test rig’ and operated them with DCC Cobalt levers for a week before I installed them on the layout. So far after 3 week’s worth of operation I have had no real issues with them. I have noticed that if the signal arms have been ‘on’ when I`ve powered them off at the end of a session at power on  the next day one or 2 of them may need a recycle but then no issues -  So fingers crossed and so far so good but I`m very happy with them.

[brenn]

can somebody please point me in the direction of the post concerning this amended power supply as i'm about to fit 2 this weekend

 

TA

 

Brenn

[phil-b259]

can somebody please point me in the direction of the post concerning this amended power supply as i'm about to fit 2 this weekend

 

TA

 

Brenn

 

Here https://www.Dapol.co.uk/index.php?route=blog/post&post_id=37

 

However the key point is Do NOT power these signals from a 16V AC supply REGARDLESS OF WHAT ANY PAPER INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDED WITH THE SIGNAL SAY.

 

Dapol now recommend using a 12V DC supply - but as others have noted the signals will actually work quite well off a 9V one. Indeed its possible to test them with a bog standard 9V battery.

[Rshakes3]

Yes - take a look at post 680 from page 28

[brenn]

Thanks folks.......any suggestion on the 9V suppy......??...

 

Brenn

[Suzie]

Hi Brenn

 

If you are looking to operate them with DCC the Signalist DP8 includes a 9V DC supply to power the signals from whatever supply you have to hand (DCC track, 12V DC or 16V AC).

 

Otherwise something like a 2A 9V plugtop such as Rapid 85-3748 should suffice.

[The Johnster]

Now this is interesting.  I had discounted the Dapol working signals as unreliable from their reputation, but if a working fix has been found I should at least give the matter some more thought.  There are only 4 signals on my small BLT so it would not be a complete impossibility cost wise and I am intending to eventually (definition of eventually: at a very unspecified time in the future which is so far away as to not really matter if it never happens, as in, 'the sun will eventually burn out') have some night time or at least dusk operation.  And my new handheld controller means there is a 12v DC supply going begging from the old power controller, attached to a control knob.

 

Plenty modelling to be getting on with for now, though!

Edited September 9, 2017 by The Johnster

[mvwilson]

Does anyone know the voltage output of the traintech dcc controller for these signals?

[Stevelewis]

I`ve been keeping an eye on this thread as I was interested in purchasing some of these but was very disappointed to hear of the number of failures. However I have purchased 4 new LMS Upper Quadrants from Hattons with the new instructions and a 9 V 500ma dedicated power supply following the suggestions made earlier. Once delivered I set them up on a ‘test rig’ and operated them with DCC Cobalt levers for a week before I installed them on the layout. So far after 3 week’s worth of operation I have had no real issues with them. I have noticed that if the signal arms have been ‘on’ when I`ve powered them off at the end of a session at power on  the next day one or 2 of them may need a recycle but then no issues -  So fingers crossed and so far so good but I`m very happy with them.

 

What  you observe is  correct,  as  pointed  out a lot  earlier  I  have been  using  a  9v supply on  several  signals  for  several months  now  without  a  single  problem  ( ie no failures) prior to  this  I had  a failure  rate  of  around  75%  on  20+ signals ( all failures  refunded by retailer).

 

It may be  worth  at  this  stage  repeating  a  suggestion  to  those   new to  the signals  that  if  they  find  them   a little  noisy  when in  use,  simply  wrap   2 or 3  turns of  thin foam  around  the  motor  section  below  the  baseboard, this  will muffle  the  sound  and  will not cause  any  problems with  the electronics  as  the motor  only  runs momentarily so there   will be  no  heat  build up. 

[The Johnster]

Looking at the range I probably won't be going down this route, sadly, as I need 2 bracket signals.  Pity, they look like a nice model and are a good idea.

Edited September 10, 2017 by The Johnster

[Richard E]

Shame that the promised bracket signals never appeared - I need 4 (eek!).

[Stephen Freeman]

There are better options than Dapol of course but cost is higher.

[Richard E]

Now that has set me thinking as I need a number of plain signals also. Location is GWR/LNWR joint line in Shropshire and era is 1930's. Sadly photographs on the internet seem almost impossible to find.

[Chris M]

Now this is interesting.  I had discounted the Dapol working signals as unreliable from their reputation, but if a working fix has been found I should at least give the matter some more thought.  There are only 4 signals on my small BLT so it would not be a complete impossibility cost wise and I am intending to eventually (definition of eventually: at a very unspecified time in the future which is so far away as to not really matter if it never happens, as in, 'the sun will eventually burn out') have some night time or at least dusk operation.  And my new handheld controller means there is a 12v DC supply going begging from the old power controller, attached to a control knob.

 

Plenty modelling to be getting on with for now, though!

Might be a good idea to put a resistor in the circuit just to drop the voltage a bit. A capacitor might also be good to help reduce any spikes. My signals worked fine for a long time and quite a few exhibitions on 18 volts ac. Following a change of cdu, which was driven by the same power source, all my signals died one by one over two days at the next exhibition. My guess is that the power supply became more spikey which blew components on the pcb in the signals.

[dunnyrail]

I`ve been keeping an eye on this thread as I was interested in purchasing some of these but was very disappointed to hear of the number of failures. However I have purchased 4 new LMS Upper Quadrants from Hattons with the new instructions and a 9 V 500ma dedicated power supply following the suggestions made earlier. Once delivered I set them up on a ‘test rig’ and operated them with DCC Cobalt levers for a week before I installed them on the layout. So far after 3 week’s worth of operation I have had no real issues with them. I have noticed that if the signal arms have been ‘on’ when I`ve powered them off at the end of a session at power on  the next day one or 2 of them may need a recycle but then no issues -  So fingers crossed and so far so good but I`m very happy with them.

So can you tell me how they are wired up to the Cobolt Levers please? I have found the instructions from Cobolt to be of little help other than to use the passing switch. But what contacts are these? Colour Coded reply would be very helpful. Thanks

JonD

[Rshakes3]

Yes, on the Momentary switch you have Green & Red for the solenoid sides and the Black is the common.

Just join the Green & Red together and connect ‘them’ to one of the Yellows from the Signal – connect the Black to the other Yellow & off you go.

 

The connection is covered in the manual  - page 7 - and this link should take you there

 

https://www.dccconcepts.com/manual/overview-of-the-cobalt-s-lever/

 

And so far so good with mine – no issue to report with the 9 Volt 500 MA power supply.

[dunnyrail]

Yes, on the Momentary switch you have Green & Red for the solenoid sides and the Black is the common.

Just join the Green & Red together and connect ‘them’ to one of the Yellows from the Signal – connect the Black to the other Yellow & off you go.

 

The connection is covered in the manual  - page 7 - and this link should take you there

 

https://www.dccconcepts.com/manual/overview-of-the-cobalt-s-lever/

 

And so far so good with mine – no issue to report with the 9 Volt 500 MA power supply.

Many thanks, I think the Cobolt Pages have been updated since I last tried to understand them! Many thanks for taking the time to point me the right way.

JonD

[class37418stag]

Hello everyone

 

Southern signal are small than LMS or GWR taller signal ?

 

I am look for small signal

 

Thank you

[Gwiwer]

The SR signals are shorter than the others in both lattice and post versions.