Newbie would like to know what others think about having diode-matrix turnout control over regular turnout control.Layout builder wants to use this type of control over the regular method and being new Im afraid Id have a difficult time troubleshooting if I developed a fault in this system.
They are great. A case in point. Our club layout has two major yards. One has the standard type of control panel with one switch & indicator lights for each turnout. The other is a diode-matrix with one push button per route. People are afraid to run the first panel and it takes about 4-6 months before they get used to it and become comfortable. The diode-matrix panel takes exactly one operating session to learn and be proficient with it.
Our diode-matrix controlled yard has had one failure in 24 years. That failure was a coil on a turnout drive which had nothing to do with the diode-matrix.
I don’t understand the context here. Are you the layout builder or are you building this for someone else or is someone else building it for you?
Keep in mind if using the diode-matrix control the power source must be able to throw several switch machines at once. If using twin coil machines the cuirrent can add up fast, 2-4 amps per machine.
making a diode route control just means taking proper care how the diodes work and knowing the route design and how to deal with the logic to make it. Good test to learn electrical.
Say you have a simple 3 switch ladder track, you have 4 buttons. The 4 buttons are the routes the switches are to be aligned for. Technically you choose this one button must flip the switch of this and that and this switch to get them all aligned for that route. However you have 3 other buttons that also must conect to the same switches and coils to make the decision which way those switches have to switch. You cant do that because your first button did that and would “short out” you routing directions and your switch machines will be confused and every coil will get connected to every other coil if you tried that. This is why the diodes, they prevent the power from going the wrong way making THAT switch turn THAT way only and not foul the other switches.
Its not as tough as you think. You run a wire to the coil from the button and a diode is in series with it. Then you choose this or that coil has to be activated to make the route.
It gets more complicated if you use latching relay coils to control turnouts, then you need relays to drop out power to the turnout, but the diode matrix concept remains the same.
someone is building it for me
The diode portion of a diode matrix will be all but bulletproof if you use diodes of adequate size. The standard is 3 amp, 50 PIV - 1N5400. Mine have been handling the old Katsumi and newer RIX twin-coils without a hiccup.
Best of all, they are very inexpensive. I’ve been matrixing my switch machine controls onto single wires - the four diodes actually cost less than six feet of the solid-conductor wire they replace. That also cuts the wiring under the layout by about 20%.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
DCC Forum please!![banghead]
This has nothing to do with DCC, it is “technology” older than dirt.