cromptonnut Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Quick progress is the beauty of modular - a small, simple module like this can be "functional" over a weekend, then it's once you add the scenery and detailing that time and cost gets eaten up. It's a great opportunity to try new techniques, such as making your own trees or using static grass, on a small area that if it all goes horribly wrong doesn't really matter quite as much as it would on a loft layout where several bits of wood may need removing to "make good" damage. You can also detail as little, or as much, as you want as well and there's also no reason why you couldn't have a challenge amongst a few friends individually as to who can build the best module in four weeks, or for under £50, or whatever. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted March 24, 2015 Author Share Posted March 24, 2015 ^what he said^ I'm using this as test platform before I start on my bigger planned modules to make sure I have the standards right. I suppose I probably should add some sidings to one of them to test my dubious point control powered by the DCC bus but without interfering with running idea.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 Good news everybody! Found my stash of new banana parts In other news, been working on uninspiring track plans for 2x further small modules: a 90 degree curve and an S bend the opposite orientation from the bridge with a pair of short sidings for 'local' wagon loading/unloading. I may start seperate threads for these when they warrant it. The curve is because a curve would be useful, and the sidings are to be a test-bed for a method of point operation, they may end up slightly longer when buffers are added but each should be able to hold a couple of longer 4 wheel wagons or several 16t mineral wagons. I also picked up today another 2x pairs of Dave end-plates, and enough lengths of wood to make 7 matching sets of legs (2 for each S bend, 3x for the curve). THAT IS ALL Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 And to go with the point control experiment; can you tell what it is yet?! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 No, but I'm scared Does it fill up with red fluid when you get the answer wrong? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Could be a battery pack for 8 AA batteries giving 12v to power the motors? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 Nope, but it did feel like defusing a bomb taking it apart.... it is/was a 5 farad capacitor (each 'tube' is a 1.25 farad capacitor) for very loud car audio equipment, essentially a CDU for very loud bits of music. It's been sat on my shelf unused for a good while now so it's donating it's innards. It's designed to feed 4x amplifiers, each protected by a 60A fuse so more than man enough to throw a seep motor. The idea is, same as a red light can be fitted on a buffer stop running off DCC using a tiny amount of current, to feed a model (gaugemaster) CDU through a good sized resistor with one of these big caps attached. When a solenoid is energised, the power to throw it is drawn from the big cap and then trickle charged back up by the DCC through the resistor with, in theory, minimum current impact on the DCC Bus. For this experimental version, V and A meters will be built in to monitor it's impact on the DCC bus and how long it takes to recharge after each use. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 Of course, if it goes wrong it'll be a very spectacular bang. And I need to work out the circuitry of the CDU I have to make sure it's all diode protected rather than the big cap just trying to smooth the DCC signal. I do have some bridge rectifiers to hand but I'm just trying to save myself some soldering! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Of course, if it goes wrong it'll be a very spectacular bang. ... and potentially expensive. It has all the makings of a Top Gear challenge and something Jeremy Clarkson would create, that might work but will probably go horribly wrong in some entertaining manner... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 I'm probably making it sound less thought out than it actually is (don't worry, I fix big radars for a living) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm81 Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Just do not: Reverse charge the caps. Positive charge them then attempt to reverse charge them. Unless you do want to tune for maximum smoke Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 I hear crossing the streams is bad too..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve-e Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 (don't worry, I fix big radars for a living) Are you on Russias most wanted set of playing cards? "Yes Vladimir, It's true we are looking for the Red Goldfish with the horns and fork, he is the one that fixes the radar" Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 Are you on Russias most wanted set of playing cards? "Yes Vladimir, It's true we are looking for the Red Goldfish with the horns and fork, he is the one that fixes the radar" Steve Not as far as I know, but they have interfered with my work schedule in the past....... and that's all I'm saying about that Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 No, but I'm scared Does it fill up with red fluid when you get the answer wrong? DCC bus - 60A - Now I'm even more scared ... and so are my loco chips Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted March 26, 2015 Author Share Posted March 26, 2015 DCC bus - 60A - Now I'm even more scared ... and so are my loco chips Don't worry K, that level of kick will only be able to get at point motors, the Bus is protected in the design. Think of it like a toilet tank hooked up to the house plumbing, the plumbing trickle fills it then it waits until you flush and it's all released at once down the loo, but could never release itself all at once back into the rest of the plumbing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 You've not met our plumbers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 You've not met our plumbers Indeed, a hot flush whilst sitting on the loo is not a pleasurable experience. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted March 30, 2015 Author Share Posted March 30, 2015 Friday before Ally Pally happened and I spent a weekend distracted by cranes, I built 2 more boards for the 2 extra modules mentioned above. The S bend was quick and simple to do, and I've managed to make a 90 degree curve on a single managable board which is Dave width at the ends, slimming down to just a few inches in the middle. Pictures at some point. I'm not going to worry about creating extra threads for these 2 additional modules, just imagine they go each side of Devil's Bridge! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Excellent Modular layouts are like women ... the more curves, the better Assume they'll have forms in due course... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted March 30, 2015 Author Share Posted March 30, 2015 As soon as I'm track laid and wired, there will be forms Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 Some little bits of progress. All banana mounting brackets have sockets fitted. Soldering is the next big job really. And ordered lots of adjustable baseboard feet from ebay. And because I promised a shot with a train: I've had a rumage through mh electrical supplies too and started getting together a nice big analogue volt meter and an ammeter, couple of switches, resistors and a CDU ready for the board with points. I'm still not decided on how to style that board, it could get interesting with big dials and a massive capacitor on top! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted April 1, 2015 Author Share Posted April 1, 2015 Work on the additional modules, curve board under construction, it nips down to 12inches wide in the centre but full dave width on the ends. On the scenic side, I'm thinking of putting a road bridge over the middle of it (with bus on top!) To help strengthen the join on top of the board. and the sidings board. The control meters and switches will go on the opposite side to the sidings, in the gap formed by the inside of the curve before the board end. This also nicely shows how it can flow from 90 degree curve, through the S bend, then potentially onto the bridge module S-ing the other way. I think I'm enjoying this! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Clever stuff... a drawing of dimensions on the 90 board would be much appreciated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted April 1, 2015 Author Share Posted April 1, 2015 Clever stuff... a drawing of dimensions on the 90 board would be much appreciated. I'll be honest, the engineer in me cringes at the way I created the shape, but I'll see what I can draw up. The shape has been dictated by the 2x matching pieces of scrap wood (sides of an old desk) thay it's built on, 45 degree curve was marked on 1 then the shape cut out as the dimension of the wood allowed, traced around onto the second piece and that was cut out. The important dimension is the 18inch ends between 3ft radius curve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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