Info req'd on keyfob R/C
- Thread starter trammayo
- Start date
Bram said:
I don't think that is always the case (in a way) - I bought one of those remote control 13a sockets and the tiny handset can control four different sockets (via 4 pair of buttons) and can be reprogrammed to different receivers.
It would be great if you could get a 12v version of that receiver that actuates the socket - presume it all 'solid state' technology.
Yes, but we are talking trains here not sockets. You can tag more than one receiver to a key fob but you would not want all engines on the track, switched on, at the same time they would all be running together and stopping together
Bram said:
That is just the point.........
We are talking "trains", but they aren't.
They are talking "LED Dimmer Switch" (and very cheap ones at that!)
My question is are these key fobs "taggable" or just produced on the cheap to directly control the receiver.
Mr Chi Pee in Hong Kong is not Cliff Barker.
Bram said:
No, what I said was that you could control four different sockets independantly of each other and wouldn't that be great if that technology was available in 12volts!
Its cheapo technology that really works, and at low cost, especially if all you want is "on and off". I have only one controller for my two early B'mann Big Haulers but do have twin tracks. I've built a couple of battery operated locos/railbus and just dreamed that somebody (in China) might make something that could be just like the remote sockets controller but with a receiver operating from 12v or less.
simon@mgr said:
So, we can have several keyfob/receivers without interference from each other - that would be great! All I (or somebody with more experience - or brains!) need is to work out the current requirements of the receiver to minimise the battery pack size!
No brains I'm afraid and I have no experience of these (but have just ordered one). Not that that stops me expressing an opinion.trammayo said:
I imagine that the one battery pack would drive both receiver and motor and the latter would take more current, so the miminum size would be determined mainly by the motor.
According to TramcarTrev in post 18 the receiver uses a 5V voltage regulator. These need around 7V min to work well so I suggest using six 1.2V rechargeable cells giving a nominal 7.2V assuming that the motor will run fast enough on 7V. If my assumptions are correct it would be a case of using the largest 7.2V pack that'll fit to give maximum run time between charges. As mentioned on another topic on this forum low self discharge packs may better as they hold charge for many months out of use however a high discharge current type may be best for your application. The same topic mentions this supplier http://www.component-shop.co.uk/html/small_packs.html < Link To http://www.component-shop.../html/small_packs.html who I've found to give excellent service.
They claim to make up most special packs so it may be worth discussing your requirements with them.
Hi Neil. Brains or not, you've explained it so I can understand!
The motor is the same as in Rik's video - 3 to 6v - mine is running on 4AA rechargeables (4.8v - see start of Reo Railbus thread). Then the Leds - front and tail (and interior soon) are running off 3 of the same. So I would need a seperate pack or two times 4AA holders.
I'm a little concerned that the extra weight, of a suggested 12v pack, would have broke the 'bus's back as the front of the 'bus is cantilevered off the main body using no more than 3mm perspex. However, I did add some extra weight for traction purposes so this could be discarded in favour of two more battery holders without adding too much extra weight!
So maybe job's sorted. We shall see. On my trailer layout I can operate up to four locos simultaneously from track power (as long as they are not twin motored units), and usually have another six or eight to swap over - so nothing gets flogged to death (except yours truly).
So I'll go for it!
Many thanks
The motor is the same as in Rik's video - 3 to 6v - mine is running on 4AA rechargeables (4.8v - see start of Reo Railbus thread). Then the Leds - front and tail (and interior soon) are running off 3 of the same. So I would need a seperate pack or two times 4AA holders.
I'm a little concerned that the extra weight, of a suggested 12v pack, would have broke the 'bus's back as the front of the 'bus is cantilevered off the main body using no more than 3mm perspex. However, I did add some extra weight for traction purposes so this could be discarded in favour of two more battery holders without adding too much extra weight!
So maybe job's sorted. We shall see. On my trailer layout I can operate up to four locos simultaneously from track power (as long as they are not twin motored units), and usually have another six or eight to swap over - so nothing gets flogged to death (except yours truly).
So I'll go for it!
Many thanks
The LED Dimmer unit arrived this afternoon. Simple to connect, I added a 2xAA holder to the 4 cell one already in use for manual operation. This gave me the supposed minimum voltage but the unit would not respond to the keyfob's transmission when pressing the dimmer buttons. I then tried with the roof off (thinking the keyfob signal might not be getting through. No luck there either.
I then put two 4xAA holders together. The 'bus goes like the clappers but still doesn't respond to the dimmer control buttons. Pressing the on/off for stop and start worked at a maximum range of 9 or 10 feet (adequate for stopping in the station).
I can fit a resistor (as suggested by Neil) which will slow the motor down.
Maybe it actually needs 12v for the dimmer control to work?
I then put two 4xAA holders together. The 'bus goes like the clappers but still doesn't respond to the dimmer control buttons. Pressing the on/off for stop and start worked at a maximum range of 9 or 10 feet (adequate for stopping in the station).
I can fit a resistor (as suggested by Neil) which will slow the motor down.
Maybe it actually needs 12v for the dimmer control to work?
Hi Micktrammayo said:
That's what I found - anything less than 12v and the unit was erratic. I've not metered it but I think the output from the unit is then less than 12v - particularly as it's designed to control LEDs
Rik
tramcar trev said:
Trev,
Can't seem to find mention of an operating frequency; presume these are legal in Aust?
Steve
Well I'm assuming they are legal in Au.... More to the point who is policing this? A mate just bought a new Caravan with led lighting and he was given an identical key fob to activate the dimmer, so if Jayco are useing them they must be legal, surely.... One other problem is that whatever the frequency all the units seem to be running on the same frequency or channel or whatever. I own 2 paid AU$8 for one and won another at auction for AU$0.99..... Both key fobs are interchangeable BUT both cant be used together.... No doubt some smart cookie out there will have a work around for that...
Ahhhhh after reading the posts above I cheched mine for an ID No.... What are the chances that I would end up with 2 the same??? Well I have; both ID: 0415 well that explains a lot and what are the odds of that happening.....
Ahhhhh after reading the posts above I cheched mine for an ID No.... What are the chances that I would end up with 2 the same??? Well I have; both ID: 0415 well that explains a lot and what are the odds of that happening.....
I'm not an expert on management of the electronic spectrum, but I do know that the radio hams have people who keep an eye on non approved usage; and that in general frequency allocation is done by the Australian Communications and Media Agency (ACMA). Some frequencies (eg in the 27MHz, 422 MHz & 2.4 GHz bands) are allocated for use by people who do not have to have operating certificates under a general licencing process but you must stick within those "public" bands. But, to go back to the point, if Jayco who are after all a reputable business are selling them in Aust. I think I would be pretty sure they are OK. I'm certainly going to give it a go!
Well what's the worst that can happen? Before they could catch you, if this is illegal, they first have to find an old Citroen van (with corrugated panelling) and an RDF antenna on top and track you down. Besides the output power of these things is so low I doubt that interference is going to be a problem. It must be a real electro magnetic soup within the frequency band these things are working in, I imagine its the same area that garage door openers etc are used in....
R/C's with oddball VHF frequency will generally be legal if they limit the on time of a button press signal transmission to no more than 1 second and the off time to be at least 10 seconds before the next button press.
If they do not comply with that, they would likely be illegal.
If they do not comply with that, they would likely be illegal.