Cobalt Slow Point Motor DCC control - RM - eLink

[PJ_model_trains]

Brilliant Chrissaf

Thank you

[Nick_]

It's even easier to wire up if you're using RailMaster to switch the point, you only need to use DCC+ DCC- and frog. 

[PJ_model_trains]

Thanks Nick_ 

Decision made ;o)

DCP-CB12DIP

[PJ_model_trains]

The terminal strips with pins shown in the video are made by "CamdenBoss" they are 12 way but can be cut into two lengths of 5 with 2 left over. CamdenBoss part number is CTSN431/12MF They go under the general description name of 'Pluggable Terminal Strips' or sometimes 'Plug-in Terminal Strips' useful to know if Googling.

.

Readily available on the net, but purely as an example supplier you can see the product here on Rapid On-line

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PS - Three sizes are available. The ones in the video were the smallest 6A (8mm) size. This is the size shown in my link and for the stated CamdenBoss part number.

 

These will be brilliant as I am making new layout boards so at a later date they can be separated should we ever move home.

 

Create DCC Bus and connect each block separately with them. I  also want one section removable so they really do help.  I need to place an order with Rapid soon so perfect timing ;o)

 

[PJ_model_trains]

I am going to need about 21 of these motors, but have purchased my first pack of 12 from Hatton's.

 

I find myself in a slightly different situation has I am rebuilding a complete new layout from scratch. The layout is being made on three sections and will all come together as one and will then be hinged to a wall. But the hinge will take time as I have to get someone to do this and the joining of the boards for me. Frustrating!

 

So I am working on section one of three, which at present is just 3x1 frame and 18mm plywood. I have cork underlay cut and glued today, droppers prepared I hope to add some track will go don tomorrow.  😀

 

So my situation is this, I am laying track and placing points/turn-outs with no power at all to the track.

 

The Cobalt iP Digital Point Motors User Guide that came with the motors shows setting up the motor before fixing, is this essential? It also states that the point motor is already self centred, so as I see it, providing I fix the point motor in line with the track it should be alright. 

 

Has anyone done this? Did you experience any problems? 

 

The only real issue I see is that the sticky foam pads supplied, are fully set after 24 hours. So adjustment can be made if necessary when initially fixing but not afterwards as the glue is fully 'set'.

 

I guess I am just trying to avoid connecting a DCC Bus, the eLink and Computer when this is just one section of three and is not in situ yet. 

 

Comments welcome guys. 

[Hairy]

Hi PJ, there is no need to connect a DDC Bus, just connect your elink directly to the Cobalt and set it up according to the instruction.

If you have already got a track plan design in RM, I suggest that you add three temporay points with the following addresses 197, 198 and 199. These addresses are used by the Cobalt to activate/deactivate the self centering and change the direction of throw. This makes it easier to set up each point as you install the Cobalt.

 

Regards

Chris

[Fishmanoz]

What Hairy Chris is telling you PJ is that installing them without a DCC connection to ensure the mechanical placement is correct and they are operating properly will undoubtably lead to tears before bedtime.

[PJ_model_trains]

Hi PJ, there is no need to connect a DDC Bus, just connect your elink directly to the Cobalt and set it up according to the instruction.

If you have already got a track plan design in RM, I suggest that you add three temporay points with the following addresses 197, 198 and 199. These addresses are used by the Cobalt to activate/deactivate the self centering and change the direction of throw. This makes it easier to set up each point as you install the Cobalt.

 

Regards

Chris

 

Hi Chris

 

That seems excellent advice and makes sense having read about the 197, 198 and 199 addresses.

 

Thank you 

[PJ_model_trains]

What Hairy Chris is telling you PJ is that installing them without a DCC connection to ensure the mechanical placement is correct and they are operating properly will undoubtably lead to tears before bedtime.

 

Thanks Fishy

 

Sometimes you may type a question then get to the end and know the answer. For me this is one of those situations. I then thought shall I delete it and decided (as it had not timed out this time) to float it. 

😀

 

I will rig up a temporary DCC supply when fitting the point motor. 

 

[Yelrow]

Pj, you must have a very understanding wife. If i  told mine i was going to replace my existing motors, all of which function, fine, at the sort of cost, these new ones are, i think i would be living outside on bread and water, indefinately. john 

[PJ_model_trains]

Life is short John, you can't take your money with you.

