Making a start, my foray into 0 Gauge.

Discussion in 'Members Personal Layouts' started by Keith M, Mar 22, 2021.

  1. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    As the main Lenz control unit is fitted within the wall mounted panel, the 5 pin Din socket into which the throttle is plugged is at the rear, which would make easy plugging/unplugging difficult so 'Rails' obliged with 3 of the Lenz LA152 adapter panels which will be situated with one centrally positioned, the others nearer each layout end. With this setup I can then unplug the throttle whilst loco's are moving, plug into a panel near one end and resume operation seamlessly.

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  2. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    Of course I realise that Paul_l and others will say 'Why not use wireless' but I'm not into that (too technical for me!:giggle:) so this is a solution I'm comfortable with. I have 3 suitably sized plastic boxes on order from China via 'Ali-Baba' to mount these panels into. They come complete with screws etc and extension lead to link to the next panel.

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  3. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    I've also received a couple of these 'Block Signalling' boards which control up to 8 points each, indicating via Red/Green LED's the position of each point. The circuit also 'remembers' the position after shutdown and restart, which is useful. To my chagrin, I've also actually had to buy some wire for the frog switching, :)eek:) almost makes me ashamed as a retired Electrician, but after over 9 years of retirement, I've run out of 'stock' of some types! Must be the Scottish DNA I have that's bothering me!:giggle:
    Keith.

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  4. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    Having spent some time yesterday soldering the wire links between each rail end on the entire layout, also the links across most of the points, I had time this morning to temporarily connect power to the tracks and actually run a loco on part of the layout. As only 4 of the 10 points have the 'Frog juicers' fitted, I'm limited as to where I can send the loco, but at least it's a start. I'm well pleased with the Tam Valley frog Juicers, especially since my layout is Lenz controlled and these units are very sensitive to short circuits, but the juicers switch faster than the Lenz unit, so all works well.
    I'll be ordering laser cut signal box, goods shed and loco shed kits from L-Cut shortly, intention being to fit the Tam Valley 'Hex Frog Juicer' which will control the remaining 6 point frog polarities in the 'locking room' of the signal box, and wire out to the individual frogs. Once that's done, a full test will follow, but it might be a week or three before I get to that stage. I'm still awaiting delivery of the DPDT centre off spring return switches for the points, and after the saga of the exploding 12 volt power supply, I need a replacement for that too. Talk about one step forwards, two steps back!!!!
    Keith.
     
  5. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    The postie brought me the 3 plastic moulded boxes from China that I ordered to mount the Lenz LA152 panels into, so I got stuck in, drilled and cut out the apertures for mounting, all fitted in and ready for wire and fix to the layout.

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  6. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    So here's what one looks like in position. Wiring is contained within the minitrunking so it keeps everything neat and tidy.

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  7. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    Everything functioning, another part of the job now sorted.

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  8. York Paul

    York Paul Staff Member Moderator

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    it all looks very complex to me Keith but then again you are the man with this type of stuff.:tophat::tophat::tophat::tophat::avatar::thumbup:
     
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  9. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    I got the L-Cut signal box completed with a few additions such as guttering, downpipes and also the ridge tile irons, so now ready to get fitted into place on the layout.

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  10. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    As the footprint of the signal box is just a few mm each way larger than the PCB for the Tam Valley Hex Frog Juicer, my intention is to fit this PCB to the baseboard, wire it in to switch the frogs of 6 points and cover it with the signal box. All it needs is a DCC power feed from the nearest track, and one wire out to each individual frog, so again I used plastic drinking straws as 'conduit' to feed out the wiring above the baseboard. The PCB is screwed to a piece of ply the same size as the internal dimensions as the signal box so that it stays in place on the layout without being fixed down, enabling removal during winter, so no problems with damp.

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    Now you see it.......
     
  11. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    and now you don't!

