Dave4468 Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 Are these as good as they look? I'm starting to build a fully computer controlled and hopefully automated layout. I've got a Digitrax Zephyr to act as a throttle and control it with either JMRI or TrainController. I was planning to use Digitrax BDL168s as the feedback modules and to make use of Loconet. However I've stumbled upon Digikeijs and their DR4088LN-CS starter pack which is quite literally half the cost of two BDL168s and looks to do exactly the same thing. Does anyone have any experience of them as right now they seem too good to be true. Could I use them in place of the BDL168? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIMorrison Posted October 4, 2018 Share Posted October 4, 2018 I recently had contact with the company, so they do exist Elsewhere on RMweb people reported using their products successfully. However, the unit I'm waiting for (the RailCom based feedback detector) won't be available for at least a month or so, so can't tell you first hand. Below is the manual of the 4088LN unit you're interested in. Well, that should've been, but as the file is too big I can't upload it here James www.dcctrainautomation.co.uk has DR5088RC in stock (and he is the UK agent for them) I use the DR5088RC, DR5000, DR4018 and they all work well for me Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Kettlewell Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 I'm using 3 of the Digikeijs boosters and some of their feedback modules (the opto version for reed sensors) which all help to run my automated layout. They all work very well and excellent value for money. I also have one of their DR4018 multiprotocol modules but I haven't set that up yet as I need to get my head round the instructions! It seems good stuff though. I recall writing about these in my layout thread (link below in my signature block). Cheers ... Alan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 James www.dcctrainautomation.co.uk has DR5088RC in stock (and he is the UK agent for them) I use the DR5088RC, DR5000, DR4018 and they all work well for me BUT!! They are all cheaper from Ironplanet on Amazon !!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIMorrison Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 Agreed, but he is in the States and if you are in UK there is a good chance you will have to pay VAT and Tax making it a lot more expensive Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted October 5, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 5, 2018 (edited) Nope, they’re sold from the UK, and available with Prime. Mine was faulty and almost immediately after installing it my ECoS cooked it’s main processor board, could be coincidence, but after 6 years of use it feels unlikely! Can’t decide whether to persist with the DR4088s now the ECoS is repaired. Edited October 5, 2018 by njee20 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 Nope, they’re sold from the UK, and available with Prime. Mine was faulty and almost immediately after installing it my ECoS cooked it’s main processor board, could be coincidence, but after 6 years of use it feels unlikely! Can’t decide whether to persist with the DR4088s now the ECoS is repaired. Sorry....yes i meant that they are on Amazon UK, and I got mine next day using Prime. Mind you, with the lack of documentation, its frustrating for a beginner like me. (And what the hell does "CS" "GND" and "OPTO stand for?????) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vonzack Posted October 8, 2018 Share Posted October 8, 2018 CS is the 2-rail GND is the 3 rail OPTO if I'm understanding it, has LEDs on to show occupancy I have a couple of the DR4088LN-CS versions to install and have used BDL168s in the past, so if I get round to it in the next few days will post back here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold pheaton Posted October 10, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 10, 2018 Good luck ive got an 4088ln and i cant for the life of me get it to work on s88 with the ECoS, ill be interested to know how you get on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fcwilt Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 Good luck ive got an 4088ln and i cant for the life of me get it to work on s88 with the ECoS, ill be interested to know how you get on. Does the ECoS have the required LocoNet port? The 4088LN is designed to use a LocoNet connection. The 4088CS or 4088GND or 4088OPTO is for the S88 bus. Frederick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fcwilt Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 CS is the 2-rail GND is the 3 rail OPTO if I'm understanding it, has LEDs on to show occupancy I have a couple of the DR4088LN-CS versions to install and have used BDL168s in the past, so if I get round to it in the next few days will post back here. The CS version is used for occupancy detection via current sensing (thus the CS) with the power to one rail flowing "into" the C connections and "out" to the rails via the 1-16 connections. The GND version is used for contact closures between the C connections and the 1-16 connections. The OPTO version is similar to the GND version but it is optically isolated. Frederick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 (edited) The CS version is used for occupancy detection via current sensing (thus the CS) with the power to one rail flowing "into" the C connections and "out" to the rails via the 1-16 connections. The GND version is used for contact closures between the C connections and the 1-16 connections. The OPTO version is