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Offline petestra  
#1 Posted : 01 May 2018 00:42:07(UTC)
petestra

United States   
Joined: 27/07/2009(UTC)
Posts: 5,824
Location: Leesburg,VA.USA
Hello friends. Sorry about the scanned track plan which is not facing the right way. Anyway, my question is the following:

If I wish to control these two switches as one can I use just one 74461 switch decoder in only one of the switches? The blue wires will be bussed together red to red,

green to green and of course each switch will have its own motor. Thanks, Peter. Cool

UserPostedImage

Edited by user 18 June 2018 17:55:50(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Offline clapcott  
#2 Posted : 02 May 2018 01:40:42(UTC)
clapcott

New Zealand   
Joined: 12/12/2005(UTC)
Posts: 2,433
Location: Wellington, New_Zealand
I would advise against what you propose.

While logically possible, I would be wary about the long term ability of these decoders to support the in-rush current and power draw.
At a minimum, your turnout motor should be the new type with cutoffs at both ends that have NOT been overridden.

With A Marklin k83 I would have no reservations at all. (Its also a lot cheaper)
Preferably with external power provided if you do not have a booster dedicated to your digital accessories.
Peter
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Offline petestra  
#3 Posted : 02 May 2018 11:37:02(UTC)
petestra

United States   
Joined: 27/07/2009(UTC)
Posts: 5,824
Location: Leesburg,VA.USA
Originally Posted by: clapcott Go to Quoted Post
I would advise against what you propose.

While logically possible, I would be wary about the long term ability of these decoders to support the in-rush current and power draw.
At a minimum, your turnout motor should be the new type with cutoffs at both ends that have NOT been overridden.

With A Marklin k83 I would have no reservations at all. (Its also a lot cheaper)
Preferably with external power provided if you do not have a booster dedicated to your digital accessories.


Thanks so much for this info and your reply, Peter. I will not do this now. Cheers, Peter Cool
Offline petestra  
#4 Posted : 08 June 2018 21:44:05(UTC)
petestra

United States   
Joined: 27/07/2009(UTC)
Posts: 5,824
Location: Leesburg,VA.USA
Hello. Now a new question about one of my digital decoders 74461. The turnouts in the above track plan were all working fine until the

turnout W20 stopped working yesterday. The red/green moveable tracks on the CS3 screen will still move but the turnout won't

work. I removed the turnout and tested the switch motor. That works fine. There is also no ballast blockage in the rails. Have these 74461

decoders been known to failure? Thanks, Peter Confused


Offline Danlake  
#5 Posted : 09 June 2018 20:42:43(UTC)
Danlake

New Zealand   
Joined: 03/08/2011(UTC)
Posts: 1,571
Hi Peter,

I only use a few of these on my layout (hard to get to places in terms of wiring).

I haven’t had any failures as you describes, but I did had one which started giving a very high buzz noise when powered up and ended up removing it.

You could try and give it another address or rig it up manually on the programming track for testing?

Best Regards
Lasse
Digital 11m2 layout / C (M&K) tracks / Era IV / CS3 60226 / Train Controller Gold 9 with 4D sound. Mainly Danish and German Locomotives.
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Offline David Dewar  
#6 Posted : 09 June 2018 21:08:45(UTC)
David Dewar

Scotland   
Joined: 01/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 7,333
Location: Scotland
Make sure the motor is properly connected to the turnout mechanism. Try another decoder in the same turnout to see if that works. The decoders are usually OK and more reliable than the motors.
Take care I like Marklin and will defend the worlds greatest model rail manufacturer.
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Offline petestra  
#7 Posted : 09 June 2018 21:45:41(UTC)
petestra

United States   
Joined: 27/07/2009(UTC)
Posts: 5,824
Location: Leesburg,VA.USA
Originally Posted by: Danlake Go to Quoted Post
Hi Peter,

I only use a few of these on my layout (hard to get to places in terms of wiring).

I haven’t had any failures as you describes, but I did had one which started giving a very high buzz noise when powered up and ended up removing it.

You could try and give it another address or rig it up manually on the programming track for testing?

Best Regards
Lasse


Hi Lasse. Thanks. Yes, I only use a few too. No buzzing. I tried giving it another address. No good. Cheers, Peter. Cool
Offline petestra  
#8 Posted : 09 June 2018 21:48:11(UTC)
petestra

United States   
Joined: 27/07/2009(UTC)
Posts: 5,824
Location: Leesburg,VA.USA
Originally Posted by: David Dewar Go to Quoted Post
Make sure the motor is properly connected to the turnout mechanism. Try another decoder in the same turnout to see if that works. The decoders are usually OK and more reliable than the motors.


Yes, I've had motor problems as most of us have had. I took the motor out and tested it on a separate test trafo. It's OK. I will try switching decoders. Cheers & thanks, Peter. Cool
Offline clapcott  
#9 Posted : 10 June 2018 04:09:33(UTC)
clapcott

New Zealand   
Joined: 12/12/2005(UTC)
Posts: 2,433
Location: Wellington, New_Zealand
Originally Posted by: petestra Go to Quoted Post
Have these 74461 decoders been known to failure?

The shot answer is yes, although not nearly as many as the 74460
(this may be because they are used less - once bitten twice shy etc. and of course price(v *83)

You might try checking if it works (fails) only in one direction
- manually set the point straight - activate the red/branch from the controller
- manually set the point to branch - activate the green/straight from the controller
If one way works and the other doesn't - it is probably a driver transistor.

I could always repeat that I believe accessories should be fed from their own controller/booster (not shared locomotive usage with power drain)
but if it is power drop issue near where you tap into the Brown/Red the the decoder probably has issues anyway. (it has been stressed)

As these are soft-programmable devices, you could try reading the CVs on a programming track.
This might provide an indication if the brain is working or not , even if the legs/arms are not.




Peter
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Offline petestra  
#10 Posted : 15 June 2018 00:00:36(UTC)
petestra

United States   
Joined: 27/07/2009(UTC)
Posts: 5,824
Location: Leesburg,VA.USA
Hello.

Well it was a defective decoder. I just got the replacement and it's working fine. Peter.

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