Hi. Real interesting article in the latest MR about using servo motors instead of other forms of switcmachines. Two questions: 1) I’ve read many previous posts on the subject of servos - does anyone have recent experience using them in a DCC environment? and 2) Referring to the setup in the 01/11 MR, how could these or other servo mechanisms be adapted to DCC use? If this turns out to look advantageous I might like to go this way because I’m building a new 15x70’ layout and anything I can find that’s reliable but will cut costs would be very interesting. I’ve always contemplated a separate power source for building lights, switch machines and other options just for reliability’s sake so needing a separate source for a servo-based layout wouldn’t be a problem, if these can be usefully used on a DCC layout. ANYthing you guys can help with will be really appreciated!
I read that artice last night. Basically the author gutted out a rather large servo and wired it for straight DC operation. Check out Tam Valley Depot - They have a nice DCC package that includes a small servo and the electronics for DCC.
http://www.tamvalleydepot.com/
Jim
I’m using the Tam Valley products and they work great. For the cost of a Torotise you get a servo and the controller which is a DCC stationary decoder as well as a pushbutton control with LED indicators. I do buy my servos and extension cords on eBay where they are much cheaper. I add a wire for frog power to all my turnouts so I got the remote relay boards to go with the Singlet controllers, however I have yet to install any of the relays since even my smallest loco, a 44-tonner, has no problem with the unpowered frogs. Of course, had I left out the wire for possible frog power, guess what would have happened?
I actually get the Singlet kits - all you have to do is solder on 2 pushbuttons and 2 LEDs. The tricky parts like the surface mount controlelr chip is already soldered on, even in the ‘kit’.
The small 9G servos I use work great and if you don’t have ‘conventional’ construction like abasic plywood base with roadbed on top - I use 2 layers of 2" foam - then the servo mounts made by Motrak make it extremely easy to install a linkage. It works almost exactly like a Tortoise. Even with 4" of foam plus cork on top to go through, the 8 I have installed so far work fine with .032 piano wire.
I question the recent article - the 9G servos use coreless motors and no way can they handle a constant stall. The larger ones used in the article may not have coreless motors, but a 70-80ma draw when stalled is significantly more than a Tortoise (15-18ma) and precludes using series LEDs as position indicators. I’d rather use the servos in the way intended, with a proper controlling device. Servos should never stall - the Signelt from Tam Valley helps with this by providing a feature to automatically set the endpoints, although there is still a manual option as well.
I sound like an ad for Tam Valley, but I am in no way connected with the company other than being a very satisfied customer. I’ve had a few technical questions and Duncan has always promptly answere