Feedback Controllers

[tractor_37260]

Hi Guys,

 

I am contemplating getting a Feedback controller having seen a friends one in operation. I currently have a Gaugemaster 100 series, which is in full working order, while my track is peco code 100 streamline with insulfrog points. As my layout is a small shunting layout slow speed control is pretty crucial, but at present it is not to how I would like it. My locos are all Bachmann diesels except some Lima DMU's and one powered by a black beetle.

 

Last night I tried my friends gaugemaster HH feedback controller in the layout and the difference was unbelievable, but having looked at the gaugemaster website, they caveat that some DCC ready and portescap motors are not suitable for Feedback controller. The loco we tried did seem much louder in operation and worked fine but I am worried about longer term damage if I was to buy one. To put it into perspective my layout at the moment only gets used at shows so circa 8 days a year and each loco probably only works for a total 2 hours over a whole weekend.

 

Has anybody any experience/thoughts they could share please?

 

Thanks/

Before changing over to DCC I used HH AMR Feedback controllers. They gave truly outstanding slow speed control when used with mainly (tweeked) Lima and some Hornby locos.  A number of variants were available, some giving switched different levels of feedback, and a reduced voltage one which had a maximum of 9 volts spread over the full track of the speed pot, giving excellent response at slow speeds together with a reduced top speed ideal for a small layout. 

They were similar in use to the better known Gaugemaster HH feedback, but I preferred them. AFAIK the company no longer trades, so secondhand would be the only option. 

 

HTH

Ken

[Donw]

You may find post #343 on this page http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/52042-tucking-mill/page-14

of some interest.

 From the DCC decoder a fairly high 20kz+ PWM rate seems to avoid a lot of the problems.

 

Don