...

I think it's the perfect combination...

"undead rail"

Cristolph,

Could you please elaborate a bit on the step-down board and the diode on the output? I am interested more for dead rail than dcc, but since last year a few of us have become more aware of what is possible with smaller components and different-voltage motors, and are a bit more able to think beyond our conditioned limits. I like the idea of single-cell operation from the safety standpoint, and the lipo makes it more feasible to get this into a small model.

Thanks for sharing!

Roger

Step down circuit

Yes, please do say more about the charging circuit and step down from dx.com. I also understand the relais[sic] or relay but wonder if a magnetic reed switch wouldn't be simpler. It could be mounted under the cab rood and "normally closed" so adding a magnet would switch off the battery (often discussed as something else - a figure on the food might work or toolbox). 

Neil Erickson 

Need a wiring diagram

Sounds interesting, but I'm still missing how it goes together and where the phone comes into it

can you provide a wiring diagram to help understand where/how all these component connect to each other

Thanks

Terence

Tam Valley Dead Rail in Germany

If I understand correctly they are using the Tam Valley Dead Rail System with a standard DCC System:

http://www.tamvalleydepot.com/deadrailsystem.html  Please scroll down to see a diagram.

The phone and a Zimo wireless cab are used for input. To understand the other electronic details I need help too.

What specially interests me is: Were did you get your Tam Valley System? Till now I believed that the frequency (916 kHz band) Tam Valley uses is only certified in North America and cannot be certfied in the EU.

Regards, Volker (Germany)

help

hello , i have scanned the diagram in pdf,tif,bmp. how do i upload it now ? (i have no website). control + v doesn't

function.      christoph 

Start a new thread and attach it

Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) for Model Trains

Volker, Tam Valley introduce the DRS1 Receiver, 869 MHz ("euro"), MkII and DRS1 Transmitter, 869 MHz ("euro"), MkII for the EU market. They also introduced 5 Amp units including the DRS1 Hi Power up to 28 Volts and 5 Amps, 869MHz for the EU market.

Christoph and Ralf , I have been building and installing UPS's in Large Scale trains for many years, and in the last year started designing and builing UPS's for smaller scales. In HO I am running both the first and second generation DRS receivers, and like you found that there is just not enough room in small and medium size HO locomotives to fit the decoder, receiver, battery and S-CAB BPS. I do like the design of the BPS, but I would rather use the available space for larger batteries. However, instead of using a step-up (boost) switching power supplies, I still prefer to use multiple batteries and small charge control PCB's ( Battery Pack (5/12A). I am also working on installing a DRS 5 Amp unit in a small LGB loc along with one of my UPS's.

If possible would you post a schematic of your circuit?

Help...

Change the image to a JPG and upload it like any other photo.

"un-dead rail" - my solution

0. wiring-diagram (pdf)-download : please look at the end of my first post .

1. thanks mr fugate !

2.volker : see post of logger01. i get the articles from litchfield.com

i think that the developer of tamvalley is a little genius.but why he has not chosen 2,4 ghz ? it would be universal all over the world (and the antenna would be a lot shorter !). and i have had difficulties here with the range.i have a house with much concrete and more iron in it. 4 transmitters then helped.

3. logger01 you are quite right with the stanton-bps. i do use 2- or 3-series cells (li-fe) too, and then the rest of the voltage with a step-up. li-fe at last can be charged without balancing without difficulty.

the rather drastic down - up with 1 cell is only for low amperage motors and with power on the tracks. but what to do, when there is no room (i have narrow gauge 0  and not  lgb with "room-luxury) .

4. terence the phone is only for communication with the dcc-command station.

5. umauma  of course a reed-switch would function. but the "normally closed"-type is -as i know- not so solid as the normal "normally opened". and i have - for german proportions- a big layout.and then it's easier at the end of a session: dcc switch off, all sound/lights off and i know for sure :all accus off.

Hello Ken, I wasn't aware

Hello Ken,

I wasn't aware that Tam Valley has EU-compatible system now. Thank you for the information and the link.

I must have overlooked it when I looked for the diagram.

Thanks again.

Regards, Volker

2.4 Ghz

Hello Christoph,

thank your for naming your supplier.

2.4 GHz might be available for hobby use almost everywhere. But there are still different rules. A US-certified system has to be certified in the EU again. The definition of the transmitting power is different though the value is the same with 100mW. In the USA the mean value is limited and in the EU the maximum. Just one example.

2.4 GHz can get crowded with other devices like WLan, Bluetooth, and others especially on exhibitions.

On the other hand a view block can produce a radio shadow which isn't as extreme or non existent with lower frequencies. Your range problems might be even worse with 2.4 GHz.

So there are not only plus factors for 2.4 GHz.

I'd prefer it too as it would be at least possible to certify these systems with adjustments in Europe. But Tam Valley gives hope that other manufacturers might discover the European market.
Regards, Volker

...

Cristolph,

Thank you for the drawing, supplier information and the idea. I will experiment and determine whether this idea is what I have been looking for.

Roger