DCC points & DCC accessories

[BADWOLF525]

now i have my Dcc up and runing its time to stat add things to the layout IE: points ,lighting now because i have the setup in my liveing room i cant have endless amounts of wires runing round the room the first pic LH is of the dcc point motor controler i entend to buy you can program it what i need to know is do i have to use (see second pic) that to controll everthing or do i just treat the decoder like any othe and set it up in RM and give an ID and fuction am looking to do the same with the lights so that all light points ect are run useing dcc decoders and futions will this work thanks for your time and input BW

[96RAF]

Your point motor decoder looks like this one

https://www.gaugemasterretail.com/magento/model-railways/gaugemaster-dcc-brand5/gaugemaster-dcc81.html

In your second picture there is a drop down list. Look for that decoder in the list. If found, select it and follow the on screen instructions.

If not found then the instructions say set the decoder programming switch to set, then send from your controller the address and direction you want to use for it, then put the switch back to run. No need to use that programming screen at all.

[BADWOLF525]

i dont have it yet mate am asking before i start to add points, lights, i need them all to be independent what i need to know will eatch decoder work like a wireless switch geting the power from the rails and using the fution outputs of the decoder to run said componant i know you can buy lighting controlers but thats not i want

[Fishmanoz]

Yes, most accessory decoders work by getting both their power and their instructions from the controller via the rails. Therefore, they can be located near the accessories they are running with no need for long wire runs.

This is not universally the case. There was one decoder promoted by Hatton’s a few years back that didn’t contain a capacitor discharge unit (CDU). While it had an option for only powering it from the track, it worked more reliably when connected to a separate higher voltage supply. Not sure if it is still available.

[96RAF]

These self learning acc decoders come in various ‘sizes’, singles, doubles, quad and eight outputs.

Pick the one that best suits your points grouping as the multi-channel one work out cheaper per point that the singles. Some have enough oomph to throw a pair of solenoids wired together for say a cross-over loop to loop.

As Fishy says some can be externally powered (but still getting their command signal from the rails) which helps eliminate in-rush surge at startup which can trip some controllers.

[Jupiter 1707822591]

i dont have it yet mate am asking before i start to add points, lights, i need them all to be independent what i need to know will eatch decoder work like a wireless switch geting the power from the rails and using the fution outputs of the decoder to run said componant i know you can buy lighting controlers but thats not i want

 

 

Bear in mind for lights you will need acc decoders that are programmable for continuous output.

 

 

[BADWOLF525]

thanks guys, this uint has CDU on bord and can be powerd both ways IE track or power bus as for the lighting i think i read somewhere that playing about with the decoders settings will give a pulse to a constant output but that may have been a lighting decoder tec specks i was reading am not a 100% sure but thanks a lot guys