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Scott Read

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Posts posted by Scott Read

    Adding weight to driving wheels on "modern" Hornby Pacifics (tender Decoder A1,A4, W1)

    in Modifying & Detailing RTR stock

    Posted

    Hi Everyone,

     

    I'm looking to add so weight to my locomotives to improve track adhesion, now I know this needs to be in the area over (or below) the driving wheels. Does anyone have any experience/advice of doing this please? Or product recommendations?

     

    These loco's are just the start as I would like to get all my stock able to pull longer trains but these are the larger locos and as such i'm hoping the easier ones to "mess with".

     

     

    Hornby Hush Hush Improvements

    in Modelling Questions, Help and Tips

    Posted

    Hi Everyone,

     

    Does anyone have any improvements they have planned for their Hush-Hush's? I intend to look into lamps and possibly sound if I can be convinced by a sound file that sounds different enough to the A4 to convince me it's worth it (yes I know there are none to record new sound from but would be surprised if it couldn't be remixed from other loco sound files).

     

    Something I'm considering also is the flanged wheels or at least a way to make to cab wheels touch the rails to occasionally turn....

    2021 Recommendations for Hornby 00 LNER A4 Sound decoder

    in DCC Sound

    Posted

    Hi Everyone,

     

    Just dipping my toe into DCC Sound and I believe I would like a LokSound Decoder (as I'm wanting the DCC functions like uncouple Kadee movement)with a sugar cube speaker, does anyone have any recommendations i've looked on a lot of sites but cannot seem to settle on one that is clear what you are actually getting.

     

    Some sites includes speaks but fail to note which speaker, some just have decoder but fail to say which decoder etc, etc. So just after some advice from people please :-)

    Issue when energising the layout

    in DCC Help & Questions

    Posted

    On 02/12/2021 at 12:31, Crosland said:

    It does look like the SPROG is seeing an overload. Please see my previous post for questions/suggestions.

    So result I have tried unwiring the B lead to the SS DCC Concepts units (these are surface mount slow speed servo controllers) and then setting them in groups with a switch to turn them on in sequence when the layout is powered on and this seems to work reliably.

     

    Now i'm wondering if there is a way to automate that process so that essentially on "power on" the system can turn on sw1 then sw2 then sw3 etc (I guess a relay could do this but would that mess with the DCC signal?). or would adding a https://www.sprog-dcc.co.uk/dcc-boosters/sboostii  be the best way?

     

    Thanks for your help so far

    Issue when energising the layout

    in DCC Help & Questions

    Posted

    Hi Everyone,

     

    I'm running a Sprog 3 with a 15v 3A PSU connected, when I turn the power "on" in JMRI the signals and point motors flick and flash as though they are struggling, I'm wondering if this is simply an issue with the load draw spiking when I initially switch the layout "on".

     

    Currently I have 3 Dapol signals, 7 DCC Concepts SS Point motor units(each with 2 points), 1 DR4018 16-channel switch decoder(with its own PSU for the 16 channels) and about 7 Loco's. The layout will power on and run perfectly if I cycle the power in JMRI several times (almost like something is warming up/drawing less current).

     

    How could I measure the Current Spike if it is this? Is there anything in JMRI/Sprog to tell it what the maximum load is for the PSU? Do I just need to add something like https://www.sprog-dcc.co.uk/dcc-boosters/sboostii

     

    Thanks for any help i'll try to get a video of the issue later today.

     

     

    Replacing the JMRI Controller (DCC++ TO Sprog III)

    in DCC Help & Questions

    Posted · Edited by Scott Read

    Thanks Andrew, I will try a service track and see if I can read the decoder in isolation, but even in ops mode on the main track if I add a basic decoder on the correct cv address the class 25 will not move or light the LEDs even. The decoder is an ESU decoder so I don't think its a compatibility issue :-/  and it worked 100% fine with the DCC++

    Replacing the JMRI Controller (DCC++ TO Sprog III)

    in DCC Help & Questions

    Posted · Edited by Scott Read

    Yes i'm aware the 2 PSU's are significantly different but both of them are giving the same kind of result so assume it could be something in my JMRI setup that will need to be amended as well as the change of controller/com port etc. It seems weird the decoder isn't responding to programming even.

     

    Is there a setting to change the max m/a draw a loco can draw (would this be possibly the issue).

     

    I've also historically used a SPROG II with no issues so I don't think its the device more a config issue :-/

     

    I might just isolate the whole thing to my test track to rule out a "layout issue" but the DCC++ was working fine other than amp load.

     

    Replacing the JMRI Controller (DCC++ TO Sprog III)

    in DCC Help & Questions

    Posted

    Hi Everyone,

     

    Having a bit of a weird experience with this one so I have a DCC++ setup all working great but was hitting the max load so decided to migrate to SPROG III now i'm having the following issues:-

     

    1. some DCC Concepts Points won't throw others work fine (I have tried new addresses for them but still nothing)

    2. some Loco's won't run and some will, this seems to be a load issue as the smaller locos work fine (Ruston shunter for example is fine, sound a3 and class 25 isn't), I cannot even get the decoder to be read in service mode?

    3. JMRI itself seems to have become much more crashy when opening and changing screens.

     

    This it with the same PSU I was using for the DCC++ that worked fine (15v 2.3a) and the new one from Sprog (12v 3a), I have tried removing all other locos and stock but it still doesn't seem to read the loco, conversely it sounds like it could be reading the concepts points as decoders in the their own right when I try to read the loco cv's.

     

    Does anyone have any ideas, am I missing something as I thought this would just be a simple swap?

     

    Thanks

     

    Scott.

    DCC Layout LED lighting

    in DCC Help & Questions

    Posted

    Thanks all I have seen the Digikeijs but thought it might be a big of a beast for the job but I guess it means I have more "options" for power districts. I'll give the Arduino a look as a have a few UNO spare too so it might be enough but if not will go Digikeijs route

     

    DCC Layout LED lighting

    in DCC Help & Questions

    Posted

    Hi Everyone,

     

    Could anyone recommend a current DCC Accessory decoder to have an address to turn on/off LED lighting for my layout (possibly multiple addresses and ports, so I can have sectional lights), also in the future I'll also be looking for something to handle the switching on/off of a sleuth smoke unit for a factory smoke stack so if it could handle this to that would be great but open to using separate devices for this.

     

    Currently, the only suggestion I've had is to jerry rig a point motor accessory decoder to a relay and then have the relay switch the Layout LEDs on, but I fell there must be a device that does this in one unit...

    Mainline Warship New Gears from Genesis

    in Modifying & Detailing RTR stock

    Posted

    So i ended up using a generic 16 tooth gear the right size and it seems to work well, the only thing I do get is a little hesitation to get going from stop.

     

    The DCC conversion is in full swing I have head code lights, front and tail lights on the corners that change with the direction and cab lights on functions.

     

    Just need to tidy up the birds nest and fit the lights for the body.

     

    20200824_222923.jpg

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