MTB point motors - odd behaviour

[RobinofLoxley]

No possibility to read a steady voltage. I checked PM's attached to 4 Dr4018s all the same. Hence activated the PM's to get readings. 

 Could be my dmm.

As far as I know all using preset 6. Cv47=6 has been implemented on all I'm sure. 

 

 

[KingEdwardII]

11 minutes ago, RobinofLoxley said:

testing the first output disrupted its function

A multimeter should not do that. Are you using a multimeter? What sort of disruption did you experience?

 

As Iain said, with Preset 6 you should get a steady voltage between common and one of the other outputs on a channel and zero on the other output. There are *lots* of other settings for the DR4018, many of which provide short lived output voltages on a channel - you need to be sure that you're not using any of those for an MP1 motor. What happens when you activate/switch a given channel?

 

Yours,  Mike.

[KingEdwardII]

2 minutes ago, RobinofLoxley said:

No possibility to read a steady voltage.

Errm - why is that? A steady voltage is exactly what I get on the outputs from my DR4018 units when driving MP1 motors, using Preset 6 on the DR4018. I have a fairly standard multimeter - and the DR4018 outputs are supposed to be a steady voltage in this mode, which should be straightforward to measure.

 

If you're getting a voltage pulse when the channel is activated, which then fades away, that is indicative of some other mode of the DR4018 being active - many of these modes give short lived pulses by design.

 

Yours,  Mike.

[RobinofLoxley]

The monitored pm that worked normally instead showed the behaviour I reported in my original post.

 

I got the zero on the opposite channel on all tests.

 

I can always do another reset on the problematic dr4018 just in case

 

 

 

[RobinofLoxley]

Next chance I get I'm going to move the problematic dr4018 together with PM's to a location neare the Z21 and retest.

[RobinofLoxley]

Update:

 

DR4018 going back to supplier for exchange

PM's eliminated as working on other locations

Resets via maintenance app dont change outcome (out1 works perfectly, 2 and on as though pulsing)

Location of dr4018 not important (same behaviour 2M from z21 as 11M)

 

Remember dr4018's bought as pack with MP1's supposed to be preset for mp1's.

Edited November 5, 2022 by RobinofLoxley

[WIMorrison]

Pity about the DR4018, but at least you now know how to go about doing the fault-finding - bonus 😀

[RobinofLoxley]

5 minutes ago, WIMorrison said:

Pity about the DR4018, but at least you now know how to go about doing the fault-finding - bonus 😀

I learnt stuff about the MP1's. The fault finding was a matter of moving stuff around, took me a long time for other reasons.

[WIMorrison]

Don't decry fault-finding by moving stuff around, it is a very important aspect of fault-finding to identify where the fault lies. If you move an item and the fault moves, you know where your fault is - if it doesn't move, then the fault isn't there. Plus, you know more about the multimeter and what you should be looking for.

 

As far as I can see from what you have said here, there was now't wrong with the MP1s 😉

 

 

[RobinofLoxley]

It was in relation to changing the setting. Its obvious to some people but as i pointed out to the supplier, how much better it would be with an exploded drawing showing the detachable pin.

 

BTW on the 3mm travel setting I measured the free travel at anything from 3.6 to 4.8 mm, which is why they normally close on an 00 gauge point that theoretically needs more than 3mm travel to guarantee closure in my opinion.