Crossovers on a Massoth Switch Decoder

[supagav]

Hi guys,

Just a quick question if anyone can help me. We have a set of double crossovers on our line and when we first went digital they used to each have their own address, using two massoth 4 way switch decoders at each end of the loop. After a few operating sessions with some visiting folk, I feel it would be easier if there was just one number for each set of crossovers. I tried to program the two pairs outputs to the same switch address but unfortunately this didn't seem to work. The decoder seemed to be programmed ok as I could read back all the address correctly, but when I tested it out on the line, switching the set address only seemed to fire one of the two pairs of motors.

I now have the pairs piggybacked to one single output (two motors per output) but I noticed that when I flip one set of crossovers there is a brief, slightly dimming of the loco headlights. Is this ok?

I would prefer to have one motor per output and program them accordingly, so any help you could give would be much appreciated!

Many thanks in advance,
Gavin

 

[steve parberry]

I have several sets of switchs set up like that in fact i even have three switchs wired to one channel.

With regards to the dimming mine has done it since new and is proberably more to do with the supply cable size than anything else.

 

[Gizzy]

I also have crossovers, with each decoder channel driving a pair of point motors and have no issues....

 

[supagav]

Thanks for the reply guys, so you reckon the dimmining is nothing serious then? It won't cause any harm to the system?

Thanks,
G

 

[steve parberry]

Thanks for the reply guys, so you reckon the dimmining is nothing serious then? It won't cause any harm to the system?

Thanks,
G

As i say mine does it all the time, if you look closely you will even see a bit of dimming when you change a single motor...

Did you alter the pulse length time? if so perhaps a slightly shorter pulse may help reduce it..

 

[Gizzy]

Thanks for the reply guys, so you reckon the dimmining is nothing serious then? It won't cause any harm to the system?

Thanks,
G

As i say mine does it all the time, if you look closely you will even see a bit of dimming when you change a single motor...

Did you alter the pulse length time? if so perhaps a slightly shorter pulse may help reduce it..

I have a 1 sec pulse and I haven't seen this dimming of lights as mentioned?

Although my wire runs have been kept to a minimum length....

 

[supagav]

Cheers for the suggestion, I'll try the pulse settings, although all I changed were the switch addresses.

Just for arguments sake, does anyone know why it doesn't work by setting two outputs on the same decoder to the same address? ie: set CV32 & CV34 for example to the same switch number, in this case #14? When I first tried this I read back the CVs to check and they both came back with an address of 14, but only 1 output responded to #14?

Thanks again for your help,
Gavin

 

[supagav]

PS: dumb question but I what CV do you use to change the pulse length time please?

Thanks

 

[Gizzy]

The LGB version's instructions are here;

http://www.champex-linden.de/lgb_pr...1dfd9f4c1256936003d163a02ec.html?OpenDocument

On the LGB version which I believe is the same as Massoth, CV 1 set the addresses in blocks of 4, so you can have 1-4, 5-8, 9-12, etc. You set the first address of the block on CV 1, and the others are set automatically in sequence. Hence, you can't set 2 addresses the same as I see it?

CVs 2-5 are used to set the pulse length for each output. Factory default is 3 and the max setting is 7, which is about 1 sec.

They are also used to change the direction of switch operation. To do this add 32 to the pulse setting, so for opposite direction and max pulse, 7 + 32 = 39....