OK, the original plan was to use MRC AD360 dispatcher decoder to control switches because it also have indication LED’s which I was going to double as sort of simple signals to indicate track open or not. However, there are a couple of problems with this decoder, the LED’s ae too big for the signal heads althought that may be solved by getting a smalled LED of the same rating even though they said don’t replace anything. But the biggest problem is that I am a single operator and those decoders uses mobile addressing NOT accessory addressing which make ‘routing’ extremely hard because you have to use universal consist with each decoder.
The other solution is to change the decoder to one of those accessories decoders with 4 output each and then routing becomes an ease but then I lost the semi-auto singaling.
Which one would you have? Semi-auto signals which is kind of cool or easy routing for the yard?
All signals in the yard are in the process of being wired into push rods with DPDT switches so when I pull the rod the switch will turn the signal as well as the indicator on the board.
It’s simple and one less thing to worry about while trying to mash excessive buttons on the controller.
Sorry I know it’s not the answer you’re looking for.
if you’re using tortoise switch motors they have built in spst switches that can be set up for simple signalling . i’m pretty sure the circuit diagram either comes with the tortoise , or is on their website . certainly it’s available somewhere on the web because i know i’ve seen it . i’d post it but i’m just about to head out for lunch
I think you are right, just did more research and apparently accessory decoders can hook up slow switch machines in parallel with LED’s to incidcate too!
So what’s a goo slow machine for N? Do they all have to mount under the table?
I think Tortoise has a new one called ‘Smail’ which is a switching with decoder built in but they are ot released til Feb I think.
If you are using Tortoise switch motors, use a standard accessory decoder, and all you need to do is put an LED in series with the motor leads to the Tortoise. You cna make a simple red/green searchlight signal with a single bi-color LED. It will be red when the Tortoise is one way, and green the other. The downside of wiring them this way is the LEDs glow dimly as the Tortoise moves then brighten when it stalls -a little wierd in a signal. But the Tortoise has plenty of contacts you can wire up to change the indication as well.
If you are using Atlas switch motors - get a normal accessory decoder and add the Atlas snap-relay to get a set of contacts you can use to toggle the LEDs for signals.
A turnout decoder that uses mobile decoder addresses - that’s just wrong. But since older MRC DCC systems couldn;t command accessory decoders, I guess it was the only way.
Slice a lead to an LED off your decoder (Not the common) and hook up a multimeter to measure the amperage flow through the LED. Reconnect the lead and then measure the voltage being applied to the LED. Use these as your MAXIMUM amp and Voltage rating and then you can replace the LED indicators with any LED that has an equal (or near equal) voltage rating and an equal or less than Amperage rating.
Example: Lets say you measure 2.1V being applied to the LED and you measure the LED drawing 25mA. Just get a Joe-standard LED rated for 20mA @ 2.0Vdc (pretty common for a T-1 sized LED) and it will work like a champ.
This is more complex of a solution but if you measure the voltage on the LED terminals on the decoder and you see that the common is - and the other two wires are + then you can use the + wires to drive NPN switching transistors (15 of them for $3). The switching transistor is very simple to hook up and acts much like an electronic switch. + voltage on the base lead, the transistor conducts. Remove the voltage and the transistor stops conducting. Wire +5Vdc or +12Vdc to the collector lead and you can then wire up just about anything you want to the emitter lead.
The NPN switching transistor I am using a lot of has a model number of 2N4401 and can pass about 600mA total current. There are places to get these much cheaper plus there are much higher amperage models. These are cheap and easy to get (read: Radio Snack).
Just as a side note, by using a 1MOhm resistor on the base lead of the 2N4401, you can use it to sense voltage on just about any circuit. Its great for using in block detection.
I actually have the new Advanced, just the decoder was designed for use with old system.
I sort of figured out another easy way actually! Since the Bachmann switches is ‘power routing’ type with live frog, I can actually just hook the live track to green and then red to the the main track to have a simple go-no-go signaling system for the mainline.
However, the LED’s just managed to fit the light heads that I got so I will actually keep using those decoders to indicate the mainline and then use one of those 3 light ones for the spurs/block and just hook-up as above then I would have simple semi-auto indication.
I think I don’t mind switch individually for the mainlines and then use the accessory decoders for the further spurs and other block so I can use routes for them in the yard.
I should have thought of this before! It just came to me this morning! Thank God for power routing switches! LOL I think that will at least cut down 50% of the decoders required for the 9 switches and 4 cross overs because originally I was gonna use accessory decode to indicate the signals too.
[quote user=“rrinker”]
If you are using Tortoise switch motors, use a standard accessory decoder, and all you need to do is put an LED in series with the motor leads to the Tortoise. You cna make a simple red/green searchlight signal with a single bi-color LED. It will be red when the Tortoise is one way, and green the other. The downside of wiring them this way is the LEDs glow dimly as the Tortoise moves then brighten when it stalls -a little wierd in a signal. But the Tortoise has plenty of contacts you can wire up to change the indication as well.
If you are using Atlas switch motors - get a normal accessory decoder and add the Atlas snap-relay to get a set of contacts you can use to toggle the LEDs for signals.
A turnout decoder that uses mobile decoder addresses - that’s just wrong. But since o