DCC Concepts PSX-ARSC (auto reverser) with eLink / Railmaster

[bradleyuk]

Has anyone any experience using the DCC Concepts PSX-ARSC (auto reverser) with the eLink / Railmaster?

The auto-reversing and corresponding solenoid point trigger seems to work perfectly out of the box, with no configuration/programming required, however i'm having problems manually triggering the onboard solenoid point decoder from within Rail Master.

So to confirm when the train makes the short by passing over the insulated rail joiners at each end of the loop its able to automatically throw the Seep PM1 point motor i have, thereby making sure the point is aligned correctly for the train to leave the reversing loop. What i want to be able to (and the manual says this is fine and in fact one of the features) is to manually trigger the point myself so i can choose which way the train runs round the loop.

The manual states the default address for that decoder is 2044:

There are Three Accessory Addresses:

1. The First accessory address lets you turn the output track power from the Power Shield on and off. (Default address 2042) 
2. The Second address is used to arm the photocell circuit. When the light level drops, due to a train covering the photo cell, the power will turn off. Power can be turned back on (or off) under DCC control. (2043 default)
3. The Third address (2044 default) controls the output to the stall motor or dual coil switch machine outputs by using a normal DCC accessory commands for a switch, throw(off) or clear(on) command.

Yet nothing happens when i configure the Point in the track plan to use that port. 

Questions:

1. What Manufacture/Part should i select in the Track Plan setup screen in RailMaster when the DCC Concepts PSX-ARSC isn't listed? I'd have thought any would have been fine (i selected the 2 port DCC Concepts accessory decoder - was this stupid of me? - I have three of the DCC Concepts 8 way decoders which work perfectly with the eLink)
   
   
2. Does anyone else have experience with this or indeed any other non-listed accessory decoders?
   
   
3. Does anyone else use ports so close to the end of the range? Does RailMaster/eLink definitely cope with 2044 for example? I.e. Should i try re-programming it to a lower address?

Manual Here if it helps anyone:

http://www.dccspecialties.com/products/pdf/man_psxar.pdf

Any help / advice much appreciated! Sorry for the rather long winded post!!

 

[Chrissaf]

Bradley,

I don't have an answer as not familiar with the product in question. I just want to congratulate you for asking a very well logically and methodically constructed question with masses of detail. This is something we rarely see on the forum and even less so form a member with such a low post count.

.

Do not apologise for the length of your question, the detail in it for such a unique problem that you have is essential.

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I do hope that you get your problem resolved.

.

 

[Fishmanoz]

Hi Bradley, I unfortunately also have no experience on this item. However, just on the default address near end of range, there is no logic to suggest that all addresses within range will not be functional. If there were, then similar logic would suggest that port number 1 shouldn't be used as it is near the start of the range. 

 

Can an I suggest that you start RM, try the manual point throw, having it fail, then email HRMS from within the Help window of RM and detail your problem as you have above.  Doing this will also send HRMS the log.txt file that shows the sequence that has occurred in RM, so giving them a first clue as to what might be wrong.

 

HRMS have previously been very accommodating new products into RM capability, despite them not being Hornby. They just don't give any guarantees on non-Hornby product operation. 

 

PS.  By the way, this seems to be a DCC Specialties product, not a DCC Concepts one.

[RB51]

Where did you buy it Bradley? It looks to be an excellent piece of kit. R-

[Chrissaf]

Roger try these for UK suppliers, in stock @ about £55 give or take.

DigiTrains

Coastal DCC

 

 

[RB51]

Thanks Chris - interesting that Coastal DCC is not on their dealer listing. R-

[bradleyuk]

Hi everyone

Firstly, apologies for the confusion, yes its a DCC Specialities product, not DCC Concepts. I've got so much kit from the later i have their name on my brain!

RogerB - i got it for £52.14 delivered, from http://www.dccsupplies.com/item-p-101425/psx-arsc-autoreversing-circuit-breaker-and-dcc - However it appears to have been their last one as its now showing out of stock. Assuming i get this problem sorted i'd strongly recommend it, if i don't i'd recommend the version without the built in accessory decoder as the automatic polarity switching is incredibly fast. I've tried a few trains running at full speed into the throat of the loop and it automatically switches the point in time so the train hasn't derailed once. Would just be great if i could MANUALLY change the point via DCC! (it does allow for manually switching via a physical switch, that works fine but i want it from Railmaster obviously!!)

FishMan - Didn't realise RailMaster kept a log, will take a look and see if anything occurs to me. Failing that will do what you suggest and get in touch with HRMS.

Update: 

I've tried giving it a new address but that's not working either. Have followed their manual to the letter but it doesn't seem to respond to any of the three addresses i'm giving it. Luckily, unlike some hardware this has an LED that flashes whenever it receives a command. Since this is NOT flashing when issuing the address(es) or when trying to trigger the address(es) i'm confident that there is a problem somewhere, unfortuately don't know if its human error on my part, RailMaster, the Elink or the Reverser itself. 

 

Will keep you posted... but if anyone else has used this before, regardless of what DCC controller system i'd be very interested to hear if they were able to access via the default addresses or indeed where able to assign new addresses. 

