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DCC POINTS


Johnboy99

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Yes its me again,

Now as you may know i have a dc set up and a dcc which i am just building the track, I should have around 8 sets of points and want to know how many decoders i will need to opperate the points with the select controler

or do you think i would be better controling the points with surface motors and a block of toggle switches this is how i opperate the points on the DC TRACK,

If your answer is the latter where would i get a simple wiring guide ? OH I WISHED YOU GUYS LIVED CLOSER.

Thanks again for your patience and help

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OK I'm not going to recommend one method over another, but just try and answer your questions as written. But with the addition of additional information to answer questions that you have not yet asked.

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I should have around 8 sets of points and want to know how many decoders I will need to operate the points with the Select controller?

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The Hornby R8247 Accessory Decoder is a four port device. Other brands of Accessory Decoders are available and these are typically either four or eight ports depending upon who make them. Usually, the Accessory Decoder includes a CDU (Capacitor Discharge Unit) to operate solenoid based point motors. However some NON Hornby brands of Accessory Decoders are designed to operate other forms of point motors instead, such as servos or slow action point motors. But at this stage, let's keep it simple and only consider solenoid point motors and the Hornby R8247 four port Accessory Decoder with built in CDU..

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As said above, the R8247 is a four port Accessory Decoder, therefore for eight points you would need TWO x R8247s. However, where two points are operated together. For example to provide a cross-over route between two concentric ovals. Both the point motors can share a single R8247 port and be operated together at the same time. Thus it is possible to operate eight point motors using less than eight Accessory Decoder ports. The R8247 uses DCC track power to operate the points, thus a dedicated power supply and external CDU are not required.

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Do you think I would be better controlling the points with surface motors and a block of toggle switches this is how I operate the points on the DC TRACK?

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As I said at the beginning, I'm not going to recommend one method over another, that's for you to decide what works best for you, but yes you can operate the points manually on the DCC layout in exactly the same way as you do on your DC Analogue track layout with a separate power supply and external CDU (optional but highly recommended). And just use the Select controller dedicated for controlling locomotives. This of course, means using two separate power systems. The DCC system for the track power controlled by the Select controller AND a separate power system for your points (typically between 16 & 20 volts and AC or DC, but personally I prefer DC or 16 volts to 18 volts AC with a CDU as a personal preference).

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Note however, If you were to operate your eight points using R8247 Accessory Decoders and your Select controller, then the Accessory Decoders will need to be re-configured in software to function this way with the Select as the Select uses different decoder port addresses to those configured in the factory and secondly, there would need to be a lot of button pressing on the Select to choose the point to switch and operate it before going back to operating locos with it. Remember ALL DCC devices are controlled by the exact same knobs and buttons on the Select. The knobs and buttons are multi-functional. Thus operating your points separately through traditional mechanical toggle switches and point wiring might be easier for you. The operation of the points using DCC, really comes into its own when you start using RailMaster software control via the eLink or Elite controller (RailMaster software is not supported on the Hornby Select).

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Where would I get a simple wiring guide?

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With regard to wiring diagrams for the manual operation of points, its all explained on this web site.

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http://www.brian-lambert.co.uk/Electrical.html#Motor

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Another thing to consider when deciding on which accessory decoders to use, is the location of the points on your layout. If all 8 are in close proximity, then an 8-port decoder would suffice. However, if it is a largish layout, with, for example, two points in each corner, then four 2-port decoders would be better so that each decoder could be sited near the points they control, reducing the amount of wiring between the points and the decoder.

Ray

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OH I WISHED YOU GUYS LIVED CLOSER.

...to where? Maybe some people do.

Rob

Leicester Rob?????

 

A tad far from me even when I’m in UK, but I reckon someone on the forum must be within a short drive of you

and would be willing to help.

Rob

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OH I WISHED YOU GUYS LIVED CLOSER.

...to where? Maybe some people do.

Rob

Leicester Rob?????

 

A tad far from me even when I’m in UK, but I reckon someone on the forum must be within a short drive of you

and would be willing to help.

Rob

Found someone Rob thanks all stuf now ordered but he unable to get here for a week but that no problem,

Cheers

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