similar to the GND version but it is optically isolated. Frederick Thank you thank you thank you for explaining the CS version !! For begineers, it's a great help. Edited October 11, 2018 by John52 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Kettlewell Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 (edited) The Opto version is for use with momentary contacts eg reed switches. Cheers ... Alan Edited October 11, 2018 by Alan Kettlewell Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold pheaton Posted October 11, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 11, 2018 Does the ECoS have the required LocoNet port? The 4088LN is designed to use a LocoNet connection. The 4088CS or 4088GND or 4088OPTO is for the S88 bus. Frederick The ln i have here has an s88 connection as well as loconet Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fcwilt Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 The ln i have here has an s88 connection as well as loconet Correct. But notice that the S88 connection is marked "IN". All of the 4088 devices that support a non-S88 primary connection, like the LN which uses LocoNet, reply on the S88 protocol for connecting the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc devices. If you check the manual for the basic 4088 device which has no suffix you will see that it has an S88 connection marked "OUT" as well as the connection marked "IN". If your command station needs an incoming S88 connection you need the basic 4088 device. Frederick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold pheaton Posted October 11, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 11, 2018 (edited) Frederick thank you very much for clearing that up that explains a lot, now ill have to invest in an adaptor to get the ECoS to accept loconet. Edited October 11, 2018 by pheaton Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fcwilt Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 Frederick thank you very much for clearing that up that explains a lot, now ill have to invest in an adaptor to get the ECoS to accept loconet. Glad to help. Is there such an adapter for the ECoS? Do you have other LocoNet devices you wish to connect? If not just get the plain 4088 device in the desired configuration (CS or GND). Frederick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold pheaton Posted October 12, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 12, 2018 https://www.digitrains.co.uk/ecommerce/search/50097-l-net-adaptor-for-ECoS.aspx That's it there, not cheap though so ill follow your advice and look at the basic 4088 module Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fcwilt Posted October 12, 2018 Share Posted October 12, 2018 https://www.digitrains.co.uk/ecommerce/search/50097-l-net-adaptor-for-ECoS.aspx That's it there, not cheap though so ill follow your advice and look at the basic 4088 module Thank you for that link. Frederick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted October 12, 2018 Share Posted October 12, 2018 Correct. But notice that the S88 connection is marked "IN". All of the 4088 devices that support a non-S88 primary connection, like the LN which uses LocoNet, reply on the S88 protocol for connecting the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc devices. If you check the manual for the basic 4088 device which has no suffix you will see that it has an S88 connection marked "OUT" as well as the connection marked "IN". If your command station needs an incoming S88 connection you need the basic 4088 device. Frederick Excellent info. Pity there's no "Dummies guide to" for this kind of thing...I know James Hudson @ dcc trainautomation has a wealth of info, but he's quite busy and difficult to get on the phone. I've been scared to just "connect without knowing what was doing" for fear of wrecking DR5000, 4088LN 4088 and goodness knows what else! John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fcwilt Posted October 12, 2018 Share Posted October 12, 2018 Excellent info. Pity there's no "Dummies guide to" for this kind of thing...I know James Hudson @ dcc trainautomation has a wealth of info, but he's quite busy and difficult to get on the phone. I've been scared to just "connect without knowing what was doing" for fear of wrecking DR5000, 4088LN 4088 and goodness knows what else! John Feel free to contact me via email. I own all but the most recent Digikeijs devices. Frederick 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vonzack Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 (edited) Finally got round to fitting my DR4088LN-CS detection modules and have to say they work every bit as well as the BDLs from Digitrax do. Simpler wiring as they do not need a separate power supply or the connection back to the Command Station Ground that the BDLs need. Also having screw terminals really helps and they are quite compact compared to the BDLs too. Programming was easy, just a button press with the track power on, then set the base address, then another button press and set the number of sensors. In operation on LocoNet, they respond in exactly the same way as BDLs do, so Board X Sensor Y High/Low etc. I guess if the base address doesn't align with a BDL Board, then the unit may report the sensors as different BDLs, but there is no information in the manual covering that. The only real difference is that the BDLs support 4 power zones of 4 sensors each and the Digikeijs have 2 power zones of 8 sensors. Cheers, Mark. Edited October 31, 2018 by Vonzack Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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