Cobalt ads-8fx point controller - working 2 points together and various questions...

[meurglys3]

Hello

 

I am currently building a new layout and have bought a cobalt ads-8fx  8 way solenoid decoder which I am about to start wiring.

Gulp.

I have looked for youtube videos etc but couldn't find much - I have a few questions

 

I am planning to mount it on the inside of a drop-down hinged mimic board for ease of access, and have installed cable troughing around the edge of the layout for the wiring for the same reason, with holes under the layout where they will be needed.

 

My questions are: Has anyone here installed one on DC? The instructions say it will throw 2 points from each output, can I wire from one point motor (Peco) to the next or do I have to run wires back to the switch on the control panel or the unit?

 

LEDs on the control panel can be wired from solder points under the ads-8fx. I wondered is it best to solder these wires on to the unit first, before running wires from the screw connectors - I can see there being a LOT of wires to contend with as I progress.

 

Also, any suggestions on what cables work best with this? I was thinking of using 2 lengths of 3 core alarm cable from each of the 8 sets of outputs to keep things as tidy as possible (3 wires for solenoid, 3 for switch on the control panel) and the same for the soldered led connections. Would that work OK? If so, where can I get it from?

 

I don't know if I will need to bother with frog polarity, whatever that is. (I am using insulfrog points which seem to work OK - I have read up on adding extra wiring to points and adding insulating joiners, but don't really want to do that just now. Electrics is not something I enjoy much)

 

Oh - also, the instructions say the board only needs one power input, but there are power in terminals on the right hand four of the eight sections...... should I run power to all four? (from a 16v transformer)

 

I attach a plan showing what I intend wiring the 8 outputs to on the layout.
The timber sidings will be hand operated for now, I will probably install points later, and the fiddle yard sidings 5- 8 and crossover (1) will be operated by throwing the points at either end of each from one output, hopefully....

 

I'm planning on starting this when I get back from holiday in 2 weeks' time, so any help would be much appreciated.

Pete

[meurglys3]

This is the feller

 

[raymw]

The instruction sheet is here http://www.gaugemaster.com/instructions/dcc_concepts/AD-S8fxinstructions.pdf  It appears that the four power inputs are paralleled on the pcb, so power supply can be via any terminal pair. They recommend the size of cabling, Rapid or CPC will have suitable cable.  I would solder on the LED wiring before connecting the other cables, possibly use a sil socket and pins of the correct pitch. Depending on the pitch of the screw terminals, then I would solder the other cables to a sil header (something like this http://www.rapidonline.com/cables-connectors/bkl-electronic-pin-header-2-54mm-pitch-3a-gold-plated-521028  ) which will allow you to 'plug in' the cables to the screw terminals. This type of spiral wrapping can neaten up the rest of the wiring http://www.rapidonline.com/cables-connectors/trutie-spiral-cable-wrapping-78114

 

hth.

[meurglys3]

Some great info there, I wasn't even aware those sil sockets existed, thanks for taking the time to do that.

[Gordon H]

The terminal blocks look like 3.5mm pitch types, so you will struggle to make the noted 2.54mm pitch SIL header strip (it is not a SIL socket strip) fit across 9 pins worth.

If they are 3.5mm pitch, you would do better to source a 3.5mm pitch header type.

Strangely, although Rapid do sell a pluggable terminal block range for 3.5mm pitch (e.g. http://www.rapidonline.com/cables-connectors/ptr-pluggable-8a-screw-connectors-3-5mm-pitch-521004), they do not seem to sell the required header strips to go with them.

I have asked Rapid the question of why this appears to be the case, because they are certainly available from the manufacturer: http://www.ptr.eu/en/products/terminal-blocks-multi-connector-systems/multi-connector-pin-strip/stl1350-35-v-black/ and it is difficult to see what else you could use the blocks for without them.

[raymw]

Not having seen the board, nor finding any dimensions, I phoned dcc concepts, who eventually said that the terminal strips were about 2 inches long, which suggests that the pitch would be 1/10 inch (or 2.54mm) so the header I referenced would most likely do the job. A pity they don't use the 'pluggable' type of terminal strip. However, the header strips are easily cut, or pins pulled out, so could be used to make plugs in odd pitches if needed. If using the screw sockets as intended, then it is bad practice to clamp down on soldered wire ends, but for the use/life of the average model railway, that most likely does not matter.

 

Best wishes,

 

Ray