jane1707819582 Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 Came across this at Warley yesterdayYouchoos "new" stay alive PCB .should adapt to Hornby decoders ,connects across the blue and grey wires on the decoder ,save on soldering direct to the decoder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 EXTREME CAUTION REQUIRED.I have been on the YouChoos website, the reference to Blue & Grey wires seems to only relate to Zimo decoders where these two wires are specifically provided for 'Stay Alives' on Zimos. I could find no reference to some special kind of new YouChoos 'stay alive' that works differently to the normal 'stay alive' methodology..The only Grey wire on a Hornby decoder is the motor wire. Since blue is permanently positive, the other side of the 'stay alive' needs to be negative. The YouChoos website categorically states that the capacitors used are either 'Tantalum' or 'Electrolytic'. Both these capacitor types are polarity sensitive. I have seen 'Tantalums' burst into flame if connected to a reversed polarity voltage..The Hornby grey wire is part of the motor circuit and as such will sometimes be negative and sometimes positive depending upon loco direction. Connecting a 'stay alive' to part of the motor circuit is in my opinion not a very good thing to do..Extract from YouChoos website:/media/tinymce_upload/15398be95afc649ccdef68a865fb7e90.jpg.In case you can't read the small print, it says:."Zimo MX645 and MX644 sound decoders provide dedicated connections for stay-alives, with all the additional management and protection components already on the decoder itself, so connection is very simple. The MX645 comes with an additional BLUE and GREY wire from the 'opposite' end of the decoder (BLUE is for capacitor +VE and GREY is for capacitor -VE)." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 I agree with Chris - definitely do not attempt to hook these stay alives up to the normal blue and grey wires on any decoder. The Zimo wires are specific and very different connections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 I am wondering if you take the Chrissaf information on where to attach the "Stay Alive" on a TTS decode, and connect the YouChoos device at these points, it will work. I think if you connect the GND or black wire of the device to the negative location in Chrissaf data and the blue to the blue on the DDC connector (positive supply), I think it will also work. As the YouChoos circuit has a "choke" in it, I even think it might solve the issue of being able to read CVs with it attached. I have bought one of these, as I needed it for a "YouChoos" zimo module fitted to a Ringfield motor, so I will try an see if it works. It it a shame that Hornby or its TTS supplier don't bring the GND of the module out to a PCB pad, but they probaby figured there was no need. On the Zimo 6 pin module both GND and VCC are bought out to separete pads which you solder to. The circuit does work extremely well, I tried it on one of my LIma locos (I had a spere 6 pin Zimo module), and it works perfectly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 See herehttps://www.strathpefferjunction.com/tag/tts-sound/ Instructions to connect to either side of a TTS decoder, one much easier than the other as it connects to fairly large pads and even instructions for making the keep alive unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 Thank you for the information, it saves me having to "buzz out" the circuit with a multimeter, it looks a lot easier to connect to the underside. I will see how it goes with the YouChoos device, I am hoping that I will be able to read the CVs with the "Keep alive" attached, as it looks exactly the same as the connections to a Zimo module. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 Colin,Just to add that I have previously published the TTS connection points for a 'stay alive' previously on the forum. The post can be viewed here:https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/stay-alive-install-for-tts-decoder/?p=1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 Yes Chrissaf it was the data from your post that I was originally using. Do you know if there are any suitable points on a normal Hornby decoder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howbi Posted December 20, 2019 Share Posted December 20, 2019 The standard R8249 has a similar bridge-rectifier arrangement........HB /media/tinymce_upload/1582cfc1749bedb894c8402d119031ec.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 This really weird, I have now added the "Stay alive" to the TTS decoder. When I tried it on the tester it read nothing, so I tried it on a piece of test track and yes using the YouChoos circuit I can read the Manufacturer ID. The only issue is instead of reading 48 for Hornby it sometimes reads 32, which I cannot understand. Anyway adding the YouChoos circuit definitely works OK. I am happy my Ringfield based HST with the TTS decoder works OK, so I am happy with what I have got, so other than changing the speaker, I will leave well alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howbi Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 The code 32 refers to a Regal Way Co Ltd of Hong Kong who design model railway components including DCC so that may refer to the You Choos module....HB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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