Tom Servo

[Ian MacMillan]

The $19.95 gets you the servo and decoder. The servos by themselves if you want to order extras ( I did for crossovers as you only use one decoder) are $5 for the 9G's

The LEDs are easy to swap out. They are big so there is plenty of space on the board to get an iron in and get them out. I am going to put new leads on and then some red/green T3's for my fascia board panels. There are also pads on the decoder to add your own panel mounted toggle switches.

[Pomperaugrr]

Thanks Ian.  I am pretty much sold on these.  Your information helped a lot.  I was planning buying in bulk for the savings and ordering extra servos for cross overs and double ended staging tracks.  I figure I can splice in longer leads on the "Y" adapter cables to reach both servos on the staging turnouts, since they will be about 12 feet apart.

Thanks for taking the time to post the video and for your responses.

Eric

[Ian MacMillan]

No problem.  The instructions you get with the decoder say you can have the decoder and servo about 15' apart.

[Pomperaugrr]

Well, I pulled the trigger and ordered 22 of these for my mainline turnouts, along with a couple of extra servos for cross overs, Y adapters mounting brackets and extension cables.  I will probably make the bell crank throw like you did Ian.  I'm also going to make a small switch indicator panel for each local area, so I'll be replacing the LEDs and using a panel mounted NO momentary switch (I'm still deciding between toggle or push button).  I have a bunch of T-3 bi color 2 lead LEDs, so I'll have to figure out how to wire those up, since the decoder board is too big for the panel size I have planned.

Have you noticed these getting hot?  I had read something about them generating heat on Craig Beisieger's layout, but with the fixed end points set via the decoder board, I am hoping this will be a non issue.



Eric

[Ian MacMillan]

Have you noticed these getting hot?  I had read something about them generating heat on Craig Beisieger's layout, but with the fixed end points set via the decoder board, I am hoping this will be a non issue.

Not one bit. I believe it was because he had the end points wrong and it was sitting there still pushing and overheating.

[Pomperaugrr]

Thanks again Ian. 

I have been in contact with Duncan Mcree and he has ordered a new production run of singlet dcc boards that will have the ability to use bi-color LEDs.      These should be in within about a month or so, so he is holding my order until that time.  I'm getting the boards with the two bi-color LEDs included, but not installed.  That will save me the time of removing them and mounting them in the fascia turnout indicator panel.  I want to keep the panels very compact, so I'll mount the decoders under the layout and put the LEDs with a remote, normally open push button to change turnout position on the indicator panel.  The push button will be wired to the remote switch pads on the decoder.  The one push button will activate the servo and change the turnout orientation each time you push it.  The decoders are 1.25" square and the spacing would be too big for what I have planned for my local panels if I used them the way they normally come.  This also lets me keep the decoder a little closer to the servo, minimizing the number of extension cables I need.

I have to say, Duncan really provides great communication with his customers.

Eric

[Rowan]

Good info Ian,thanks.

[Ian MacMillan]

I want to keep the panels very compact, so I'll mount the decoders under the layout and put the LEDs with a remote, normally open push button to change turnout position on the indicator panel.  The push button will be wired to the remote switch pads on the decoder.  The one push button will activate the servo and change the turnout orientation each time you push it.  The decoders are 1.25" square and the spacing would be too big for what I have planned for my local panels if I used them the way they normally come.  This also lets me keep the decoder a little closer to the servo, minimizing the number of extension cables I need.

This is the exact same way I am setting up mine...just with the "older" boards as the bi-color LEDs are not that hard to set up. I'm planning on using T3's

[cec209]

I'm thinking of going to these too. In the videos I've seen the servos seem noisy.
For those of you who are using them I'd like to hear your opinions on the noise factor and how you've solved it if it's a problem.

Charlie

[esa123]

Charlie,

I've been using them for a while and with exception of when they are actually switching there is no noise to them. Even the noise when moving is usually minimal (about half that of a tortoise machine). When you factor in their location "under" the layout that helps as well,  plus the sound of a trains drive mechanism (engine) usually drowns any remaining noise out. One thing I found that dampened the sound a bit was using double sided foam sticky tape in between your benchwork and the servo (or plastic servo mounting stand if you go that route). This helps to cut down noise despite the fact that I still used screws to attach the mounting platform directly to my benchwork. I really recommend these and hope this helps!

Erik

[Ian MacMillan]

Yes, like Erik and I have stated, most of the noise from other installations is people installing them wrong. If you set the endpoints for the servo to be super tight beyond when the point rails are touching the stock rails then they sit there and hum because the servo is still pushing because it has not reached its set move point, and never will.

[Ian MacMillan]

I think the only suggestion I could add to these decoders right now would be to add turnout feedback over LocoNet, or even a dispatcher lock out. Would be nice to see on the dispatcher panel if someone is throwing switches.

[TiVoPrince]

Still
waiting on connecting bits before starting in on my servos.  Thinking that JMRI should understand what the last throw was and indicate as such.  Then again the +5 signal could also be the answer I need.  Have to dig out the PC to run the JMRI and prep it this week so its ready when all the bits come together for a test...

[Ian MacMillan]

Still
waiting on connecting bits before starting in on my servos.  Thinking that JMRI should understand what the last throw was and indicate as such.  Then again the +5 signal could also be the answer I need.  Have to dig out the PC to run the JMRI and prep it this week so its ready when all the bits come together for a test...

Right but without feed back if someone uses a panel button to throw the switch JMRI or other software is not going to know it was thrown.

[N_DaveS]

Based on this thread I am looking to set up a few crossovers with a "singlet" decoder and a Y cable to two servos. I know that one of the features of the decoder is the automatic setting of the point rails, but how is this done when one decoder is controlling two servos?