DCC Concepts Cobalt SS surface ground throws

[mike_lawyer]

Hi everyone,

I have been on a mission to figure out a surface ground throw  motor to power turnouts.  My layout has a 3 inch foam base, and trying to use Tortoises with that much foam base has been really difficult to install.  So I have been looking at surface options.

One surface motor that I found is the DCC Concepts Cobalt SS. Here is the link:

https://www.dccconcepts.com/product-category/the-cobalt-collection/cobalt-point-motors/cobalt-ss/

Anyone tried these?  Looks like an interesting possible surface mount motor solution.

[rodsup9000]

  Mike,
 I have one place that has 4" foam and I used servos mounted on the underside.

 I don't have any pictures of when I did it on the foam, but it basically the same, except gluing a piece of plywood to the bottom of foam after the brass tubing in in place.
  Poke 1/16" brass tubing through the foam at a distance from the throwbar that like in the photo,


 



Then I took a 4" square of 1/4" plywood and drilled a 1/16" hole in it and slid it up on the brass tubing from the bottom and glue it to the foam.
It'll look something like this.





Make your throw linkage out of .025 music wire.




Mount the servo and bend the music wire over at a 90 deg .






  I've done close to 150 turnouts this way and total cost to throw per turnout in about $3. Servo are controlled by Arduino's.

[NDave]

I have NOT used the Cobalt SS, but have more than 2 dozen of DCC Concepts Cobalt iP Digital under table switch motors (very similar to a Tortoise) on my layout, and have found them to be quite reliable. All have been operational for more than 3 years, and more than half for as much as 6 years. In that time, I have had only two issues; I fried the decoder on one during installation (lying on my back under the table, I should have double checked the terminals!). My fault, so I just ate the cost of a new one; the second problem, one out of a 12 pack arrived DOA. When I e-mailed DCC concepts, they had a new one to me in about a weeks time (pretty good, given they are in the UK and I am in the US). So, as a company, I can recommend them. My only caveats:

Some (not all!) of my iP Digitals are rather noisy (picture a nest of angry hornets). I have wondered whether a good clean and regrease would quiet them down... but I am loathe to do this without having a spare on hand.

It's hard to find a US supplier. My LHS carried them at one point... but the LHS moved (from a 5' drive to a 30 min drive), and the last time I checked, they had really reduced the breadth of inventory they carried, and didn't have the iP Digitals. I ended up buying the last couple off eBay.

I'd give the Cobalt SS a try... Good luck!

[mike_lawyer]

I decided to buy a couple of these motors and try them out on the layout.  Will post a review here after installation.

[Sumner]

Two possible solutions for some applications.  Depending on the layout the servos wouldn't have to be mounted at or on the fascia face...

Sumner

[wm3798]

I handled this conundrum thusly...



Working on a hollow core door with 2" foam, I didn't want protruding protuberances below the bottom of the deck.  So I mounted the Tortoise sideways and made a linkage to operate the switch.  A little removable scenery treatment above, and voila!

(I could have used something lower profile, but I had Tortoises on hand and my usual lack of patience.)

Works like a champ.
Lee