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Piko SmartControl & Cobalt motors


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Just wondering if anyone has any experience with the above - I've installed my first (and only) cobalt motor on an embryonic layout, but totally flummoxed trying to match up the cobalt instructions with the guidance in the PIKO manual for setting up switches.  Firstly with the whole '198' address thing to de-activate the self-centering (is this an address that you actually give the turnout?).... then with the settings in the PIKO accessory page (it says a turnout will need two addresses, one for each state - but there's only the option to add one.  Also it is a toggle or is it open of the defined durations in milliseconds for a slow-action motor?). Anyway, have tried and failed to bring the motor to life (the rest of the layout runs beautifully).

 

I love the SmartControl interface, lovely way to control trains but have to say I struggle with it sometimes when it comes to setup, the manual isn't exactly clear and the 'panels' referred to for switches is counter-intuitive....but then I'm not very technologically gifted(!)

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if this is a motor all you need to do is set the motor to learn (slide the switch), issue the address you want to use 2 or 3 times (straight, branched, straight, branched), change the motor switch back to run and your ready to go - the motor will now change whenever you issue the commend that that accessory address.

 

simples :)

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Hi Iain, thanks for that, tried doing this after reading your post and also finding a guy on youtube just bringing up the accessory panel and like you said just switching it back and forth a few times in 'SET', seems to work!  Think maybe I was trying too over-complicate things though still not quite sure of the relevance of the 'toggle' or millisecond duration options on the SmartControl menu.  Still, a working point is a working point.

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As Iain says - it is quite simple.

Most Cobalt Digital addressing issues are because users follow the DCC system instructions for addressing accessories, rather than reading the Cobalt instructions - no programme track/output is needed.

 

As for the temporary address of 198, Cobalt motors supplied over the past 18-24 months no longer have the auto-centre enabled (even though the motor is delivered new in the centre position).

i.e. it does not need de-centring as such, just address it as above and away it goes.

 

This was due to the rise of systems that could not operate accessories above 100 or so, so it was impossible to deactivate the auto-centre with a temporary address of 198. (Even though the Cobalt instructions say that 198 is required..... - DOH!. I have been told this is because there were many 1000s of instructions printed and they were still being used up!)

 

To re-centre a motor for re-installation, or after bench testing, simply get the motor moving and pull power from it half-way across.

No need to do a 199 and then 198 later.

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