Yelrow Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 hi, my control panel, Elite/ laptop, is too far away from most of my points to see when/if they are firing, as i build my new sidings, and my lady wife has a bad knee, precluding her from stair climbing. Because of the way, my layout is tiered, i simply cant see, Is there a way, of fitting a bulb or something that would light up, to help identification. I have moved several points to new location, without turning power on, so all should fire on previous numbers, happen my wires have not become muddled up, but before i screw point motors down, would like to be sure. Suggestions, very welcome. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB51 Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Quite a few way to do this John. For a start though can you confirm that you want the point direction indicator at the location of the point being thrown. That is to say not in a centralised alternative location to your control panel etc.... R- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choralc Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 A coloured paper flag on a cocktail stick temporarily blutacked to a rail on the point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yelrow Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 Come on Rog, at 09.33 , centralised alternative location ?. What i normally do, is via Elite, just check that motor fires, before screwing down. Without a second pair of eyes, this is proving impossible. Point direction indicator?, i just want the little wiggerly thing to click. I have 6 points, hidden from control panel. If a bulb/ indicator could light up, wiggle, i would know it works. Failing that, you could pop across and watch them for me. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yelrow Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 Choralc, Now, there is an idea. Well done, will see if i can see that from control. Thought i was being so clever with these tiers, lit them up, underneath, etc, then built a fiddle yard at the only space i had left, some 9 foot from where i sit. Keep ideas coming, as Heather is Threatening a hands and knees climbing stairs, attempt. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB51 Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 My apologies - I thought you were after a more permanent solution. I like the cocktail stick idea - you'd have to let it dry out after you finish your Martini though. R- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yelrow Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 Dont apologise, were you saying you can buy point direction indicators. I normally adjust my schenatic on RM so that i can fire points, but layout is getting bigger than the monitor, and if you shrink it down, it becomes too tiny. I wanted to use RAFs method to check the points with Elite, before altering the schematic, but short of a Retrovisor, or periscope, simply cant see them. I also dont know if i can fire them from the Select Walkabout. Tis a good day for ignorance. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB51 Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Yes, you can buy signals for this purpose - but you don't have to. I think it is RAF who has made his own using bi-colour led's. BUT - that puts the signals near the points, and if you can't see the points - you won't see the signals either, hence my centralised ...... blah, blah, blah. Now, if your cocktail stick pokes up high enough your laughing. R- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 A bit more pricey but what about a wireless security camera (miniature type) on one of those bendy tripod thingy's. You could then have a small video window open on screen next to RM to view what is happening. Being wireless, no leads to drag across the layout potentially snagging and the flexibility to move it to anywhere above and below the layout you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yelrow Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 Hi, Chris, now thats summat i had Not thought about. Do you have website address or do you have one. Remember i am a very hard up expat. I was hoping there was a sort of a bulb thing, like a 12 volt screwdriver. I also, like the cocktail stick. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 I just know they are available John....it is not something I have ever looked into seriously..Another simpler option. Do you have a digital camera with a video recording capability. You could set that up on a tripod. Start recording, go back and fire the point, then stop recording and review the footage. Obviously you can't see what is happening in 'real time' but if you already have a suitable camera, then there is minimal cost, maybe just a tripod..I was setting up a wireless doorbell extender in my garage (a long way away from my front door and nobody about to assist me as I was on my own in the house at the time). I had one of those mini-tape Dictaphones to hand. Set that up in the garage next to the remote door bell. Left it recording whilst I went to the front door to press the door push, then back to the garage to rewind the tape and listen. The process worked fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yelrow Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 Chris, i have the mini dictaphone, did same thing for our garage bell.. Perhaps i will have to hold next weeks english class chez moi, and put a student at each point, after 13 oui, john, i would be there. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Quick check on e-bay found this. Only one left. Would need a portable TV to plug into as I assume that your PC doesn't have a RCA video input socket on it. At that price, I doubt the quality will be good. Also the camera focal length may be too long for close up work. I only post it here for your information as to what sort of product I was referring to..Wireless Video Security Camera and Receiver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 This one is exactly the same product as above, but there is more information on this page on how it connects up..Wireless Video Security Camera and Receiver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howbi Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 @Yelrow........John, why don't you clamber over to the fiddle yard with a note pad and get Heather to fire each point in succession then you would see first hand what was happening........ 😀.......HB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yelrow Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 Howbinman, hi, because as writ in my origin post, she cannot get up the stairs. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDS Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Hi JohnLast year when I was building my layout, I was having difficulty getting the pin on my point solenoid motor into the hole in the points. It was easy on the edges of the layout because I could reach the underside, whilst viewing from the top. However, in the middle of the layout this was impossible so I did similar to what Chris has suggested and mounted a video camera on top of the layout looking down onto the points and placed a monitor where I could see it. I may have some pictures somewhere. I will have a look and post them later. This solution worked very well for me and may be just the sort of thing you need, providing of course you have access to a video camera and monitor of some sort. I just made a simple wooden structure to hold the camera in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDS Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Where has the post 'EDIT' facility gone?I wanted to add that my system worked in real time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poliss Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 You could either get up and see if the points have moved, or you could attach a Peco PL-13 to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDS Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Picture as promised half an hour ago. (subject to clearance of course)/media/tinymce_upload/f53b149e5f87d9a225578c4f00f5e676.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 @JohnLogged out before it posted...gr. Just to be clear are we talkiing about an indicator for you to see if your points are set right whilst you are doing this rewire job or are you looking for a more permanent indication for subsequent running. The initial setup could be done with a bulb and croc clips onto the rails, just to see that you have got switch A moving point A as it were. For later then you probably need switches on your point motors - some have them built in (Seep solenoid , Tortoise type) and the Peco PL-13 clips on to Peco and Hornby solenoids. Go here and have a look at the wiring diagrams as there are several methods shown. I use a pair of red/green bi-colour leds which show green for the way open and red for the way barred and these swap colours as the point moves. This means that the lights only show the point position - if it moves the lights swap to reflect it, unlike a toggle switch indicator which only shows the switch has been toggled not the point has definitely moved. I had a great big indicator on the far wall of my loft layout about 3 x 2 ft. I'll dig out a picture of it next time the train pc is on.Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDS Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Picture uploaded and awaiting clearance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Where has the post 'EDIT' facility gone?I wanted to add that my system worked in real time.."EDIT button missing" post in Forum Feedback thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDS Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 "EDIT button missing" post in Forum Feedback thread. Yes sorry. I saw it in there after posting (and couldn't EDIT it out!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 I hope it gets fixed soon....its a real pain not having the facility to edit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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