What type of controller is this budget Marklin-Trix ?

[maico]

Germany seems to have switched over to DCC years ago but these dc models are still shipped with the starter kits or around £21 street price new.

 

The case is solid and feels like German plastic and the controller appears to be made by Steger GmbH.

The 4 clips can be released with a flat blade screwdriver to reveal...well mostly air. It appears a very simple design.

It does hold modern and vintage locos like my Wrenns at a steady speed unlike variable resister types like the H@M clipper and Dulette.

So I suppose it's not PWM but smoothed variable voltage ?

 

Output is 14.7v 1 amp for rail and 16-24 v 3.75 amp

 

 

Edited September 24, 2019 by maico
pics

[sharris]

The LM317 is a variable voltage regulator, so your supposition is correct that the controller is a smoothed variable voltage.

 

I assume the controller is fed an unregulated DC supply. It appears there is a LC RF filter, I presume to suppress motor electrical noise. I also see two rectifier diodes - I haven't traced the PCB layout but I assume as the minimum output of an LM317 is 1.25V these are to provide a voltage drop to take the output all the way down to 0V. 

 

One track of the rotary control appears to be broken into a series of resistors to prove speed control, I presume the other tracks work as a double pole change-over switch to control direction.

 

[maico]

Interesting thanks.

 

I was looking around to see if anyone had posted pics of the insides of the Gaugemaster Combi controller without luck. Similar sort of price range.

It feels like there really is nothing inside it when I had a play with one !

 

Mike's video of the Morley Vector 2 conversion is worth watching. Do you think it is well made ?

I was considering buying the new mk. 3 version...

 

 

Edited September 24, 2019 by maico

[WIMorrison]

Just because there doesn't appear to be a large amount of anything physically inside the box doesn't mean that hasn't been a large amount of brainpower involved in the design plus the additional work in prototyping and testing (which are all very expensive) to get this 'nothing inside' to you when you buy it  

[maico]

3 minutes ago, WIMorrison said:

Just because there doesn't appear to be a large amount of anything physically inside the box doesn't mean that hasn't been a large amount of brainpower involved in the design plus the additional work in prototyping and testing (which are all very expensive) to get this 'nothing inside' to you when you buy it  

 

I've got a Canton sound base under my telly and the remote, although small has a really hefty quality feel to it. Of course, it's really almost weightless inside but being a German company the feeling of Qualität, even if an illusion, is important !

[WIMorrison]

Ahh, perception of quality - very dangerous to rely on that - even for German products and after having several Kärcher machines pack up on me, plus number issues with Liliput and Roco models I am not sure that German Qualität is a valid statment anymore either. (OK, I know Roco is Austrian but that is the same in my book)

[maico]

On 24/09/2019 at 02:54, sharris said:

The LM317 is a variable voltage regulator, so your supposition is correct that the controller is a smoothed variable voltage.

 

I assume the controller is fed an unregulated DC supply. It appears there is a LC RF filter, I presume to suppress motor electrical noise. I also see two rectifier diodes - I haven't traced the PCB layout but I assume as the minimum output of an LM317 is 1.25V these are to provide a voltage drop to take the output all the way down to 0V. 

 

One track of the rotary control appears to be broken into a series of resistors to prove speed control, I presume the other tracks work as a double pole change-over switch to control direction.

 

 

The controller does seem to be designed with modern Trix power curves in mind. I've got a crocodile and used to have the current version of the BR 216 diesel and both need quite a bit of juice to get moving. The Controller once off zero jumps to circa 2v. OK for Trix but maybe a bit abrupt for some other modern makes.

Edited September 29, 2019 by maico