DIGIKEIJS DR 5000 together with Uhlenbrock Power 8 ?

[65 1057]

I would like to know whether it is recommended (or at least save...) to connect a DIGIKEIJS DR 5000 with an UHLENBROCK Power 8 Booster.

The standard-setup with an UHLENBROCK-Command station (e.g. DAISY-2) requires a connection on the mass-side ("black") of the track:



I would like to replace the DAISY-2 with the DIGIKEIJS DR 5000, but without connecting the track to the command station.
The DIGIKEIJS station will receive commands from various sources via wifi / Loconet etc.
and will just convey the DCC signals via LOCONET to the UHLENBROCK booster:



I currently operate my DAISY-2 like shown in the bottom picture, so no connection between command station and track - just booster to track - and it works reliably.
But before I make a purchase and destroy everything, I would like to hear what the DCC experts think... Grazie mille!

Andreas

 

[Zerogee]

This sounds like one for Cliff, if he's out there.....?

Jon.

 

[65 1057]

I got this information from their support team:

"Dear Mr. Weyer, The Uhlenbrock booster is common-ground based and therfor not supported on the DR5000. If you do connect them together one of them will be damaged.
Kind regards, Roy Keij
DIGIKEIJS"

I understand that a common track connection of both the command station AND the booster will not work (like shown in the upper picture with DAISY-2).

But when I operate the DR 5000 command station like shown in the bottom picture without any track connection, just connected to the booster with a loconet-cable - why should this not work?

Thanx for help!

Andreas

 

[muns]

Are you saying that when you connect up like the bottom picture it does not work?

IMHO, the Central station should not care if it is connected to the track or not.

 

[PhilP]

So the equipment with the 'common-ground' (meaningless in a DCC environment) does not meet the NMRA standards / recommendations? - Individual power-districts should be isolated from each other. What if there was a reverse loop module in the mix of equipment??

I would not do it.
i fear there may be a 'return-path' needed, and if it can't find it through the track, then the loconet (which SHOULD be totally isolated from track) will be the only route between the two units.

It could prove expensive for one, or both, pieces of equipment.

 

[idlemarvel]

If the manufacturer (Roy Keij even) is telling you don't do it then you would be well advised to heed their advice. You could ask them (out of interest) why.

 

[Zerogee]

Are you saying that when you connect up like the bottom picture it does not work?

IMHO, the Central station should not care if it is connected to the track or not.

Indeed, similar to the way that the Tam Valley DRS transmitter works - it is connected to the output of any DCC central station (even a low-power HO type), because all the output is doing is feeding the DCC signal into a little wireless transmitter module. The CS you are using neither knows nor cares what its output is feeding into in this case (though of course if it is designed for some sort of bi-directional data communication, that would complicate things).
So, like Muns, I can't see why it shouldn't work in theory.... BUT, as Dave says, if the manufacturer has specifically told you not to, then I'd be very wary, at least until you've had a solid explanation of why not that makes sense to you.

Jon.

 

[65 1057]

HEUREKA!
The DR5000 will accept my UHLENBROCK POWER 8, and they will not destroy each other when operated as shown in the picture below ("LOCONET only").
Most likely, I expressed myself unclear in my first mail to DIGIKEIJS. As you advised - I contacted the DIGIKEJIS support again with more specific details,
and voila - Stephen allowed me to quote his answer which give us a clear explanation:

"A connection from a Uhlenbrock Power 4/8 is basically possible via Loconet B of the DR5000.
As you have already recognized correctly, there must not be a connection between the DR5000 track output and the UB Power 4/8 track output.
Even a separation on both sides is not sufficient. This inevitably leads to the destruction of the DR5000.
Unfortunately Uhlenbrock has chosen a design principle of the output stage which is not compatible with our philosophy. In addition, the Uhlenbrock booster is unregulated. Please note for the reasons mentioned above, a combination of the track output DR5000 and track output Uhlenbrock Booster must be avoided in any case.

The Daisy 2 can easily be operated via Loconet T on the DR5000.

I hope I could help
Stephen
Digikeijs Support"

 

[65 1057]

The reason why I’m interested in this unit is that I’m looking for a DCC system enhancement at lowest possible cost:
> No need to purchase additional, dedicated proprietary converters or interfaces e.g. WIFI-LOCONET, USB-LOCONET etc.
> No obsolete purchases, e.g. boosters or manual controllers

So the replacement of my current command station allows me to re-use my existing DCC equipment:
> On the output side I can re-use my Uhlenbrock POWER 8 Booster (yes - with care...).
> On the input side I see the full flexibility of the connection to
LOCONET B & T (in my case) Uhlenbrock DAISY Throttle & Funk-Master LN (Radio Control Transmitter / Receiver)
LAN, WLAN, USB for PC communication (e.g. decoder CV’s read / write / setting storage on a computer, or to connect a Roco WLAN Mouse

The DIGIKEIJS homepage shows all the other interfaces available on the DR5000 which might be of interest for your specific DCC situation.

Many videos are available on how to connect & set-up the communicaton between the command station and various throttles (DIGITRAX, ROCO, PROTO-Throttle etc.)

Very popular seems to be the combination of the Z21 App for Tablets and SmartPhones, connected via WIFI to the DR5000.
I could imagine that this combination can save some investments in radio controlled throttles for operating days

Andreas