Helsman versus All components controller

[davecar]

Hi,

Thank you for all your helpful comments re a suitable analogue controller. Train engineer is out of stock at Dragon Scale and does not generally appear to be available.

I am now looking at the Helmsman controller with a lead at a cost of £127.50 or a similar unit at all components

http://www.allcomponents.co.uk/

For £141.95.

I am quite happy to work with a long lead. My track is an oval about 22 metres long going around water features at each end. I have lots of grandsons and happy to have a lead attached to a hand held device.

As far as I can gather you can extend the lead on the Helmsman with a high Fi extension lead. The other unit comes with a 2 metre lead with Din connection (don't know if that is the same as a hi fi extension lead). This company will fit a longer lead (2 m provided), presumably at extra cost!

The Helmsmann is 4.5 amps and the All Components is 5 amp.

It is very difficult as a newcomer to this hobby and I have really found this forum very useful.

Kind regards,


Dave

Any comments about the above gratefully received.

 

[Tony Walsham]

Hi Dave.

For a special price of £140 post paid I could supply you with a 3 amp fully filtered DC R/C trackside controller.
http://www.beltrol-rc.com/content/9021/trackside-rc/ < Link To Trackside R/C
For £10 more you could upgrade to a fan cooled 5 amp unit.

 

[Gizzy]

Please ignore this, as the Helmsman Unit has now been sold....
http://www.gscalecentral.net/m76728

 

[minimans]

Havn't there been comments on the forum about Helmsman not being up to the job????

 

[stevelewis]

Havn't there been comments on the forum about Helmsman not being up to the job????

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Not Helsman as far as I am aware, another well known brand sometimes get mentioned I am not prepared to name the brand!

I have used Helsman units in both G & 0 Gauges more or less since they became available several years ago never had any problems whatsoever, worth mentioning that Helsman have a no quibble guarantee without the usual 12 months limitation, I have ever had to use it!!

Should add that I have had 2 units from the other company mentioned here one for 0 & 1 for 00 both were returned on 2 occasions as they packed up in quite a short time, eventually when I got working units I sold them!

 

[marshman]

I had an All Components MPC 5/O with a 5 metre lead for my O gauge & it was a very good controller & guaranteed for life. Output was 2.5 amps. It did get hot when powering my G scale & would cut out but i think that was because output needs to be 5 amps for G. Would go for the MPC 5/5 if you want an All Components. I now use a Gaugemaster M12 amp with an LGB 5amp outside controller, the one that looks like a signal box. Bought the amp new from Rails of Sheffield ( good price ) & the controller 2nd hand from Glendale Junction at a very reasonable price. Combination works very well.

 

[davecar]

You are correct - you can extend the Helmsman with a simple 5 pin din hi-fi lead. You can make your own lead up easily enough or buy one ready made with moulded plugs on the end - I've done both - and have two Maplins leads connected together so that I can reach the parts other controllers cannot. I'm guessing that the arrangement on the All Compomnents one is similar, from the look of it.

BTW, how do you get the All Components price to be £141.95? The MPC5/5 would appear to be a 12v controller (and is unavailable anyway, according to their site), normally for G scale you'd want the 24v version which is £250?

Thanks for all these very helpful replies. In connection with the MPC5/5 ii is available ( on the website at least) for £125 plus the cost of the hand held controller to go with it. There is a new product Mpc 6 which is £250.

At the moment there is not much difference in price between the Helmsman and the All components controller - hence my dilema!

Kind regards,

Dave

 

[stevelewis]

Yes I know what I would choose as well but saying nothing to influence your decision, one thing though if you order from Helsman direct by phone you will 9 times out of ten get it delvered the very next day!!

 

[davecar]

Many thanks for all the helpful comments.

I took the plunge and bought a Helmsman a week ago. I bought the remote version with a lead to the power box. Extended this by 2.5 metres by buying a din type cable. I ordered the Helmsman from Glendale Junction and received it the next day.

My previous power unit was a Peko 1 amp and the Helmsman is nearly 5 amp. What a difference it makes. I have an oval track about 23 metres long and I have three locos. The Helmsman powers all my three locos on the track at the same time. The real improvement that I wasnt aware of is that the locos can go very slow. Really impressed with it so far.

My only criticism is that the remote control which is a sliding switch does not have any numbers on it. The remote has a min and max with lines inbetween. My 5 year old grandson has had difficulty with it because he likes to know the number to set it on in order for the loco to cope with the curves. I could write or stick numbers on it but it would be a better design if incorporated. But this is a very minor criticism.

Many thanks for all the helpful advice - very much appreciated.



Kind regards,


Dave