DCC Concepts AD-S8sx Nightmare

[collectors]

Has any one used the DCC Concepts AD-S8sx decoder or even the earlier one. I am working on a work bench & making up a wiring loom to all my points & frogs. Recommended cable size is 32x02 around 1mm. Its an absolute nightmare trying to get this size cables into the tiny terminations they supply on the board, as the cable is multi strand. Now two of the points i have to wire too has been done in some spare 1mm 3 core & earth mains cable i had, & this cable just "& only just" fits these terminals. The problem with multi strand is getting it into the terminals without splaying out & if you neatly twist the cable it actually slightly enlarges the cable, & this would be the same if i gave the cable a touch of solder & making the problem even worse. I personally would of thrown it out if i was expected to do 98 connections with this under a table or anywhere slightly awkward. When this is done, i pray nothing ever goes wrong with it.
Any one else had this problem.

[Brian]

Hi
32/0.2mm wire from AD-S board to a solenoid point motor is way OTT. 16/0.2mm equipment wire (0.5mm2 or 20AWG) will be fine.

[collectors]

Hi, unfortunately some of the points are around 8 meters away & DCC recommend 16x02 for very short runs only & 32x02 for longer runs but dont say what is classed as a short or long run. Would be nice if they say what is a max length on any cable size to help modellers. Normally i would work this out myself if it was just a simple switch & motor solenoid & i had the specs. But these units use the help of capacitors to throw the juice down the line & this is beyond my knowledge. Will drop DCC Concepts an email & see what they say & post back here.

[Brian]

I dont think you'll have any serious issue with 16/0.2mm over an 8 Mtr run.
However, its more normal to use smaller way accessory decoders and locate them much closer to the motors.
If you want to remain with the huge 32/0.2mm wire, then use 16/0.2 from the terminals of the AD-S to a close to the Ad-S terminal block and connect the 32/0.2 in the block and short lengths of the 16/0.2 in the other side to the decoder.

[collectors]

Oddly enough i was going to use another unit but doubled up on a couple of points as they both needed to operate as a turn out & passing area meaning i could get away with just 1 x 8 way unit. I will plan better next time.

[collectors]

In all fareness DCC Consepts did try to help with what lenth cable to use but would need the type of solinoid, line voltage & lenth of run to calculate. But did say if using 16.02 would only recomend up to 3 meters. So the leson to me is go for more decoders closer to the points. Must admit, i hope this 8 way wont break down as it will be a lot of work to change it over with over 96 conections.

[Brian]

IMO an absolute waste of money and good cable!!
16/0.2mm would be fine or go the next size up and use 24/0.2mm wire.

[Tinker]

I had 2 X AD-S8's fail ended up going Digital Cobalt's and simple Control panels (Toggle Switch and 2 LED's ) controlled the LED's by Pin 3 on the Cobalt's..
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Control panels.jpg

[Brian]

The major problem with the DCC Concepts Digital Cobalt point motor using pin 3 for frog feeding is that it takes its power from the DCC Bus. Where if a dual bus is used via a Circuit Breaker on the Track bus to overcome running into unset points and the whole system shutting down, is that the Cobalt is using the main Track Bus for commands and frog polarity when in this scenario it needs to use the Accessory bus. So then its change-over set of contacts 4,5 & 6 are needed to switch the frog.

[Tinker]

My pin outs for the Cobalt PM's are 1 and 2 DCC power from the DCC Bus, Pin 3 for the LED's, 4,5 and 6 for the frog taken from Pin's 1 and 2, 7,8 and 9 for the toggle switch for point movement, they also have a Accessory number for hand set movements, i have tested and will use LED's direct from the frog power to indicate Green from set normal, red for reversed, this will cut down on wiring for the 3 sets of main line points at the other end of the loft that are on the main line distant maybe 30' away. as for short circuits due to points being set wrong, all my control panels have LED indicators showing which way points are set and as with the real thing a set of rules that govern there use has meant no shorts or derailments have accured and won't even with the extra 50' of extra running track.....people need to get a safe system they can use and safe running will will be the end product....