 

What I am doing is a 'complete restart' that includes plywood and frame etc. Everything. I still have my trains and the signals etc but everything else is new, even the track, all P***.

 

If you ever over step the mark John and end up outside on bread and water please let us know we will have a collection so we can send a blanket and a jar of jam. 

😆

[Yelrow]

PJ, money, whats that.  The point i was making was that reading through the posts on points etc, there is a Massive difference in price. , with no significant noise reduction, and at the end of the day, they open and close, the same as my Hornby ones, which work fine.  I may be just a simple soul, but i dont see what  you get extra for your money. You can buy 4 hornby ones, for one of these. Track, i can understand, as flexi is hard to Re use. I am sure, all the purists, are about to tell me how much more wonderful, cobalts are, but i am afraid that my maxim, is, if it aint broke, etc.   Moving on to rebuilding, thats my passion. I spend as much time, altering/ tinkering, as playing. Thats part of the fun.  My problem is running so many gauges, that a total rebuild, would be a 12 month job, and to even suggest that, would mean the need for your blanket, and jam. john

[Nick_]

John, price wise it's actually pretty comparable if your running DCC. You can get Cobalt IPs for £17 each, or less if bought in bulk And each unit contains it own DCC encoder so you just write it directly to your DCC bus. Hornby point motors cost about £7 each but you then need To buy an accessory decoder for each 4 point motors at £35, so each Cobalt is costing you, worst case, £2.50 more. The benefit is points look way more realistic as the blades slide across rather than jumping across. You can also fire them much closer together because there is no single CDU to recharge

[PJ_model_trains]

Hi John

 

What do I think of Hornby points compared to P*** ones? There is a noticable difference in quality and they do electrofrog not just insulfrog points.

 

My Hornby points took an hammering due to the long running signals issues. How do signals affect points you may say, the issue was in resetting and restarting RM to run test after test after test. 

 

The small square of plastic between the rails that has a wire spring flipped off many of them, I could list much more but feel it is best not to on here.

 

Regarding the Cobalt point motors, they do not make the Clack, Clack noise the solenoides make, yes there is a noise but depending where you are certainly less than the solenoids. They are also more realistic with a smooth action not thrown left or right, they are more likey to hold your turn-out in place as I found on the Hornby the solenoids the bit of metal that should hold the blades of the turn-out move!!! I agree they are more costly but you can also do more with them if you want to, they are not 4x the cost of Hornby solenoids only 2x as I paid less than £15 each for a box of 12 .

 

Regarding rebuilding, I am not sure if you mean take down and rebuild and change or modelling? Once my layout is running it is doubtful I will change much but during building I love the modelling side of it. As you saw with the last layout I will do similar with this. So far I have laid track to 60% of the 4' x4' section (nothing underneath and droppers dangling for cats to play with, well they think they are to play with. Today I took a break from adding rail and have created the raised area and set out for my fishing lake, I have added the plaster of paris bandage over the area to have static grass. These are the bits I love to mess with, the scenery for me is a big part of the layout. Bigger lake this time John, should be some cracking carp in it when I get to that stage, it is not as big as the lake near you though. 

😉

[Yelrow]

Nick, Hi, thanks for your explanation. I can totally understand the economics if you are starting from scratch. However, in my case,i   have already  bought and paid for points, and accessory decoders, and i belive my colleague PJ, to be in a similar position. To this end assuming thats the case, i fail to see ,   enough benefit in the slide, versus the jump, to make the  transition, unless you have a ready made buyer, for all your existing, now surplus equipment. In my case, had i been aware of the  obvious operational benefit , i  could well have looked into going down that road, but with 16 points and  necessary accessory decoders,  i would certainly be in need of sustinence, if i tried to sell this approach to my lady wife. I would add that all my hornby points etc, work fine. As a matter of interest, do these work with DC only. john

[Yelrow]

PJ, hi, replied to Nick, whilst your reply was coming through. Had not understood you had worn out some of your points, so you just have surplus accessory decoders.  You, as purely DCC,, are in a better position, than , to rebuild.. You also, have considerably more patience, than i, as i do not get involved in scenery, other than a few buildings/ turntables/ engine sheds. Even my new Helix, is not landscaped. My aim has been to have as many ovals in as many gauges as i own, hence about 18 running ovals. Not much room for plaster/  scenery, just in case i decide to add another track. I learnt a lot from this thread, and Nicks imput. Has this new version come too late to solve your signal issues, or will they now all be fine, in due course.   john

