Operating a Smoke Unit and Timer Using DCC

[rodshaw]

On my DC layout I have a Seuthe 117 smoke unit fitted inside a factory chimney and operated via the 12V unregulated auxiliary output of my Gaugemaster controller. The chimney is switched on using a pushbutton, which is at the front of the layout and can be operated by the public. Duration of  operation is controlled by an electronic timer, which is fed from its own regulated 12V DC power supply.

 

If I switched to DCC (say with an NCE Power Cab), what would be the best way to power the smoke unit/timer combination? As I understand it, DCC controllers don’t have auxiliary outputs in the same way as DC controllers. I’m thinking the cheapest and simplest option would be simply to continue operating the timer from its own power supply, and to power the smoke unit from another independent power supply and have the whole thing separate from the DCC setup, but is there a better and hopefully equally cost-effective way of doing it all via DCC, e.g. with an accessory decoder?

 

[richard brown]

I would keep the dc system in place to power the smoke unit as it sounds like it work and it will not cost you anything.

[arff999]

I use my NCE system to switch lots of things via DCC I use a switch -it accessory decoder and a NCE relay unit this gives me 2 DCC controlled volt free relay contacts and I use my DCC bus to get the power via the relays to my layout lights and other interactive bits

hope this helps any other info on this please ask

JOHN

[rodshaw]

Having now converted to DCC, I've found that the smoke unit in my factory chimney can be operated quite successfully if connected direct to the power output of my Roco Multimaus controller, in addition to operating one or two sound-equipped locos.

 

I've left the timer unit controlled by its own regulated PSU.