I have used them without problems with Intellibox - the Viessmann stuff is better engineered, cheaper and are electrically compatible. Paying more for M stuff is plain silly.

Fully agree, their k83 can be powered separately via the 5215 module which is a plus, same arrangement as Dave.

Dale is right. Paying more for Marklin versions in this case is not the smartest thing to do. the Viessmann decoders work great. I use S88's , K83's, the 5215, signals, various light decoders and streetlights from them. they all work great and if you incidentally "kill" one, you will discover they offer a great after sales as well.

You should try it anyway the rest it's just about the same.

I concur. I have bought nothing but Viessmann items for the past few years.

David: S88 modules are used to detect small currents, and are used to report on track occupancy with the use of special tracks and other tricks. However, you do not S88's to control turnouts. You need the S88's if you plan to use track occupancy to trigger events using a digital control system.--MM

David, there are a number of sensors you can plug into a S88 - contact tracks as already discussed, reed switches mounted in the track at some point, or circuit tracks, which have a lever built into the track which is activated by a loco's pickup shoe.

Contact tracks are activated by the wheels of a loco or car shorting out both rails of the track - one track is isolated from the other, and shorts out when a wheelset goes over it. Reed switches are activated by a magnet fixed to a loco/wagon, that activates the reed switch when the magnet passes over it.

Contacts are good for when you want to detect the presence of a train in a particular track section, reeds are good for when you want to know whether the start, middle or end of a train has cleared a certain point, and circuit tracks are good for when you need to know the direction a train is travelling in, such as for shuttle trains that move from the end of one part of track to the other end, then reverse direction.

Having got your sensors sorted, you use the S88's to detect the sensor activation, and you program your CS or your software to take certain actions based on what sensor is activated. For example you might switch a point for one sensor, set a signal for another, and stop a train for a third. Possibilities are endless.

Alessandro. Can you give me the number of the above Viesmann s88.
Thanks

David

David: If you need S88 units, you also will need tracks that can be used as detectors and hooked up to S88 inputs. Based on what you use to detect occupancy means that you will hook those up to different S88 modules from Viessmann, some have 8 inputs and some 16 inputs. Thus, the question you have to solve now is what you will use to see your trains on the track. Then, you can choose the appropriate electronics.

Good luck, enjoy your hobby.--MM

You are the experts!!
Unfortunately, I have nothing to offer having no layout plan, but be assured that I follow your writings

Hi all,

at the moment I have only 4xK83, 1xK84 and 1xS88 from Marklin, but reading your posts and your positive experiences, now I can decide to buy Viessmann components too (and this is my 100th post!).

Thanks

Renato

This box reads that "something" is drawing current from the tracks, then it takes a little bit more planning on how to divide the layout in isolated sections depending on the lenght of your train and if it uses lighted coaches or not, plus since you have to insulate both red and brown, you have to plan on how to redistribute the power to the tracks to avoid blind spots.
That's one reason why ones uses conducting couplers taking the power for the coaches from the loco pick-up, for example.
I think it can be useful on large layouts, with long straight tracks, where you can replicate blocks like in the real thing.
You need an upgraded CS1 for s88 though, as far as I can remember you kept yours as it was, right?

Hi Alessandro You are right that I have the original CS1 but was going to order the CS2 although this is now on hold until the problems are sorted.
If just using a short piece of isolated track would the CS2 indicate when the loco passes this and then disappear when the loco leaves the isolated section.
Can the unit be used for 8 different sections of track amd I presume has an address for each section. I have a few long tunnels and would like to know just where a loco has reached in these tunnels and this looked like an easy and fairly cheap way of doing this.
Many thanks for your help .. much appreciated

David

Actually s88 is designed for retro action, that means activating a switch or a route when the loco triggers the contact, then is not really designed for just signaling the presence of the train.
I mean, for your tunnels, it can do more than telling you where the train is, it can set switch and signals appropriately to keep your layout safe, just like the real thing.
Just my two pennies worth, with the upcoming release of a 3.0 upgrade I would rather go for an Ecos, it will be free for this controller, it's a mature product and you have a couple of software to choose from to control your layout for free too.
Obviously that developed by Frank is much better[:I]

Hi all

Can also only recommend Viessmann. So far I have 9x16 Viessmann 5217 S88 feedback modules and a lot of the 5211 and 5231 decoders. Works great. I use C-track and have first isolated the two tracks and then split the layut in blocks all controlled by WinDigiPet on my laptop cónnected to my IB. Works like a dream

Btw does anyone now if the Viessmann S88 feedback and decoders can be used with the CS2? I would expect them to...

For power and control I use Uhlenbrock.

Rgds,
Thomas

I've eventually bought two Viessmann 5211's that I want to plug into a Marklin Central Station. I'm not quite sure how these cand be connected. This instructions on the Marklin Central Station and Viessmann 5211 are paricularly helpful. Does anyone know how to connect a 5211 to the Marklin Central station to operate a number of switches

The instructions are the same as for the 6021. Do not feed the power input to the 5211's from the transformer powering the Central Station. Use a separate transformer, or loop the red wire from the CS going to the red input on the 5211 to the E input (this means the CS is powering the 5211, which will mean less power for locos).

If you use a 2nd transformer, you will also need a common earth (brown) between transformer 2 and the brown output from the Central Station (NOT the transformer powering the CS), and the yellow output from transformer 2 will go to the E input on the 5211 (make sure you remove any loop wires to the red input on the 5211 first).