Hightech Trains Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 I have purchased 2 x 8 output DCC Concepts AD-S8 fx DCC solenoid point decoders.I have programmed succesfully the first one and all points are operating correctly on the layout using my track plan to throw the points.How do I configure / program the second one ? Any ideas, when I program the second one to port 1 for instance, it throws both points ( each one programmed seperately many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St1ngr4y Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 I have purchased 2 x 8 output DCC Concepts AD-S8 fx DCC solenoid point decoders.I have programmed succesfully the first one and all points are operating correctly on the layout using my track plan to throw the points.How do I configure / program the second one ? Any ideas, when I program the second one to port 1 for instance, it throws both points ( each one programmed seperately many thanksHi,It sounds like you didnt actually program the first one, but used default port addresses. On an ADS8, there is one small slider switch for each port. You need to move this switch to the "program" position, then on your track plan, click the point you want to associate with this port, then slide the switch back to the operational position. This will have "programmed" that port to the address of the point you clicked on your layout diagram. If 1-8 are now in use for your first decoder, you should be using different addresses for the second one e.g. 9-16Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetmanUK Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Following on from what Ray said, set all switches to off, then the first to 'program'. Switch the associated point in RM a few times to ensure the address has been learnt. Repeat for the other 7 ports ensuring only the relevant port is set to 'program'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geochoice Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Interesting and topical post, I am waiting for the 8 port decoder in the post anyday, was wondering best way to set it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDS Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Interesting and topical post, I am waiting for the 8 port decoder in the post anyday, was wondering best way to set it up.As Ray has said, pick separate groups of 8 addresses for each decoder. It seems to me that the OP picked the same 8 addresses for both decoders, which would of course fire any points that have been given the same port number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hightech Trains Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share Posted May 22, 2015 Problem solved.Many thanks for all replies.second set of 8 outputs have been programmed individually from 9 to 16, simply change the default 1 - 8 which is shown in the small boxes when the ad8 is selected.By the way for anyone who is going to fire two points from 1 output port, please be aware that if the two points are facing each other in a cross over from up line to down line configuration, then 2 output ports are required because the live electrofrog doesnt work correctly using one.Probably common knowledge from the more experienced ( me I am a beginner with L plates) Great forum - thanks for all help regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Just to be doubly clear for anyone looking at this thread, the AD series decoders' switch positions are called SET and RUN. SET is for programming. ADs include the ones designed for Cobalt etc, either fixed to or separate to the motor and the solenoid types being ADS and ADS fx As stated, default the addresses are 1, 1-4 or 1-8 depending how many decoders there are. To change them, it is done individually by moving the switch to SET and throwing the desired point. No, I'm not a stooge for Richard at DCC Concepts, but he does work just down the road from where I am in Perth now. Weather in Sydney has been dreadful, much nicer here. Back to the East on Monday, just a short 4 hour flight away. No walking across the Nullabor this time AC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St1ngr4y Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Problem solved.Many thanks for all replies.second set of 8 outputs have been programmed individually from 9 to 16, simply change the default 1 - 8 which is shown in the small boxes when the ad8 is selected.By the way for anyone who is going to fire two points from 1 output port, please be aware that if the two points are facing each other in a cross over from up line to down line configuration, then 2 output ports are required because the live electrofrog doesnt work correctly using one.Probably common knowledge from the more experienced ( me I am a beginner with L plates) Great forum - thanks for all help regards Do you find you sometimes get a short immediately when you power up your controller? If so, it may be because of the direction you left your electrofrog points set at the end of your previous session.Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDS Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 ... Do you find you sometimes get a short immediately when you power up your controller? If so, it may be because of the direction you left your electrofrog points set at the end of your previous session .. That must be worrying if you have to set your points in a certain direction to avoid a short at the next start up. If that is a fact, I am glad I don't have that type of point. I would find that impossible to cope with as I have just added 3 more sets of points to my layout, was 28 now 31! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Do you find you sometimes get a short immediately when you power up your controller?.I use electrofrogs, albeit not with ADS decoders. If you get shorts it sounds like you haven't got fully isolated frogs. That is to say the frogs haven't been isolated from the switch rails. Peco electrofrog points include a removable strap link between the frog and the switch rails on the underside to do this. With these strap links broken the frog start up polarity and the point start up position are completely independant..In my case, the frog switching is performed by mechanical switches attached to the point motor, so the frog polarity and point position are always fully synchronised. This would appear not to be the case with your ADS point control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St1ngr4y Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 The ADS8-FX decoders have a microswitch onboard which is used for frog polarity switching. However, they are the kind which use power to throw them one way and a return spring to switch them the other. This means that when the power is switched off, the spring position is selected, which may be different to the direction the points have been left set. I'm not sure whether, when the power comes back on, the microswitch is given power or is left at the spring return position, but whichever it is, it still means that the point position could be out of sync with the frog polarity microswitch, causing a short. I think the manufacturers are aware of this limitation. I dont know whether microswitches are manufactured which can retain their position over a power off. If there are, these would solve the problem.I have a Railmaster program which I run just before I closedown, which sets the points to the correct position so that they don't cause a short on power up.Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Ray,.What you described is pretty much as I imagined would be their operation mode. Assuming, your points are Peco, then cutting the under track links between the frog and the switch rails would solve your short problem. Review this PDF.In the PDF see point wiring 'Option 2' where links are removed at position A and additional links added at position B. If this mod was done to your points (assuming they are the later Peco points that have this design feature included - the early Peco electrofrog points did not), then the short circuit path that you currently have is removed completely. It might be possible to do this mod without lifting the point from the baseboard if a very thin scalpel knife can be pushed through the rail gaps to break the links at postion A. It should also be possible to fit and solder the B links from above using the rail sides rather than the underside. In an ideal world this mod would normally be done before laying the points. The new wire links at position B improve point reliability by negating the need for the switch rails to make good electrical contact with the stock rails. I have done this mod to my Peco points and they work flawlessly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St1ngr4y Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Most of my points are old-style Peco which dont have the link to cut. I have a few of the newer kind but on all of my Peco points I use the additional switch unit on top of the point motor for frog polarity switching. However, I recently purchased 3 Shinohara "scissors" double crossovers. They dont have a Peco-type link to cut and they also have metal tiebars between the two point blades on each of the 4 points. It is these where I am using ADS8-FX decoders.Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 In that case Ray, your 'run a program' solution is probably the best you can do in the circumstances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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