Colpatben Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 Would it be detrimental for both an Elite controller and all decoder fitted locos to be permanently powered up by keeping a layout on for 24 hours a day 365 days per year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 Probably.....who can say with any surety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rog RJ Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 I wouldn't leave it powered up all the time, due to the possible fire risk if anything should happen to go wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2e0dtoeric Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 Plus, of course, you are adding to your electricity bill! 😛 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted September 29, 2018 Share Posted September 29, 2018 I would be interested to know why you would leave anything hobbywise on 24/365. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colpatben Posted September 30, 2018 Author Share Posted September 30, 2018 I would be interested to know why you would leave anything hobbywise on 24/365. The layout in question is an exibit in a museum and there is not always a custodian in the particular gallery that is able/willing to power up the computer and Elite along with starting the railmaster sofware. http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=38977.msg501598#msg501598 http://www.bexhillmuseum.co.uk/museum-events/bexhill-wartime-christmas-railway-1237.html I am therefore considering Two options:One is to have the exibit off if there is no suitably trained custodian orTwo to leave the computer and layout powered up 24/7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2e0dtoeric Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 If you leave loco's running 24/7, they will soon use up their motor lifetime - circa 150 hours! (assuming all modern 'can' motors).I hope you have lots of spares, or are prepared for a lot of 'down-time'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 Probably a stupid question but is it not possible to have it on a timer so that it switches off and back on when not needed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 The timer idea would probably work if it was a DC Analogue layout. But the layout is DCC.Problem with DCC is, that the Elite will reboot on power up to its default power up state. So it won't then start the layout up again in the same status it was in, when the timer powered it down..The OP also mentioned RailMaster was being used in his second clarification post, so just cutting power on a PC is not a good idea (it can corrupt the software if not turned off using the software power down sequence), plus the PC will not reboot again on the resumption of power and even if it did, the RailMaster software would not auto-start either and even if it did, it would not automatically resume its previous layout running state.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 Oh well it was just a thought. Another advantage of DCC I suppose. 😆 😆 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 You can set a PC/laptop to resume its last state after a power outage, but this will not recrank any apps like RM, just the basic PC startup list. My printer in particular will grump about improper shut down. Generally leaving a machine in a steady state is good for reliability as most failures occur during the power-down or power-cycles when maximum component stress is seen .e.g light bulb failures, power supply unit failures, motor failures, etc usually occur at switch on, but the critical damage was likely done at switch off. Unless your train room is equipped with some monitoring system then you run the risk of something going wrong possibly resulting in a fire. Take for i stance an uncommanded runaway stalled against the buffers until the point of failure. I have seen melted bodies on locos when they were sat against the buffers quietly burning out. Much easier to employ remote control plugs if access to your sockets is a pest. I have one to control the train controllers, one for the PC and printer and another for the workbench area. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colpatben Posted September 30, 2018 Author Share Posted September 30, 2018 If you leave loco's running 24/7, they will soon use up their motor lifetime - circa 150 hours! (assuming all modern 'can' motors).I hope you have lots of spares, or are prepared for a lot of 'down-time'. Locos will not be running continuously because the last three lines of every Railmaster programme are writtenLocos stopSound muted (F0 off)Programme END. The next Railmaster programme is started on the PC touch screen by a ‘customer’, so overnight the layout and PC will be powered up but no movement of trains is happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colpatben Posted September 30, 2018 Author Share Posted September 30, 2018 Reading @RAF96 reply above I just thought of another possible solution, my Lightbulb moment 😉Put a timeswitch (set at Museum opening times) between the Track output terminals and the track connection.Layout off but PC and Elite on. Simples! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkingthedog Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 That’s what I was thinking when I suggested a timer. I know PC's never need to be switched off, the ones we had at work were on continuously for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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