DCC Decoders for Ballast Plough Vans. Let us know!

[Warbonnet]

Hi everyone,

Just a quick question regarding DCC decoders for the plough vans; the cheapest we can possibly do them for is €25 per decoder direct. Are you interested in buying them or will you bother at all? They will be a top of the line, reliable decoder from ESU. 

Let us know in our poll! It is open for the next 7 days.

Cheers!

Fran

[Railer]

Plain old DC here. I tried out DCC a few times but found it too messy, awkward and very hit and miss, too much work for too little reward. Far too much setting up and trouble shooting for me. Staying with DC for the forseeable future, it's simple and works most of the time.

[Noel]

Hi Fran

Thanks for asking. For interior 'lighting' or tail lamp a function only decoder should not be needed. Power pickups from the axle through a bridge rectifier, a resister and capacitor (for flicker free) is what other manufacturers use for coach lighting, etc.  There is no need to control it with an accessory decoder.  It's just on all the time and cheap as chips to implement.  Two decoders @ €25 a pop = €50 just to light a pair of ploughs seems unnecessarily expensive when switching is not needed.  Should work with DC and DCC. Please forgive if I am missing something obvious here.

Noel

PS: For interior light please select a 'warm' white LED rather than modern white which has a blue tint.  These old beauties would have had a warm yellow glow.  

Edited September 11, 2018 by Noel

[Broithe]

I would want sound - with selectable bacon sizzle, kettle whistle and spoon stirring tin mug.

[Warbonnet]

12 minutes ago, Noel said:

Hi Fran

For interior 'lighting' or tail lamp a function only decoder should not be needed. Power pickups from the axle through a bridge rectifier, a resister and capacitor (for flicker free) is what other manufacturers use for coach lighting, etc.  There is no need to control it with an accessory decoder.  It's just on all the time and cheap as chips to implement.  Two decoders @ €25 a pop = €50 just to light a pair of ploughs seems unnecessarily expense when switching is not needed.  Should work with DC and DCC. Please forgive if I am missing something obvious here.

Noel

PS: For interior light please select a 'warm' white LED rather than modern white which has a blue tint.  These old beauties would have had a warm yellow glow.  

Hi Noel,

The chips are to give the end user an option to have control over the lights without picking them up and also to turn off the tail lights at one end (the van immediately behind the loco should have no lights on). It also gives a user control over turning these lights on and off during shunting movements.

As some feel that they do not need these in their vans as you say, we are offering them DCC ready to cut down on this expense.

The purpose of this poll is to state if you wish to buy your decoders for your plough vans should you want them direct off us, buy them elsewhere or decide you dont want them as you do not use DCC or just do not want that additional control so we can gauge how many to order. It's not the place for a wider discussion on the merits of DCC v Analogue etc, so if we could keep it on topic it would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

Fran

[John-r]

Hi Fran,

.              will these be available down the line or just to order now. The reason being I don't have a layout yet

.            but I like the idea behind the chips , so I would like to get them from yourselves later on.

              Sorry to be the one to ask silly questions, sure somebody had to.

[Warbonnet]

8 minutes ago, John-r said:

Hi Fran,

.              will these be available down the line or just to order now. The reason being I don't have a layout yet

.            but I like the idea behind the chips , so I would like to get them from yourselves later on.

              Sorry to be the one to ask silly questions, sure somebody had to.

No problem John! We will have them for the ploughs when they arrive, but I can't see us selling out straight away so they should be available for a while after. We'll order enough to cover now and have some in stock to last us a while if that makes sense?

Cheers!

Fran

[Noel]

1 hour ago, Warbonnet said:

Hi Noel,

The chips are to give the end user an option to have control over the lights without picking them up and also to turn off the tail lights at one end (the van immediately behind the loco should have no lights on). It also gives a user control over turning these lights on and off during shunting movements.

As some feel that they do not need these in their vans as you say, we are offering them DCC ready to cut down on this expense.

The purpose of this poll is to state if you wish to buy your decoders for your plough vans should you want them direct off us, buy them elsewhere or decide you dont want them as you do not use DCC or just do not want that additional control so we can gauge how many to order. It's not the place for a wider discussion on the merits of DCC v Analogue etc, so if we could keep it on topic it would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

Fran

Hi Fran

Thanks for reply. So will the lights on the ploughs work out of the box without a decoder (ie on all the time)?

Cheers

Noel

ps. I didn’t discuss the merits of DCC v Analogue.  

[Warbonnet]

6 minutes ago, Noel said:

Hi Fran

Thanks for reply. So will the lights on the ploughs work out of the box without a decoder (ie on all the time)?

