Hi, Is it possible to run a 7051 crane digitally? Kent in Ca

Didn't they make a special digital module for controling the crane?

The 7651 is actually the digital version of the 7051 crane...

Marklin did produce a digital conversion kit Item 7652 that could be fitted to the 7051 (screws into the base) ..

I had a quick look on ebay.de and could not see any .. might be worth checking with some of the german dealers

Cheers
Sprogger

I see all the responses and am sure you can do something fairly easily.
My question is why do you want to do it? Are you planning to set up some kind of automatic operation with a CS2 or a computer?
Eric

The digital version of the crane is plain silly. It only allows one action at a time. To make it work as one would expect one needs to add a second decoder, and if we can add one we can just as easily add two....

I added a second decoder to the crane and I show the changes here: http://layout.mixmox.com/1/digital-crane

I am now able to control the crane from the computer, slewing and raising the hook at the same time...

If you use an Intellibox to drive your digital layout - you can download and use my software for controlling the crane too...
see http://bw.mixmox.com

Actually Dale, I beg to differ... maybe if you control your crane via computer (and where's the fun in that?) it makes sense to have 2 decoders, but if you have a humble 6021 and constantly need to punch in 2 addresses to control the 2 axes "simultaneously" (and in reality still only one at a time!), then it soon loses its appeal.
regards,
John.

Hi elseuth,

Yes it is possible to control the crane digitally. I have copied pages 172-173 from the "0308 Getting started with Marklin Digital"





Please note that you should use a 6083 decoder and not a 60830 as the switching transistors have better power specifications.

well sure differ if you like... but here is my reasoning...

the way they configured the crane you had to select different functions to make it slew or raise the hook. So any type of manual operation needed continual stopping, punching numbers, trying to remember which way the motor is going for the 'other axis' etc. completely unfriendly. Plus the fact that only one axis could be active at any time. Very boring.

Now, had they used two addresses they could have allowed you to use two controllers and have something which is usable manually.

Where is the fun in computer control...? perhaps you assume that the computer does everything - no, what I have is a powerful/richer control interface allowing the manual operation of the crane in a clear and predictable manner... E.g. you want it to move up and to the right, move up and right., just down, move down and keep it in the middle. One can use a joystick or keyboard arrow keys too...

Using a 6021 is using a computer, it is just a crappy interface to a 2-axis movement.

Thanks Dale.. The coaches currently on the layout have LED lighting so it sounds like a better option is to find a cheap decoder that can switch the lights on and off..

Whatever. I like my 6021. I don't think it is "crappy" .

Thanks everyone, very helpful. Elsleuth