Digitrax DS52 decoders and MTS II

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mikesilky

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Yet another newbie question from me, I'm afraid... I have a MTS II system which runs my half-built garden railway... or more accurately, will run it when it's finished!

I'm looking at buying a couple of the Digitrax DS52 point decoders for the layout, but I've found conflicting views as to whether or not they're going to work.

http://www.gscalecentral.net/m175672 < Link To This thread says that the MTS voltage is too high for the point decoders and they're no good.
http://www.gscalecentral.net/m149547 < Link To This thread implies that people might have had some success with them and MTS.

Can anyone say for sure either way?
 
buy a lgb point motor.. it works.. then use eitherr a massoth, or lgb switch drive decoda to change the point motor,
 
Ah I should have said, I've got LGB point motors on the points already.

I just don't fancy forking out the best part of £100 for two LGB single point decoders - £40 ish for a pair of these DS52 decoders, and a few quid to make up some waterproof boxes is far more palatable!
 
i should add.. mines installed under the railway, in a inverted(upside down) tupperwaer tub, with no lid on.. its held in plasce in the tupperwear boxs by velcro..
 
These are great little decoders and easy enough to house in a weatherproof way. I run them at 20v with no problems. They can't cope with anything over 22v so unless you can set the voltage on the MTS they won't be any use to you
 
Re:Digitrax DS52 decoders, NCE Switch-Kat and MTS II

I'm pretty sure there's no way of changing the voltage on the MTS system, so I think these Digitrax decoders aren't going to be any use to me.

I've been reading around this evening and the NCE Switch-Kat decoder sounds like it might be suitable. I found just one reference on the web that they work with MTS. The instruction PDF that I found made no reference to voltages at all. Can any experienced heads say if this is going to work, or am I resigned to forking out a fortune :)

[Edited to improve grammar!]
 
Re:Digitrax DS52 decoders, NCE Switch-Kat and MTS II

mikesilky said:
I'm pretty sure there's no way of changing the voltage on the MTS system, so I think these Digitrax decoders aren't going to be any use to me.

I've been reading around this evening and the NCE Switch-Kat decoder sounds like it might be suitable. I found just one reference on the web that they work with MTS. The instruction PDF that I found made no reference to voltages at all. Can any experienced heads say if this is going to work, or am I resigned to forking out a fortune :)
Click to expand...
Send a PM to Nick (ntpntpntp on the forum). He has experience with the Kit-Kat, although I don't think he uses MTS. Not sure if he uses LGB point motors either.

I have a LGB 55025 4 channel decoder on my MTS layout which runs 4 pairs of crossovers. I brought it 2nd hand from a member of GSC here. It lives in the station building next to an LGB 55080 reverse loop module. Ask on here if anyone has one for sale. Dragon are doing the LGB unit for £75, and the Massoth equivalent for £55, including the GSC 5% discount and p&p.

For garden use, you probably can't do any better than the LGB or Massoth units as they are designed for the purpose of being outdoors. Yep, you can try to weather proof a decoder designed for indoor use, and you might save money in the short term, but I'll wager you will have to replace these eventually and you'll probably end up spending more than the cost of the LGB/Massoth units....
 
I have to agree with the comments that say if these are going to be used outside then it is probably worth getting versions that are properly water tight.

I've never used the NCE Switch-Kats but I think they would work just fine.

On my little indoor demo layout I used the Littfinski 1-DEC-DC , which work very well: Check them out here:

http://www.ldt-infocenter.com/english/home_frame_e.htm

One thing I particularly like about them is that it is possible to connect a power supply to them so that no digital current is used to switch the point motors.
 
Re:Digitrax DS52 decoders, NCE Switch-Kat and MTS II

Gizzy said:
mikesilky said:
I've been reading around this evening and the NCE Switch-Kat decoder sounds like it might be suitable. I found just one reference on the web that they work with MTS. The instruction PDF that I found made no reference to voltages at all. Can any experienced heads say if this is going to work, or am I resigned to forking out a fortune :)
Click to expand...
Send a PM to Nick (ntpntpntp on the forum). He has experience with the Kit-Kat, although I don't think he uses MTS. Not sure if he uses LGB point motors either.
Click to expand...

You have a good memory Gizzy! Yes that's right, I use NCE SwitchKats with LGB point motors. The SwitchKats are sealed into small project boxes with RTV Silicone. See about 2/3 down this page:

http://www.gscalecentral.net/tm?m=149547&high=switchkat < Link To http://www.gscalecentral....547&high=switchkat

SwitchKat was originally designed for Kato point motors which work on the same "reversable DC" system as LGB motors. The decoders work excellently and have survived two winters now in the sealed boxes. I had one failure early on before I'd sealed them with the silicone - a small signal diode blew on the circuit board when the decoder was slightly damp with condensation. I replaced the diode.

You'r'e also correct that I don't use MTS, I use an NCE 10 amp PowerPro system running at around 18 volts. The question of maximum voltage that the SwitchKat can take is an interesting one that I've never managed to confirm. Perhaps an email to NCE would provide a definitive answer?
 
Cliff George said:
On my little indoor demo layout I used the Littfinski 1-DEC-DC , which work very well: Check them out here:

http://www.ldt-infocenter.com/english/home_frame_e.htm
Click to expand...
I used a Cobalt DCC motor for the one point on my indoor layout, Hardyard. Cost me 20 sovs, and it has switches for frog polarity or signalling, so very good value for money, and much cheaper than the LGB 55024 single decoder and point motor combination.

Works similar to a Tortoise motor, in so much that the point blades are driven slowly by a geared motor, rather than the way the soleniod type LGB motors 'klunk'!

The Cobalt is great for an indoor application, but for outdoors, that positive 'klunk' of the LGB motor is what you need...
 
Re:Digitrax DS52 decoders, NCE Switch-Kat and MTS II

ntpntpntp said:
Perhaps an email to NCE would provide a definitive answer?
Click to expand...

I emailed NCE with this question:

"What is the maximum voltage that the Switch-Kat decoder can cope with? I've looked and looked and can't find this information anywhere.

I am wondering if it will work properly with the LGB MTS system which runs at 24V."

They got back to me super-quick:

"Mike,

They will work with 24V, not a lot more, but at least 24.

Larry Larsen
NCE Customer Support"
 
Incidentally, me and the kids had a running session on the dining room floor yesterday, and when I got the MTS central station and transformer out of the cupboard, written right on top of the power supply was "18V".

Quite where I got the idea that MTS ran at 24V from, I don't know! I feel daft for not checking! :clown:
 
mikesilky said:
Quite where I got the idea that MTS ran at 24V from, I don't know! I feel daft for not checking! :clown:
Click to expand...
It does seem oft-quoted that MTS and Massoth runs at 24V. Your transformer quotes 18V, but that might be 18V ac rms - in which case the actual peak voltage is more like 25V. Less a bit for the voltage losses on the way through the power booster etc. and 24V peak is probably about right.
 
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