Cheers

Noel

ps. I didn’t discuss the merits of DCC v Analogue.  

Correct Noel, there will be a switch under the van to switch them on and off too. 

Fran

PS. I never said you did.

[Noel]

4 minutes ago, Warbonnet said:

Correct Noel, there will be a switch under the van to switch them on and off too. 

Thanks. That’s perfect. 

[NIRCLASS80]

I would definitely go for the decoder purchase from IRM. 

[enniscorthyman]

I will go for 2 decoders from yer good selves

[PJR]

And two for me 

[ttc0169]

Two for me please gents..

[WRENNEIRE]

8 or 21 pin Fran?

[DiveController]

Hi Fran,

These would be function only decoders? How many functions will the chips have? I have the ESu controller so they 'd work well. I was wondering  whether they might have uses in other stock that people have out there, EGVs, DVTs etc 

Edited September 12, 2018 by DiveController

[BosKonay]

7 hours ago, WRENNEIRE said:

8 or 21 pin Fran?

 

1 hour ago, DiveController said:

Hi Fran,

These would be function only decoders? How many functions will the chips have? I have the ESu controller so they 'd work well. I was wondering  whether they might have uses in other stock that people have out there, EGVs, DVTs etc 

They would be LokPilot Nano Standard DCC, NEM651 6-pin interface, direct connection or a very similar option.

The LokPilot Nano Standard decoder has four function outputs supplying a maximum continuous current of 100 mA each, provided the total current including the motor output does not exceed 1 A. All important lighting functions (e.g.: blinking lights mars light, flash) are available and can be adjusted just like the brightness for each individual output.

[Georgeconna]

19 hours ago, Warbonnet said:

Correct Noel, there will be a switch under the van to switch them on and off too. 

Fran

PS. I never said you did.

Sorted So. The cost of an Extra €50.00 is a bit heavy so I will stick with the Switch. much simpler to.

[BosKonay]

The key benefits of going DCC on them (with a DCC layout) are

• Switch on and off all lighting functions from your controller without upsetting the rake
• Set your exact preferred lighting level on both tail lamps and interior lighting
• The chips support blinking and other lighting effects should you wish
• if you are running a Loksound or LokPilot in your loco, you  can give the brake vans the same address and they will act in unison with identical CV

[Robert Shrives]

Chips for me - its future proofing.  

The only question has to be are they happy to be on a normal DC  layout - having had some in N that DCC only and stop the loco working on DC only up to the latest Bachmann sound class 40 that is happy on both and gives simplified sound on DC. 

Keep up the good work - and off topic  thanks for the cemflo in N!

[BosKonay]

22 minutes ago, Robert Shrives said:

Chips for me - its future proofing.  

The only question has to be are they happy to be on a normal DC  layout 

Absolutely. The chips will work just fine on DC and you can also use the physical switches. 

[Warbonnet]

Thanks for all the votes so far everyone! So far it seems that most people want to source them from us. We will leave the poll open for a week and make a decision based on the results. Keep voting!

[RedRich]

I'll be investing men. It's  a nice touch and should make operating more interesting and cool at the same time. 

Rich

 

[Robert Shrives]

On 9/12/2018 at 7:55 PM, BosKonay said:

Absolutely. The chips will work just fine on DC and you can also use the physical switches. 

Great,  "A" class(ic) option then . ! 

[Warbonnet]

Subtle as a brick Robert!

Keep those votes coming in lads, poll closes on Wednesday so let us know! The chip will be in the roof, leaving this lovely interior to remain unspoiled  

 

[PJR]

Looks great, well-done lads.

[Noel]

25 minutes ago, Warbonnet said:

Subtle as a brick Robert!

Keep those votes coming in lads, poll closes on Wednesday so let us know! The chip will be in the roof, leaving this lovely interior to remain unspoiled  

 

Interesting. Will the roof be removeable?

[Warbonnet]

6 minutes ago, Noel said:

Interesting. Will the roof be removeable?

Hi Noel, it will of course. Need to get the chip in there somehow!  

[Noel]

1 hour ago, Warbonnet said:

Hi Noel, it will of course. Need to get the chip in there somehow!  

Nice touch. It will be nice to see all that inside detail on static display with a guard sitting by the glowing stove and the flicker of his lantern.

[DiveController]

4 hours ago, Noel said:

It will be nice to see all that inside detail on static display with a guard sitting by the glowing stove and the flicker of his lantern.

A well deserved rest after inserting the decoder chip. Well done the miniature  guard and IRM!