Richard-1234084

OK people. I’ve done the sensible thing and read up about CDU systems. No need to answer. Rgds

OK people. I’ve done the sensible thing and read up about CDU systems. No need to answer. Rgds

A bit late to go back to first principles but why not. The question is why have capacitors involved in the first place? Now I think I understand. The resistive impedance of the point relay is quite low. A sustained voltage across its input could lead to overheating and failure. So a good way of preventing coil failure is to switch using the charge stored in a capacitor. Worst case there, the capacitor fully discharges into the coil. An alternative would be to just switch the correct voltage onto the relay from a solid power supply, through a suitable switching transistor for the correct amount of time. But what if that timer failed. Meltdown. So am I right? Because I am considering making my own controller through an Arduino microprocessor and the failure possibilities are high. So that’s the question. Why the capacitive approach at all? Rgds

Thanks for the reply. Most useful. Rgds

Can someone tell me, where is the short circuit protection for the HM6000? Is it in the HM6000 itself or the power supply? Many thanks

Oh yes. Please may we have an update to the Great Western tank engine class 57XX. Wonderful little workhorse for the Era 3 and a stalwart for my own branch line, the Uffington Farringdon branch.

Oh yes. Please may we have an update to the Great Western tank engine class 57XX. Wonderful little workhorse for the Era 3 and a stalwart for my own branch line, the Uffington Farringdon branch.

Many thanks R

Many thanks for the most thoughtful of responses. Monday soon. I’ll start experimenting. Rgds

Thanks for the response. Much appreciated. I am due a Birthday Present of a 6010 next Monday and will have a look at the innards, or as much of the circuit as I can deduce from the pcb. As an alternative, I have considered using an Arduino micro processor with suitable pulsing for points. There lies complexity of course. I am familiar with that approach but also that programming is fickle and you really need to ensure the solenoids are not overloaded. Some form of protection is required for Arduino hangs whilst driving a solenoid or more sensibly, just follow the 6010 route, listening to all the advice. Many thanks again. Quality comments and great response. Rgds

Thanks for the response. I’ll try and articulate the confusion. It relates only to ports 1-3 of the 6010. I am of course a novice to model railway electronics. My background is, or was some time ago, electronics. So assumptions and underlying queries are. Assumption 1. Is that the three wires on a points solenoid are a common and two live wires and that a single (?) pulse of suitable voltage and duration on either of the two live wires will pull the solenoid one way or another. That sounds simple. Assumption 2. Is that each capacitor referenced in the above, charges and is then discharged into one or other of the two live wires to the points solenoid with a suitable semiconductor. If this is true so far, so good. So question 1. Is Why is the waveform shown in the above showing more than 1 pulse? The second question, or confusion, is around commoning outputs. I assume that the suggestion is that the capacitors are all commoned and then that when a pulse is required there is more charge available, although not more voltage. Power being proportional to the square of the voltage as discussed. It might mean that you couldn’t switch multiple points simultaneously but it might give you the max voltage for longer on one. I guess as you say it’s a compromise. So thanks for answering. Much appreciated. If there was a circuit diagram I could work this out for myself but as you say, it’s understandably proprietary. And of course a compromise based on providing flexibility of usage is also understandable. I’ll stop worrying about this and try it, maybe with some piggy back 2200 microfarad capacitors on each circuit if I have problems. Still like to see the circuit diagram of course. Rgds

Is there such a thing as a circuit diagram for the 6010, especially the output section? many thanks.

Is there such a thing as a circuit diagram for the 6010, especially the output section? many thanks.

Do you happen to know wha is the correct sized Jack plug? many thanks.