Has anyone used the Tam Valley Depot products? In particular the singlet? If so, are they difficult to install? Program? Are they reliable? Do they get hot?
If you had it to do over again, would you?
Easy to set up, reliable, and the whole thing with a servo is cheaper than a Tortoise and you get the pushbuttons, LED indicators AND DCC controlelr.
I have a dozen turnouts on my layout so far (more when I build the cement plant penninsula) and every one has a servo plus the Motrak servo mount and each one is controlled by a Singlet. I don’t think I will be using anything different unless some other new product comes out in the future.
–Randy
I have recently installed one and found it easier than most other devices I’ve used to power turnouts. You need to read the instructions fully to understand how to set them up. I even tried setting them up for DCC operation (easy and works well). The hardest part was getting the actuating wire thru the turnout throw bar hole from underneath the layout. Some of my turnouts have stall motors, some twin solenoid and others use modified telephone exchange relays. The Tam valley system is definately the easiest. I’ll probably use the servos more for my semaphore signals as you can set the speed to slowly move from one position to the other.
You mentioned on Yahoo about the servos getting hot - they do not get hot when installed properly. Servos are NOT stall motors and will burn out or burn out the controller if left to stall instead of being allowed to stop at the endpoints. They also will be noisy if they can’t complete their travel. The Singlets have an automatic endpoint finder that works pretty well to set them up - install with the servo and turnout cenetered, then allow the auto endpoint finder to do its thing - it takes a little while, but it is usually pretty accurate.
If you have a more traditional layout with plywood and then the track on top with or without roadbed, you can install the servo by simply gluing it to the underside of the plywood. SUPER simple. I have 4" of foam so I haven’t tried that, I use the convenient mounts made by Motrak Models.
–Randy
Randy, could you please elaborate on what improper installation would consist of, that would allow the servos to get hot to the touch? If so do they present a fire danger, etc.? I seem to recall someone writing that they’d found installing them “on end” rather than sideways (not a real clear description, I’m afraid on their part) alleviated some of those and similar problems.
Are there still any clear advantages to using Tortoises over the Tam Valley units when not using throttle thrown functions for the turn outs? I’m intrigued by these but already have many tortoises sitting in a drawer for future installs. Wondering whether to keep them, sell them, whatever. I haven’t seen the Tam Valley units in use anywhere in person and being a conservative/traditionalist I’d like to before considering them more seriously.
Thanks!
I am currently using four Quad-pics on my layout and they have been working great. Installing is very simple, I used the servo mounting kit and it is VERY simple. It is mounted with double sided tape and then kept there by screws. They are very easy to program, you set a jumper pin and then throw a turnout number and done! I have not had a problem with reliability or have had any that got warm.
Chris
Warner Robins, GA
There’s not a fire danger, they don’t get that hot before they burn out. An improperly installed and configured servo will buzz like crazy as kti keeps trying to push past a physical block in the travel It’s not something you could just ignore, it’s too noticeable.
I always used Tortoises before, because they work, and are reliable. But now that they are up to $19.95 each MSRP, it’s hard to justify. If you don’t need DCC control of the turnouts, Tam Valley has the Octopus that will drive 8 servos and does not have the DCC decoder functionality, this will be even less per turnout than the Singlet. I get my servos from eBay, several CHinese companies sell them for as little as $2.50 each. I also saved a couple of bucks on the Singlets by buying the kits - all you have to solder on are 2 LEDs and 2 pushbuttons, it’s pretty simple. I also getmy extension cords from the same chinese suppliers on eBay, much cheaper than the Tam Valley price.
–Randy
Thanks very much for your quick responses Chris and Randy. The OP is a good friend of mine and he may have a follow up q. or two… How long have you had yours in service (esp. Chris because he’s using all Tam Valley components)?
Not long, I have had mine installed for about a year but I am just getting my layout put back together after a move (down for about 6 months) so I don’t have any long term experience.
