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Tony L
New Hire
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 Posted - 05/02/2011 : 10:33:04 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by LVRALPH
Mark, I am using Kadee wheels. Stop over and I'll show you.
Ralph & Mark
I use Intermountain wheels (can be bought in bulk boxes at reasonble prices, & Reboxx, the last used to fit odd axle lengths. But rather than resistance paint I now use Conductive Epoxy which I think will last a lot longer.
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conrailbill
Section Hand
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Posted - 05/02/2011 : 12:12:50 PM
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Ralph, regarding next C/MRI hardware:
1. The second SMINI has the hook-up for the other triple head signal for OS 153 - SIG 1532 as there was not room on the Node 1 SMINI for it.
2. The second DOUT32 card, the second DIN32 card, and the second SMINI go hand-in-hand for the I/O requirements for OS163 and OS164 ( Laurel Run ). That would complete the area from OS 131 thru 164 once we get OS 153's mainline turnout working and the passing siding turnouts reporting back their position.
If you install any additional hardware, I need to give you an updated program beyond Version 204. Otherwise, I need to send you the "big" program with settings to ignore certain hardware not yet installed, which might be easier, keeping it down to just one version of the program going forward.
And, we need to get the CODE and INDICATOR lamps running to give the DS the sense that the CTC machine is communciating.
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LVRALPH
Fireman
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Posted - 05/02/2011 : 12:56:07 PM
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Bill, I promise tonight to get those current measurements. Tony, I looked at the conductive epoxy. It now sells for $99 vs $41 for the resistance paint. That was out of the budget.
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nhguy
Fireman
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Posted - 05/04/2011 : 2:06:37 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by LVRALPH
SNIP-Tony, I looked at the conductive epoxy. It now sells for $99 vs $41 for the resistance paint. That was out of the budget.SNIP
OK. I guess this is a stupid question then. Why not solder them onto the wheel sets at least on the metal wheel then run the conductive paint to the other wheel? If you do that it is a more solid connection at least at one end. Then you could just use regular epoxy or ACC to glue the other to the plastic axle. Then run your conductive paint. Once it is dry can you paint over it with model paint and washes/chalks for weathering? I don't foresee the resistors flying off at speed that way.
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Bill Shanaman
Superintendent, New Haven RR in the 1948 to 1952 era
PMRA President 2013-14, OpSIG Member
NCE User Since 1999
Sugar City, Colorado |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 3665 |
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Tony L
New Hire
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Posted - 05/04/2011 : 8:09:49 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by nhguy
[quote]Originally posted by LVRALPH
SNIP-Tony, I looked at the conductive epoxy. It now sells for $99 vs $41 for the resistance paint. That was out of the budget.SNIP
OK. Why not solder them onto the wheel sets at least on the metal wheel then run the conductive paint to the other wheel?
Bill: I did not want to compromise the insulated joint on some axles that seem to be a plastic by putting heat very near them. Plus it saves a step in glueing the smt resistor and then coating the joint for reliable electric contact.
Ralph: MG Chemicals has kit 8331-14g (2 7gr tubes) of Silver epoxy at Mouser for $28.64
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LVRALPH
Fireman
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Posted - 05/05/2011 : 05:47:11 AM
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Tony,
Please describe your method of using the conductive epoxy. If, I think I can duplicate your method, I will order some.
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MarkF
Engineer
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Posted - 05/05/2011 : 09:04:48 AM
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I too am interested! I have about half of my cars equipped with the Jaybee resistance wheelsets and while they work, they are expensive! Always looking for a cheaper method that works.
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Mark
See my homepage at http://home.comcast.net/~prrndiv/
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LVRALPH
Fireman
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Posted - 05/06/2011 : 07:26:41 AM
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"If you install any additional hardware, I need to give you an updated program beyond Version 204. Otherwise, I need to send you the "big" program with settings to ignore certain hardware not yet installed, which might be easier, keeping it down to just one version of the program going forward.
Bill, I'll follow your lead on this. Things will be very slow at work (sigh) this month. I think I will be able to get the next SMINI for the Crestwood node and another DIN 32 card for the CTC machine built before the end of the month.
