Hi

After running a semi permanent layout, I have the space to create something more permanent.  My layout in HO and in DC, since my electrical knowlegde is enough to be dangerous.

In my orginal layout I used two very old controllers but now I want to improve on what I have.  I have a regulated power supply that I want to use (DSE D3800) to run three sections of the track, outer loop, inner loop and sidings.  I was going to use one power supply to  run all three, and use an LM2596 DC-DC Step down, potentiometers to control the voltage with a voltmeter and DPDT switch to change the direction, the point motors I was going to use 751D point controller.  I have kids who would like to use it too, hence the voltmeter was going to indicate the speed.

The D3800 specs are 3-15v 25Amp, there are also two outputs for a low current (3amp I think).  I guess this might be an over kill, I was going to use the low out terminals to run the whole thing

I have been looking for control panel ideas, I would like to incorporate it as part of the layout rather than off to the side but I have been coming up short.  I have two location for the control panels I just need a place to start.

Cheers

 

Hi Reg and welcome to the club.Looks an interesting layout so keep us updated with it's progress.

Hi Reg,

Welcome. DC control is mostly a black box to me, I can only recommend the book by Roger Amos, which describes overlapping block control (among other things). From the system description you seem to be using voltage rather than pulse width control (as found in modern DC control units). Did I get that right? If so you might get better slow speed running with a pulse width controller running at constant voltage. Which I think works better with older, inefficient motors that need a kick to get them going.

Nigel

Hi

Thanks for the welcome. 

As for the PWM, seems like that needs to be in place between the power supply and the track, I'll have to add that onto the list of things thath require more understanding.

I have nailed down my layout, now I have need for clarification  regarding the control of my layout.  Initially I thought of using one  power supply and creating three simple controllers using a  potentiometers and a step down component to run the inner, outer loops  and sidings.  Upon further searching I found I can create blocks where I  can wire it up to allow the use of just two controllers and the use of  DPDT switches to swap between the controllers.

So if I have this right, in theory I can use one controller for the  outer loop swap over to the inner loop just by switching that particular  block to that controller, rather than swaping between controllers.

However, how would I isolate parts of the layout using that method.

Or would it be better to to run the outer and sidings with two  controllers and set the inner loop to a constant speed and have a train  just run around it, since the outer loop and sidings would require more  driver input for operations

Just to add I was going to run the inner and outer loops in opposite directions.

Cheers

Re the electrics - can I suggest you start on this http://brian-lambert.co.uk/Electrical.html
then go to our Index
http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=803&forum_id=46

Hi

Thanks for the links, I have been to the Brian Lambert Site before and managed to build a CDU without electrocuting myself :lol:.

I was just trying to gauge if my thinking was right, before I go off half cocked.  I have been told just go DCC, but that's a money issue.

I have gone through the links and there are few that need upgrading

E.
Electric - Pencil - Make Your Own - Barchester Project.                                  Site Frozen Hopefully this will get sorted in time.
Electrical - Bits - Brian Lambert - Article - Link.                                                Not Found   FIXED
Electrics & Electronics - Link.                                                                           Link requires updating
Electronics - Automatic Shuttle Unit - Online Supplier - Link.                           Went to a Telstra survey DELETED
Electronics - Basic - Resistors - Capacitors - Diodes - Soldering And More.    Link requires updating
Electronics - Circuit Symbols - What They Mean                                              Link requires updating
Electronics - Practical - Easy To Understand - Link.                                         Not Found DELETED


A lot of information to go through, great site, might have go and get an Electrical Engineering degree  :lol:

Cheers

Reg, thanks for that - some of those  kinks have been sorted.

Hi Reg,some of the links will be hit and miss i'm afraid as there are issues regarding site ownership of the Barchester index.At the moment can i suggest that you Google any links that don't work.

Well here is the layout on the baseboard, now to start wiring it up

Hi Reg,

Well no wonder you're having problems, the underneath is full of stuff! And a cold, hard floor to boot. Plus that curvy wall can't help (hopefully it's a fish-eye lens, although given where I come from with its outside staircases maybe not). I thought for a minute you were trying out the track plan on a billiard table.

Re the electrickery, it sounds as if you need what's called a "progressive cab control". This allows you to keep the same throttle via automatic switching of blocks as the train moves along (via block occupancy detection - look Ma, no hands). The book "Complete book of model railway electronics, 2nd Edition" by Roger Amos covers this in depth (and describes a 3 throttle system). Useful stuff to understand, especially for those of us using DCC. The point that caught my attention was that "it's much cheaper than command control". Well, it was back in 1998. Not so sure now. A basic system such as the NCE (2 amp) and 2 additional throttles is not that expensive, it all depends on how many locomotives you are planning on running and whether you want sound. Three sound decoders would be more expensive than the command system and throttles. 

Nigel

Well that's after I moved everything out.  Yes fish-eye lens, but a curve house that would be interesting.

Well I just got hold of the "Complete book of model railway electronics, 1st Edition" I hope the 2nd is not too much different.  I looked into the Progress Cab Control, but if you run DCC it's pretty much out the window, that's my understanding.

It use to be a scalextric track, hence the green.

Hi

I have started to think about the control panel before I start to wire things up.  It will be A4 in size.  I'm going to keep the point control separate to the DCC part.  Ant comments are most welcomed

Cheers

[user=1994]regme[/user] wrote:

Well that's after I moved everything out.  Yes fish-eye lens, but a curve house that would be interesting.

Well I just got hold of the "Complete book of model railway electronics, 1st Edition" I hope the 2nd is not too much different.  I looked into the Progress Cab Control, but if you run DCC it's pretty much out the window, that's my understanding.

It use to be a scalextric track, hence the green.

Hi Reg,

Even the 2nd edition was just at the point when command control was starting to be used. Roger Amos was DC. If you run DCC you don't need progressive cabs that keep a dead zone in front of and behind the locomotive, thus allowing more than one train to be run on the same live track. If you want to consist locomotives you need DCC. Whether you have blocks is another subject. Large layouts should, with smaller ones it is probably unnecessary unless you have complicated track work and want to avoid a short shutting down the whole layout (even a momentary one will cut sound out unless everything has capacitor or LiPo battery back-up).

Nigel