[PJ_model_trains]

John, price wise it's actually pretty comparable if your running DCC. You can get Cobalt IPs for £17 each, or less if bought in bulk And each unit contains it own DCC encoder so you just write it directly to your DCC bus. Hornby point motors cost about £7 each but you then need To buy an accessory decoder for each 4 point motors at £35, so each Cobalt is costing you, worst case, £2.50 more. The benefit is points look way more realistic as the blades slide across rather than jumping across. You can also fire them much closer together because there is no single CDU to recharge

 

Thanks Nick

Well put   🤔 

[PJ_model_trains]

Nick, Hi, thanks for your explanation. I can totally understand the economics if you are starting from scratch. However, in my case,i   have already  bought and paid for points, and accessory decoders, and i belive my colleague PJ, to be in a similar position. To this end assuming thats the case, i fail to see ,   enough benefit in the slide, versus the jump, to make the  transition, unless you have a ready made buyer, for all your existing, now surplus equipment. In my case, had i been aware of the  obvious operational benefit , i  could well have looked into going down that road, but with 16 points and  necessary accessory decoders,  i would certainly be in need of sustinence, if i tried to sell this approach to my lady wife. I would add that all my hornby points etc, work fine. As a matter of interest, do these work with DC only. john

 

Hi John

Maybe the time to consider the turn-out motors is if a point or solenoid needs replacing. 

Change enough and sell your decoder, it pulls some of the money back.   😀  

[PJ_model_trains]

PJ, hi, replied to Nick, whilst your reply was coming through. Had not understood you had worn out some of your points, so you just have surplus accessory decoders.  You, as purely DCC,, are in a better position, than , to rebuild.. You also, have considerably more patience, than i, as i do not get involved in scenery, other than a few buildings/ turntables/ engine sheds. Even my new Helix, is not landscaped. My aim has been to have as many ovals in as many gauges as i own, hence about 18 running ovals. Not much room for plaster/  scenery, just in case i decide to add another track. I learnt a lot from this thread, and Nicks imput. Has this new version come too late to solve your signal issues, or will they now all be fine, in due course.   john

 

Hello John

 

The areas you landscape, raise slightly add grass etc are the areas in between the ovals.

 

It is not all plaster, far from it, I just layer pieces of shaped cardboard, stick with copydex. Then layer the plast bandages over before painting and adding static grass.

Many gauges... Ermmm

 

As for the Train-Tech signals, HRMS will confirm in the next User Guide update when they are working. Tests over the last few days have been encouraging and are 'almost' there. I guess they may wait until they are totally fixed before confirming this but anyone will Train-Tech signals watch for the update as there will be  new way to set them up.

 

So lets say fine in due course John 

 

[Nick_]

John, yes they do, you just need two push buttons or studs on a DC control panel.

I think there is also a slightly cheaper version without the DCC decoder components if you're intending to always stay DC and never go DCC

[PJ_model_trains]

Pj, you must have a very understanding wife. If i  told mine i was going to replace my existing motors, all of which function, fine, at the sort of cost, these new ones are, i think i would be living outside on bread and water, indefinately. john 

 

Understanding wife to a degree John

 

Due to the complete rebuild I have stuff all over the place at present, timber etc in bedroom where layout will go. I am waiting for someone to put wall plate on wall.  My computer is in another room.

 

The 4' x 4' section of the layout I am working on is on a couple of thick towels on a nice oak dining table. Now that was pushing my luck! First getting it on there to work on because I can sit round it, second I keep hearing noises... words like 'how much longer' and 'One mark on that table will end up divorced! Even after 40 plus years! 

 

[Teedoubleudee]

John (Yelrow), don't tell the wife - I didn't.

[Fishmanoz]

Consequences from marks on tables?  Now that has a familiar ring to it. 

 

However, in a previous life, I did manage to survive putting a significant circular saw cut through a very old and shabby laminex table from the 50s era.

[PJ_model_trains]

No dear I didn't drill or cut the table.

You never mentioned PVA or Copydex so I thought it was OK

Well if you won't make me tea I better ring for a takeaway.

No they won't take me away...  *!@?^    sorry love I am hard of hearing.

Women, they just don't understand    😬

[PJ_model_trains]

Consequences from marks on tables?  Now that has a familiar ring to it. 

 shabby laminex table from the 50s era.

 

Sounds like that was the excuse to me Fishy   😆