WIll also get in touch with DCC Specialties too, since they have manufacturer specific instructions for other companies besides Hornby. 

[bradleyuk]

Hi Bradley, I unfortunately also have no experience on this item. However, just on the default address near end of range, there is no logic to suggest that all addresses within range will not be functional. If there were, then similar logic would suggest that port number 1 shouldn't be used as it is near the start of the range. 

@Fishmanoz It seems i was on to something after all, and logic has gone out of the window ;)

After some experimentation i've discovered that i'm unable to assign any address greater than or equal to 1024... i.e. 1023 is the highest i can assign.

Since the PSX-ARSC defaults to 2042/2043/2044 and it works fine with other DCC Controllers i can only assume that either the eLink, RailMaster or both cannot (or cannot correctly) transmit from 1024 onwards. 

1024 is a special number in terms of computers, since 1024 bytes = 1kb. Not sure what part of this causes a problem but its a 'natural' break point. 

Anyway i hope this helps someone in the future (i'll email both Hornby and Dcc Specialities so they know about it). I'm now happy able to control the point (dcc address 902)

Thanks for all the replies.

[Chrissaf]

Bradley just for the sake of clarification are you saying that you have now successfully re-addressed product to 902 (<1024) and now everything works to your expectations and problem is solved?

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I am intrigued to know a little bit more about the auto-point switching element of the product. Specifically, you said "I've tried a few trains running at full speed into the throat of the loop and it automatically switches the point in time".

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When you say "throat of the loop" do you mean the approach to the loop from the main track or do you mean the train is on the loop approaching the point exit?

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Reading the manual, it infers that it is the triggering of the RLM function (crossing the insulated joiners, if a short is detected) that triggers the point switching. I read this to mean the joiners on the loop section. If the points change on the approach to the loop from the main track (that is before any RLM short has taken place), what mechanisim triggers the switching?

[RB51]

Thanks Bradley - on back order. R-

[Fishmanoz]

Glad you got it sorted Bradley but the logic certainly does escape me.  The RM manual says very clearly that it can address 2048 accessories, clearly implying that 2044 is well within range.

 

Just on the specialty of 1024 or otherwise, the binary for 1024 is 10000000000 whereas for 1023 it is 1111111111.  The significant difference here is there are 10 bits necessary for the 1023 address and 11 needed for 1024.  And then, those same 11 bits get you all the way to 2047 which is 11111111111 in binary.  So it would seem that 11th bit is the problem.  And the fact that RM says 2048 accessories implies it can do 12 bit addressing going all the way to 100000000000.

 

A comment from HRMS on accessory address range would certainly be appreciated.

 

PS.  If you are going to run this item from Elite, you will certainly have to change all the default addresses as its documentation (v1.41, haven't checked 1.42) says it will only handle 252 accessory addresses.

 

PS2.  Note I'm not trying to imply here that there are 10, 11 or 12 bit registers used by RM and accessory decoders, they will almost certainly be limited to 8 bit but 2 will be used, just like extended loco addresses.

[bradleyuk]

Bradley just for the sake of clarification are you saying that you have now successfully re-addressed product to 902 (<1024) and now everything works to your expectations and problem is solved?

.

I am intrigued to know a little bit more about the auto-point switching element of the product. Specifically, you said "I've tried a few trains running at full speed into the throat of the loop and it automatically switches the point in time".

.

When you say "throat of the loop" do you mean the approach to the loop from the main track or do you mean the train is on the loop approaching the point exit?

.

Reading the manual, it infers that it is the triggering of the RLM function (crossing the insulated joiners, if a short is detected) that triggers the point switching. I read this to mean the joiners on the loop section. If the points change on the approach to the loop from the main track (that is before any RLM short has taken place), what mechanisim triggers the switching?

Hi Chris,

Yes all is now fine and working as i expected, albehit on the non-default ports (below 1024)

Apolgogies if i'm getting the terminology wrong... I mean if the train is about to EXIT the loop and the point is set the 'wrong' way i.e. hasn't been changed since the train entered the entrance to the loop the decoder will fire as soon as it detects the short, thereby throwing the point to allow the train to exit safely. 

Obviously when entering its upto me to choose which way round the loop the train will run (which i can now do having successfully set it to address 902). Upon ENTERING the loop, the point is not automatically thrown (or if it 'is' its in the direction its already in so no actual change). As you say, when running in this direction it would be too late for the point to change since the front wheels would have already PASSED the point!

Essentiallty it allows the train to enter and exit automatically without having to manually throw the point when it reaches the end of the loop.

Hope this makes sense. 

[Chrissaf]

Thanks for providing the clarity. Your new explanation is exactly as I envisaged it to be. I don't have a similar loop on my layout, but I had given thought about the issue of lack of automation. E.g having to keep an eye on a train in the loop and change the point manually for its exit. The automation this product gives is brilliant. I could see a situation particularly in an exhibition layout where there is a loop at both ends of an 'end to end' layout and you can just leave a train to get on with it unsupervised.