Block sensors advice

[x_and]

Hi

I'm getting lost in information overload over block sensors and would welcome any advice and guidance as to best practice/best setup. I'm running the Elite from RocRail. Do I run the block sensors from an independent power supply or from the DCC power? Do the sensors connection to a bus and if so wired or wireless (bluetooth, IP/TPC etc)? Does the bus connect to the Elite or the PC running RocRail? Finally; which product works best with my setup.

I apologise and appreciate that this must have been posted several times before but as I said there is information overload out there.

Thanks in anticipation of any/all replies.

[96RAF]

The best place to find out about using Elite with Rocrail is the Rocrail forum.

This post summarises block detection, in particular the very last post in the thread.

https://forum.rocrail.net/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=8285

In general block detection is a standard formula. You split your layout to incorporate isolated blocks and install sensors to each block. Then by way of intermediate modules connected to your PC the sensors feedback back to Rocrail which issues commands to the Elite to run the railway. See here for the basics. https://wiki.rocrail.net/doku.php?id=stepbystep-en&s%5B%5D=block&s%5B%5D=detection

Sensors can be of many types, magnet, reed switch, current sensing, IR, hall effect, etc. Block detection modules are made by several manufacturers and you need to know a better plan of what you want to do before you can settle on a hardware method and comms protocol.

Expanding on the above the detection system may or may not connect to the track directly depending upon type, but many are standalone. Again refer to the block module instructions when used with a particular sensor.

[Chrissaf]

"I apologise and appreciate that this must have been posted several times before but as I said there is information overload out there."

As a moderator, I tend to read each and every post raised on this forum whether or not I have a specific interest in the topic raised. In all honesty I have no immediate recollection of any question that is similar to the one you have raised.

Searching the forum for the term "RocRail" gives a few hits, but not a significant number. In principle, RocRail technology does not seem to feature heavily in Hornby control scenarios. RocRail is not mentioned at all in the Hornby Elite manual, thus there does not seem to be any inherent support for the RocRail protocols within the Elite firmware. This is somewhat supported by the fact that there is no documented support for RocRail in Hornby's own decoders. So any 'block sensor' connectivity would need to be with the PC running RocRail compatible software not the Elite.

Your question is not helped by the fact that you have not given any suggestions for the 'block sensor' product models you are contemplating to use. Else, product research could be attempted for those specific products to ascertain the power connection arrangements which also featured in your question.

As I said above, the number of members on this forum with experience of integrating RocRail 'block sensors' with Hornby kit could be very small or non-existent. You are probably better off asking your question on the RocRail forum, but I am led to believe that those members consider Hornby kit not to be serious contenders for RocRail integration.

EDIT: Rob posted whilst I was busy writing mine.