Chris
Warner Robins, GA
Thanks Chris. Moving and layouts, never fun… if you get a chance after working your servos harder maybe keep us updated? I’m interested in these but have those tortoises already purchased. Have to consider the cost of a hare or wabbit and a stationary decoder vs. ditching the already purchased tortii.
I’ve had 2 in regular operation for about 3 1/2 months now, when I built my temporary cardboard control panel. All the rest have servos in place but the Singlets are not yet connected.
For Tortoises, the NCE Switch-It or Switch-8 are economical, the Switch-It cna also use local control pushbuttons but the Switch-8 does not.
If you have Digitrax, there is a HUGE advantage to using the DS64 - even if you operate the turnout with local pushbuttons connected to the DS64, it still sends out the switch commands on Loconet, so if for example you have a panel in JMRI the status will reflect the actual position of the turnout. WITHOUT using any of the contacts on the Tortoise. This is a huge reason why I went with Digitrax, none of the other systems does this.
–Randy
If you already have the tortoises then just buy some DS64 to control your turnouts. No reason to not use them, the other half of my layout is controlled by tortoises connected to a DS64. I was able to get the local push button panel like I was able to create with the Quad-Pic.
Also I would recommend looking at the Quad-Pic. it has an attachment to be able to control Tortoises.
Chris
Warner Robins, GA
Thank you Randy. I DO have Digitrax radio/Super Chief. Reading through the Tam Valley site and other posts, I was having trouble deciding if going with something loco-net compatible would be the preferred method and if their systems were compatible with it or not.
So, are the Tam Valley units NOT loco net compatible or at least harder to incorporate into loco net? Because of their longer time on the market, owning digitrax etc. I’m more familiar with the DS64s at least from reading about them.
I am considering the use of JMRI later, so maybe that clinches it? I guess I’d still need to purchase wabbits or hare units in order to throttle throw the turn outs though, correct? Or will the NCE units take care of that?
I’ll do some NCE reading…
The Tam Valley units are plain DCC, liek the NCE ones, and like the Hare/Wabbit. There is no built-in connecton to Loconet. For feedback you’d have to use the inputs on some Loconet board connected to either a set of switch machine contacts int he case of the Tortoise or the realy boards Tam Valley has to power the frogs. This goes for the misleadingly labeled Hare/Wabbits with feedback - all they have is a CONNECTION to attach a feedback device for your DCC system, they do not actually provide the feedback.
If you have Tortoises already, there’s no real reason to switch them out. If dispatcher control is in your future, the DS64 would be the way to go, because of the incorporated feedback. If you have some locations with a tight fit, then the servos really shine, they are a fraction of the size of a Tortoise. Feedback to loconet can be achieved by connecting to the inputs of a DS64, on SE8C, one of the boards that CML has, Team Digital has a board with inputs for Loconet, and there’s the DIY LocoIO from Hans DeLoof.
–Randy
Thanks again Chris and Randy. Excellent education there. I HAD assumed that the Hare or Wabbit provided the feedback itself. I’ll read up on the DS64 again. Thanks for the particulars.
We’re looking at using the Tam Valley servo system too. I see that the Singlets and the Octopus are billed as now having “automatic end point control” for ease of set up.
So I presume then that the Quad does not have this feature? If not, is an updated version on the way? Also if not, how much difference would it otherwise make programming 64 turnouts without it?
Thanks,
Cat
The Quad does not have automatic endpoints and when I asked DUncan he said it was because the servo drive is difference - the SInglet and Octopus drive directly off the PIC chip and the Quad has a driver in between so that you can use a seperate power source that runs just the servos - reducing the load on the DCC bus which would then only be used to send the commands to the board.
It’s not hard at all to manually set the endpoints, you just press one button on the controller or the other until the servo has moved far enough to hold the points. The automatic (I use Singlets) is not 100%, although that may be partly due to the fact that I have 4" of foam plus 1/4" plywood plus cork roadbed to go through. Sometimes the automatic goes too far and I have to back it off to keep the servo from running constantly - servos are not meant to stall.
–Randy