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  12. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    Hi Keith

    Those wires look thin, I know it will detect and switch the polarity if required, but if the point is set the wrong way and the loco enters from the V end can it cope with a continous short. I've never used them so not sure how well they can cope. I know Toto fried some of his Cobalts ancillary switches as the wires wern't big enough to allow enough current through to trigger to Trips, so the switches and wiring took the full 5A, or in the switches case not for long.

    Paul
     
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  13. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    Hi Paul.
    The wiring is rated at 5 amps and the Lenz LZM control unit is very fast at reacting to shorts and shutting down which is why the Gaugemaster relay controlled frog switches won't work with the Lenz system as they don't switch fast enough. The 4 points I had previously fitted with single Tam juicers were tested in both directions both ahead and to the switch without any hiccups or hesitation from my Heljan Class 5 shunter, though I admit I've not got around to testing the 6 just wired. Work in progress.....:giggle:
    Keith.
     
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  14. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    I've been somewhat busy lately, hence not posting much, but progress has been made on the layout, mostly in the form of laser cut buildings, and I've built, painted and fitted most of the platforms needed, location of each building being made by gluing thick card sized to fit each buildings base into position on the layout. As an aside to this, having been following Jim Freight's ongoing series of postings about his train room, it got me thinking about the possibility of fitting an insulated ceiling into my double garage, to help moderate temperature during what passes for a UK summer (30 degrees at best!). So a visit to the local 'Toolstation' for the necessary ironmongery and delivery from a local timber merchant plus a few days of work from myself resulted in the basic crossbeams and edge supports now fitted, awaiting a further delivery of 40 2.4m lengths of 2"x2" for the joists between the truss spans. Once this is done, loose laid 'Rockwool fibre' covered by 14 of 8'x4' plasterboards will follow, paper taping all the joints, maybe a coat or two of white paint to round it off, and then maybe I can get back to working on the layout again! Here's where the terminus end has reached so far.

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  15. Chris Doroszenko

    Chris Doroszenko Lost in the spare room Full Member

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    Thanks for posting up Keith...never seen that brand of digital control unit you have before. Keen to hear how you go with it. Enjoy
     
  16. jakesdad13

    jakesdad13 Staff Member Moderator

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    It has come on leaps and bounds since my last visit mate, well done!
    I don't envy you lining out the roof, my shed, a third the size was a PITA, it's cosy in the winter but like a sauna when it's sunny!

    Pete.
     
  17. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    I'm surprised you've not heard of Lenz Chris, since they were the originators of DCC control. I used the same unit on my 00 gauge layout some 7 or 8 years ago and decided to stick with another of the same rather than try to get my head around 2 different control systems. I'm a believer in the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid!) plus at 74 my memory isn't what it used to be so I stick with what I know.
    Keith.
     
  18. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    Timber arrived today Pete so more work for me tomorrow.:thumbs:
     
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  19. Chris Doroszenko

    Chris Doroszenko Lost in the spare room Full Member

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    Haha...yeah...I am way behind in DCC...still in the stone age with my 25 year old Blue box Athern kits...lol...Cheers for the info. looking forward to the progress.
     
  20. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    I think you're assuming too much here - I'm a ludite at heart, let's face it the man typing here uses 1 finger - maybe two if the coffee is strong enough to type, and has just ordered capacitor packs to refurbish an Amiga A1200 & A2000 just like me at the cutting edge 20 to 30 years ago. :avatar:
    Personally I like physical buttons and knobs, and find touch screens not really responsive, I do use them for route selection and display, but don't like them for loco control. Wireless control for my NCE system is just too expensive for the amount of time I'd use it, and if we ever get back to an exhibition the lack of channel segregation makes it un-usable, hense the reason people tend to use mobile phones and were back to my original issues with using touch screens.

    I do like the brushed ally face plates, and one of the advantages of ply sides is I can flush mount t ehm - them (see what happens why I try and get fancy and use thumbs as well).

    Progress is comming along nicely, and you never know if this lock down ever comes to an end - (we're being hinted at Level 0 for mid August, that's still not an end to restrictions), we may have to have an excursion for a running session. :thumbs:

    Paul
     
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