The funds to get the Packerton node SMINI purchased won't be available till late fall.
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conrailbill
Section Hand
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Posted - 05/07/2011 : 01:35:41 AM
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Ralph, did you have a chance to check the resistance requirements on your CODE and INDICATOR Lamps? If not, can you let me know the Radio Shack LAMP part number you bought for these, and I can check it out here and let you know what to use for resistors.
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LVRALPH
Fireman
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Posted - 05/08/2011 : 7:05:16 PM
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Bill has been pushing me to get the code and indicator lamps working to get the true feel of the CTC machine. I decided to make a temporary box for this until Mike Burggett starts taking hardware orders again. So I made this with one red and one green LED. I then made up a new cable (12 wires) to connect with the new DOUT32 card. Hope this works. Tomorrow I will try to hook it up. Too much wine tonight to do wiring.
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LVRALPH
Fireman
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Posted - 05/09/2011 : 6:44:55 PM
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One step forward and one back today. The good part is the code and indicator lamps are working properly. The bad news is I hooked up the right signal lamp for signal 164, but the normal turnout lamp for turnout 122 comes on. I think I made a boo boo.
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Edited by - LVRALPH on 05/11/2011 05:41:57 AM |
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LVRALPH
Fireman
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Posted - 05/11/2011 : 05:47:56 AM
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I should have said two steps back in the last post. As a precaution, I whipped pout the test program and TEST 32 board, so I could test all the outputs on the newly built DOUT 32 board. It seems I have 4 pins that are not working.
I sent Don Wood an e mail, and he believes the output transistors are bad/fried, so he suggests replacing them. I had ordered some spares a while back, so I need to find them and replace them to see if it fixes my problem.
I also see the next SMINI being built before the end of the month as things are slow at work. It will be nice to get the other signals operating at Crestwood and Laurel Run.
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LVRALPH
Fireman
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Posted - 05/16/2011 : 2:47:38 PM
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Well, it was not a good day, but a problem has been identified. I was checking out why I could not get any input readings from port C of the Crestwood SMINI. The reason was the IC powering that port was on the ground. This is the second time that has happened.
Closer inspection showed the IC was loose, very loose! No amount of pin bending on the IC would get it to stay. I had a bad IC socket. Now I am on the horns of a dilema. I could leave it the way it is and not use the port, or try to fix it. Fixing it is not for the faint of heart and most likely will not work.
To fix it I had to try to unsolder it. Well my unsoldering vacuum tool wad doing a lousey job. I might need a new one. So the only thing I could do was cut up the old socket and drill out the holes. This most likely would not work as in my experience, drill through a double sided board usually results in some of the copper tracing separating from the board. Sure enough thats what happened. I I drill out all the holes inserted a new IC socket (It held the IC) and soldered all the pins I could that did not lose their copper. I figured if it still did not work, I'm still at the same position.
I connected pins 17 and 18 to ground, which is a feedback switch on the turnout, checking to see if I could get a 1 to show on the screen. Nothing! So my guess is I ruined the port, and we will have to move these inputs to the next SMINI. Hey, sometimes ya got to take a chance.
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Edited by - LVRALPH on 05/16/2011 2:48:14 PM |
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conrailbill
Section Hand
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Posted - 05/17/2011 : 07:00:44 AM
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Ralph, what I would recommend is the following: Build your next SMINI and use it to replace your current Node 1 SMINI. Take the current SMINI with the bad Input Port C and re-assign it as Node 2. Node 2 only requires 5 input pins out of the total 24.
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conrailbill
Section Hand
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Posted - 05/17/2011 : 07:07:36 AM
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Ralph, in addition to requiring Input Pins 17 and 18 for the two passing siding turnout feedbacks, the current design also calls for the use of Input pins 19 and 20 to support the installation of the automatic electrically locked hand-throw spur on the Main Line track #1 at the Crestwood end of the triple track. Pin 19 is for the "request for unlock" input, the other is for the releasing section block detection track segment that is "between" the spur turnout and turnout # 153. This releasing section is required to support the automatic electrically locked hand-throw setup.
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