Cobalt Alpha, Cobalt IP digital point motors and powered Signals

[Nokonium]

I have an accessory bus to power and switch my points. It is based on Alpha Power, Alpha Box and control panel using Alpha Switch D's. The points that I have set up so far work properly.

So far so good, now I'm thinking that it may be good to add powered signals that change with the Alpha Switch point activation. Dapol semaphore signals look interesting.

I have searched and found some information about linking points and signals but none that uses Alpha Switches, they use other switches i.e. DPDT's etc.

I have tried to find out more about the other connections on the Cobalt IP, that is 4,5,6,7,8 and 9, but to me it wasn't clear, they appear to be for alternative switch methods. Do any output a signal that can be used to activate a signal change? Is what I would like to do possible?

[Brian]

Hi
On the DCC Concepts Digital ip motor you cannot use terminals 7,8 & 9 as these are dedicated for manual push button/switch operation of the motor. That leaves the one set of changeover contacts 4, 5 & 6. Which can be used to set a Dapol semaphore signal Off or On. If they are not used for anything else.
Connect one yellow wire to 6 and the other to yellow wire to either 4 or 5 then link together 4 to 5. You then need to feed the Dapol signal with ideally regulated DC power between 5 and 12 volts DC on the red and black wires. A wall plug style mobile phone charger is ideal for this. Just ensure you get the polarity correct.

[Nokonium]

The points that I have set up so far work properly.

Thank you for your reply Brian but I spoke too soon. I had used 1,2 & 3 for supply and frog but that doesn't work if the points are powered from an accessory bus, the frog doesn't get any power. Your phrase "If they are not used for anything else" now makes sense to me, I need 4,5 & 6 to power the frog so I cannot use them for activating a signal.

If I had a single power bus I would free them up, but I have the points on a separate accessory bus. So I connected the Prodigy Advance 2 track output to the Alpha box and put jumpers between the track bus and the accessories bus, Unfortunateley I couldn't control anything, power to the track but I couldn't change points or run locos, so I put it all back as it was.

[Brian]

You could operate two relays via a separate DC feed which is fed in on 6 then each relay is connected each to 4 and 5 and the other side of the relays coils to DC negative. Then the Cobalt will operate the relays, which if you opt for a Double Pole type, will provide two electrically separate change over contacts - One for frog polarity switching and the other for the signal. Or use the DCC Concepts REX unit to do the individual switching?

[Nokonium]

Please be gentle I’m 67 and riddled with Pinot Grigio.

Think I understand the basics, split the output signal via a relay and initiate both events. As I have a lot of DCC Concepts stuff the REX looks like a good option, will contact them to confirm what I need and how to connect it ( saw a bit about needing something else for DCC).

May take a while to achieve cooking WELSH lamb now and helping the Sally Army tomorrow.

[Tinker]

The surface mount point by DCC Concepts have a extra switch this may help, if your using the point motors to switch from one line to another they also do a "Cross over kit" this has 2 PM's and extended leads, i use these and run 4 PM's from a single contol unit brings the price down for what ends up as 4 PM's

[Ron S]

Wiring the frog when the Cobalt is powered from an accessory bus
https://www.dccconcepts.com/manual/coba ... ssory-bus/

I found this via
https://www.dccconceptsforum.com/post/d ... 1306297537

[Brian]

Hi

Using 2 x 12volt DPDT relays and a 12 volt DC power source you can switch frog and the Dapol signal. (You can of course use 5 volt relays and a 5 volt DC supply)

Wiring is below

Cobalt ip and 2 x relays.jpg

[Nokonium]

Thanks for all the replies I can see the way forward.

It was finding the DCC Concepts Powering A Cobalt IP pm from the accessory bus diagram that made me check my frog voltages and finding that they weren’t powered.

I do like the look of the REX units which can be ac or D.C. powered and will probably use them. It looks like I should be able to change frog polarity and two separate signals with one REX.

When reading the ‘new’ Dapol installation instructions I found that I can use a 14v ac supply to power a signal Instead of 12v D.C. so I should be able to power the signals, the frog and the REX from my track or accessory busses as applicable. This will greatly simplify the wiring as these two power supplies are already there. Will still need to be a contortionist with my glasses on upside down to wire them though, the first 3 points are right at the back by the wall.

[Brian]

BTW using your own relays whether 5volt or 12 volt works out at around £4.40 per twin relay unit using Bitsbox for items needed.
5 volt DPDT relays ... https://www.bitsbox.co.uk/index.php?mai ... ts_id=1911
12 volt DPDT relays ... https://www.bitsbox.co.uk/index.php?mai ... ts_id=1912
Strip board for at least two units... https://www.bitsbox.co.uk/index.php?mai ... ts_id=1856