Prodigy Express DCC01

[The Sligo Rover]

Can I get a longer lead for the control box to the hand held terminal ?

[Brian]

Yes, but I dont think Gaugemaster sell it? Not sure if Coastal DCC sell longer cables? https://www.coastaldcc.co.uk/index.php They are RJ45 plugs and all 8 pins are connected. Pins 1 to 4 are repeated with pins 5 to 8 So technically it will work with just four pins but the back up is having the second set of four in parallel.
You just need to ensure any ready made or home made cable has the plugs on each end correct and are wired straight. i.e. Pin 1 to pin 1, pin 2 to pin 2 etc, as some can cross over pins!

A typical Patch cable 3 mtrs long https://www.toolstation.com/30m-cat5e-u ... ead/p95109 Just be careful with long cables you don't end up tripping over the cable!

[The Sligo Rover]

Top man as usual Brian, thank you.
Another question for you please, on the programming track, if as recommended I am using two insulated rail joiners and only wire it from the programming port, I assume I am safe to shunt wagons on to it. If programming a loco then I would need to place the loco on the programming track by hand as I cannot run it onto the programming track. Would that be correct?

[Brian]

Hi
The wagons (or other rail vehicles) may have metal wheels which can bridge the Insulated Rail Joiners thereby allowing full DCC power to get back into the Consoles Programming circuitry and possibly will cause damage. So I would not opt for that option if it can be avoided.

Option 1. Try and either have an On/Off switch (SPDT) in the two feed wires going to the programming track. The switch is normally turned Off and only On when you want to carry out programming not forgetting to turn it Off before you move the loco or truck etc. back onto the main DCC lines
The second option is to have the programming track selectable between DCC and Programming by using a DPDT Centre Off toggle switch, wired so as its two middle tabs go to the programming track rails and the switches outer pairs of tabs connect to the DCC Track and Programming outputs. Then switch in one position the programming track is feed with the main DCC. In the middle position of the switch the programming track is isolated from all feeds and in the other switch position the consoles Programming track output is connected to the programming tracks rails.
The third and IMO the best option where switching is to be used, is to have a 4 pole toggle switch work in a similar manner to option 2, but it also allows a middle section of track to be isolated from the DCC main feed before the programming track can be operated. Thereby removing any chance of a cross connection.

All these are shown on my web site here... https://www.brian-lambert.co.uk/DCC_Pag ... #Bookmark2

Of course the very best is not to have the programming track connected to any other rails. Just use a stand alone piece of track feed from the Programming terminals, then there is never any chance of the main DCC power getting back onto the consoles Programming connections.

[The Sligo Rover]

Thank you again, good point about the wheels. I think I can also recall seeing something similar in your book (Newcomers Guide) which I have recently purchased. Learning all the time, but sometimes it is a bit daunting to a novice. I will get your book out again and have another good read.

[Hound Dog]

Yes, but I dont think Gaugemaster sell it? Not sure if Coastal DCC sell longer cables? https://www.coastaldcc.co.uk/index.php They are RJ45 plugs and all 8 pins are connected. Pins 1 to 4 are repeated with pins 5 to 8 So technically it will work with just four pins but the back up is having the second set of four in parallel.
You just need to ensure any ready made or home made cable has the plugs on each end correct and are wired straight. i.e. Pin 1 to pin 1, pin 2 to pin 2 etc, as some can cross over pins!

A typical Patch cable 3 mtrs long https://www.toolstation.com/30m-cat5e-u ... ead/p95109 Just be careful with long cables you don't end up tripping over the cable!

I currently have 3m+ patch cord, but have been on the look out for a curly-cord version but cannot seem to find a simple point to point version........ I think a mandrel and the kitchen oven might come into the equation at some stage if I cannot find a ready made one on-line

[Steve M]

I’m sure I bought my long curly cable on eBay but a quick search on google came up with this:

https://www.bcedirect.co.uk/products/rj ... d-black-5m

[Hound Dog]

Thanks Steve - suitably embarrassed that I never found that although it must have 6 months or more since I last had a look...... that’s my excuse and sticking to it

[Hound Dog]

Purchased Curly Cord cable from BCE for a couple of quid and it arrived in 48hrs....... looks just the job except the 4-off point to point conductors are not the correct ones for the system and thus it doesn’t work.

Looking at the original cable that came with the unit it is a straight 8 way point to point, but I am not smart enough to determine if all 8 conductors are truly necessary ( however I suspect not) and if not, which particular ones are....... looking for some pearls of wisdom please.

I could always call Gaugemaster in the morning and see if they will tell me, but where’s the challenge in that ?

Thanks Richard

[Brian]

Purchased Curly Cord cable from BCE for a couple of quid and it arrived in 48hrs....... looks just the job except the 4-off point to point conductors are not the correct ones for the system and thus it doesn’t work.

Looking at the original cable that came with the unit it is a straight 8 way point to point, but I am not smart enough to determine if all 8 conductors are truly necessary ( however I suspect not) and if not, which particular ones are....... looking for some pearls of wisdom please.

I could always call Gaugemaster in the morning and see if they will tell me, but where’s the challenge in that ?

Thanks Richard

See my post #2 above only 4 cores are needed but they are doubled up 1 to 4 and then 5 to 8. Look at the original cable you can see the cores inside the plugs.