Diode matrix for storage yard points.

[ikcdab]

3 hours ago, DCB said:

That is good for the OP 2which uses tortoises but not the later Simon G post where he uses Solenoids. See my post 20.28 Friday

Surely it depends on the CDU you use.  They can be built quite easily and I have run them to throw 5 solenoids with no problems.

[Colin_McLeod]

On 24/03/2023 at 18:43, multivac said:

I seem to remember a company supplying a PCB drilled with a matrix of holes and linked by tinned copper traces. Links were made with a nut and bolt. Diodes were also included but I don't remember if they were fitted in production or by the purchaser. Seems ideal to recreate using the cheap online PCB suppliers that are around nowadays.

 

That sounds like Veroboard.

I used that for my own diode matrix on a previous layout. Still availabke. Lots of suppliers on Amazon.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=veroboard&adgrpid=55886365831&hvadid=259184773620&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=1007850&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=16812913616728165380&hvtargid=kwd-297567844049&hydadcr=10929_1739155&tag=hydrukspg-21&ref=pd_sl_452fo7ho4m_e

[cliff park]

Tag strips, cheap, can be cut to suit number of diodes and reused, which veroboard doesn't always like

[DCB]

1 hour ago, ikcdab said:

Surely it depends on the CDU you use.  They can be built quite easily and I have run them to throw 5 solenoids with no problems.

That's not the issue, The suggested wiring throws 1,2,3 or 4 solenoids depending on the road set.   Either the 4 won't throw together, and I would not expect an off the shelf CDU  to throw 4 together, and lots of people have trouble throwing 2 from other posts on this forum, or throwing just the one risks damaging the tie bar.  I throw 5 solenoids at once with a big home made capacitor discharge unit, but when I added a pair for a crossover the action was so violent it popped the point blades out of the tie bar after a while.   I added dummy loads, spare point motor coils which don't do anything else to balance the load, it's do able, just needs a different wiring diagram..

[ikcdab]

7 hours ago, DCB said:

That's not the issue, The suggested wiring throws 1,2,3 or 4 solenoids depending on the road set.   Either the 4 won't throw together, and I would not expect an off the shelf CDU  to throw 4 together, and lots of people have trouble throwing 2 from other posts on this forum, or throwing just the one risks damaging the tie bar.  I throw 5 solenoids at once with a big home made capacitor discharge unit, but when I added a pair for a crossover the action was so violent it popped the point blades out of the tie bar after a while.   I added dummy loads, spare point motor coils which don't do anything else to balance the load, it's do able, just needs a different wiring diagram..

Ok I get that which is why I abandoned solenoids ages ago and now only use servos.