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Lancs_fus

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Blog Entries posted by Lancs_fus

  1. Lancs_fus
    There's been a lot of conversation over the years of programming and utilising Digitrax transponding. For what it is worth I was curious to try and program a new out of the bag TL1 and set up a new address and function control CVs. I have made a short how to video on it here and let me know if any questions or ideas for others too. Hope it helps someone.
     

  2. Lancs_fus
    Yes, I pushed on with under layout wiring while the board is tipped up on its side to make access easy and didn't get on with the fiddle parts of wiring up my signal which I must do tomorrow. Anyway, I am using the old Tortoise turnout motor by Circuitron because I have preinvested in them many years ago and had a play with the initial generation of Cobalts back in the day and wasn't happy with their power sensitivity (short video on my bench top comparison of the Cobalt to Tortoise plus how I set up my Tortoise out of the box). I use the internal Single Pole Double Throw (SPDT) switch contacts of the Tortoise to change the polarity of my frog or common crossing of my points or turnout. That way it keeps wiring relatively minimised and compact. Not that you could really say it looks like any wiring on my layout has been minimised now could you?
  4. Lancs_fus
    So the second bracket signal is underway plus wiring up the first to the Digitrax TSMK plus I made a 10 wire ribbon cable using IDCs which are insulation displacement connectors. I have put a short video together on how the signals and ribbon cable are built that hopefully explains it better than a lot of words!
     

  7. Lancs_fus
    The second part of this project focuses more on the electronics and resistors for getting the right light level in the lamps and interior lights plus getting the pick ups installed and electrically connected. In this part I play with a stay alive capacitor by DCC Concepts called a FlickerFree which I will then attach to the output of the Digitrax transponder function only decoder TL1. Once addressed the TL1 function on will turn on the lamps on the van as well as send out transponding signals to RX1 transponder detectors connected to a BDL168 block detector board.
     

  8. Lancs_fus
    Several folks have asked where the video is so I have cobbled together a suite of snap shots and videos plus time lapse actions on pulling together the primary stages of this modification. Video two covers off the electronics and wiring aspects and number three brings it all together in a finished package. Hope this is useful to someone and please let me know if there are any questions at all.
     

  9. Lancs_fus
    Something a little bit different from wiring DCC control boards this long weekend here in Perth. Recently obtained two of the latest range of Bachmann 4mm scale LMS brake vans in grey with duckets and brown without duckets. Have decided to fit working lamps and interior lights plus transponding decoders from Digitrax that will broadcast the DCC address of the transponding decoder via Loconet.
     

     
    Have started by removing wheels, couplings and coupling pockets plus the plastic brake gear from the underside of the model.
     

     
    The wheels need be separated from the axle at one end, cleaned up and made to work as live pickup axles.
     
    Once cleaned up to remove the blackening I use a conductive paint to make an electrical connection between the wheel and the axle bypassing the insulated bush between the axle and wheel.
     

     
    While the paint dries I chose some LEDs and corresponding resistors to come up with a light intestity that would look good for the interior lights. I settled on DCC Concepts prototype white LEDs with 20k ohm resistor and soldered it to a PCB strip.
     

     

     
    Preparing the van for external lamps, I used a sharp blade to scrape off the moulded lamp irons.
     

     
    Then the lamps were glued using CA and a kicker to the rear and each side of the verandah. The lamps are also by DCC Concepts and are red for the rear lamp and red and white for the side lamps. Next will be wiring the resistors up and connecting a stay alive and decoder into the van itself.
     

  12. Lancs_fus
    Well even though we are on a family holiday there is still time to do some modelling and in this case it is the wiring up of the coloured light signals that I have been looking forward too. I have extended the wires of the LEDs so that they will be long enough to penetrate the layout board using Kynar wire soldered to the LED wire ends and covered with heat shrink tubing to prevent shorting. Each LED had its own wire soldered to its respective cathode so I have made one common cathod for the whole signal and all six LEDs by soldering a single black wire to the six white wires which will simplify wiring.
     
    While I am currently not planning to use the Digitrax SE8C signal board I have adopted the Digitrax Terminal Strip Mounting Kit (TSMK) which per the photo you can see offers screw terminals for the signal wires plus a set of surface mount SMD resistors of 100 ohms each per LED and a 10 pin (2 x 5) IDC male connection. This IDC along with some rainbow ribbon cable will be used to run the wires from the signal to the Signatrak CML SIGM20 control board.

  14. Lancs_fus
    Now the track is laid in the yard it is on to the main scenic boards for High Tor proper which will be mainly plastic chairs MEK fixed to ply sleepers but I also like the copper clad soldered type track laying too so had a go at some DCC Concepts Legacy range of stainless steel BH rail on their copper clad sleepers that are precursors and etched with solder pads suitable for the size of turnout you are building. This one is a B7. I used my 50 Watt Antex soldering station at full temperature along with DCC Concepts no wash flux plus their 178 degree solder and the joints came up quite easily. Used a fibre glass pen to clean the solder pads on the PCB sleepers first before applying flux and prettiness them a little to aid the joint. I used some really fin 600 grit wet and dry to abrade the bottom of the BH section rail too before soldering. Just make sure you solder random sleepers all over the points not each sleeper in a row or you will heat buckle the track!
  16. Lancs_fus
    Divided my 12' x 10' layout into three boards and to make planning and executing the installation of the electronics a bit more managmenble I did up a drawing so I knew what needed to go where. This also helps when actually wiring it up as well as planning purchases too. Used the program called Visio which we have at work for doing flowcharts and the like but PowerPoint is just as effective I've found for this sort of thing. Failing that a pencil and ruler still works too!
  17. Lancs_fus
    This is heavy Gauge 12 AWG or so common or earth wire that is used to assist in establishing a common zero voltage across several Digitrax items. In this particular case I have a BDL168 block detector by Digitrax along with their power manager PM42 all requiring common wiring to the booster and command station via a common wire. I use earthing cable not dissimilar to household wiring cable for this purpose as it bends to shape and stays in shape and will have no problem transmitting current given it's high cross sectional area and relatively low resistativity.
  18. Lancs_fus
    Got the yard laid out, ten Peco medium radius I think they are streamline code 75 turnouts 12 foot board by just 12 inches wide giving 6 tracks, most with run arounds to provide some storage and fiddle yard space on the layout. This board will be under one of the main scenic boards. Control is Digitrax DCC with block detection for signalling. Track is pre soldered, every piece with its own droppers, no relieance on track connectors anywhere. All turnouts are modified to live frog with over centre springs removed for Tortoise motor installation and frog polarity switched via the Tortoise SPDT contacts.
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