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Offline Drongo  
#1 Posted : 13 June 2022 12:49:08(UTC)
Drongo

Australia   
Joined: 03/06/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,221
Location: Sydney, NSW
I use an EcoS and I want to use an ESU SwitchPilot 3 Servo to control Faller servo motors. I have tried about 15 Faller servo motors and only ONE has worked. I've connected some generic servo motors and all work perfectly. I have written to Faller and their reply was that this is the first time that they have heard of the problem, and suggested that their motors are analogue and this maybe the problem. BUT why did one work ? I've also witten to ESU and I'm still waiting for their reply.

Has anyone experienced this before and if so how did you fix the problem ?

Regards

Greg
Take it easy . . . . or any other way you can get it !!!!
Offline kiwiAlan  
#2 Posted : 13 June 2022 13:45:31(UTC)
kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,082
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: Drongo Go to Quoted Post

Has anyone experienced this before and if so how did you fix the problem ?


There was a recent thread on this forum where someone was attempting to use Faller servos with an ESU controller to open the doors on their roundhouse and had the same problem as you (wasn't you in that thread, was it?).
Offline Goofy  
#3 Posted : 13 June 2022 14:39:21(UTC)
Goofy


Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC)
Posts: 8,993
Did you check after Fallers servo motor power feeder? It might be some difference from other servo motor. ESU servodecoder are better than standard switch decoder which do have only two outputs for the servo motor. Somebody did wrote problems about ESU switch decoder. I recommended you try servo switch decoder instead.
H0
DCC = Digital Command Control
Online JohnjeanB  
#4 Posted : 13 June 2022 15:06:14(UTC)
JohnjeanB

France   
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC)
Posts: 3,084
Location: Paris, France
Hi Greg
I have used ESU SwitchPilot 3 Servo with Faller servo motors and with some coming from China.
I know, it is not helping but all worked perfectly. Only issue on some servos (including one in Märklin 39008 loco with coal consumption) is gear salad.

I should not say this but even when I plug the wrong way, it does not work (of course) but works again when plug-in is corrected.
I cannot think Faller makes its own Servo Motors but rather purchases them in China (2 to 4 Euros apiece).
Servos have a standard pin arrangement
1 Ground
2 VCC (often 5 volts)
3 signal (PWM over a 20 ms period I think)

Operating angle may vary from 90° (very common), 180° and sometimes 210°

On my layout, servos are used for ash removal gear, for Faller car system stops and switches.
Here is the Faller "Schlackgrube" in operation


Sorry not being able to help
Jean
Offline PMPeter  
#5 Posted : 13 June 2022 16:15:41(UTC)
PMPeter

Canada   
Joined: 04/04/2013(UTC)
Posts: 1,273
Location: Port Moody, BC
With the ESU Switchpilot Servo 3 and analogue servos you need to follow the instructions in the ESU manual since the decoder is supplied/configured for digital servos. If memory serves me correctly you need to set a CV value to select an analogue servo for correct operation.

Peter
Offline Goofy  
#6 Posted : 14 June 2022 06:20:36(UTC)
Goofy


Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC)
Posts: 8,993
Originally Posted by: PMPeter Go to Quoted Post
With the ESU Switchpilot Servo 3 and analogue servos you need to follow the instructions in the ESU manual since the decoder is supplied/configured for digital servos. If memory serves me correctly you need to set a CV value to select an analogue servo for correct operation.

Peter

There is no digital servos. Servo motor are analog and feeds between 5-9 volts. ESU servo decoder feeds only 5 volts output?
H0
DCC = Digital Command Control
Offline Purellum  
#7 Posted : 14 June 2022 08:33:54(UTC)
Purellum

Denmark   
Joined: 08/11/2005(UTC)
Posts: 3,498
Location: Mullerup, 4200 Slagelse


Cool
Originally Posted by: Goofy Go to Quoted Post
There is no digital servos.


Wrong.............. BigGrin

https://www.google.com/s...ceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Per.

Cool

If you can dream it, you can do it!

I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. This applies worldwide.

In case this is not legally possible:
I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.

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Offline PMPeter  
#8 Posted : 14 June 2022 15:28:55(UTC)
PMPeter

Canada   
Joined: 04/04/2013(UTC)
Posts: 1,273
Location: Port Moody, BC
Originally Posted by: Goofy Go to Quoted Post

There is no digital servos. Servo motor are analog and feeds between 5-9 volts. ESU servo decoder feeds only 5 volts output?


Read the ESU manual for the Switchpilot Servo 3 decoder before making a statement like this.

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Offline PMPeter  
#9 Posted : 14 June 2022 16:16:30(UTC)
PMPeter

Canada   
Joined: 04/04/2013(UTC)
Posts: 1,273
Location: Port Moody, BC
Now that I told Goofy to read the manual, I figured I would get mine out and refer to the CV values. Here is what the manual says:

On page 8 Section 4.5.1 Analog Servos set CV 43 to 3

On page 8 Section 4.5.2 Digital Servos set CV 43 to 4
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Offline Drongo  
#10 Posted : 29 June 2022 13:14:11(UTC)
Drongo

Australia   
Joined: 03/06/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,221
Location: Sydney, NSW
Well I have finally sorted out the problem with the servo motors and the decoders.

I'm using the Faller roundhouse 120281 and I have installed the Faller servo motors 180726 to open and close the shed doors. I can't use any other servo motors as they won't fit the door mechanism.

Firstly I tried the Faller decoder 180725 - an absolute nightmare to program. I think if you were an electronics engineer, you might have a better chance, and I'm not so why make a product that a simple hobbyist can't easily program ?

Secondly, I then purchased an ESU Switchpilot 3 servo and the programming was a lot easier, however, the decoder wouldn't recognise the Faller servo motors. NO JOY ! I wrote to ESU and I'm the only person in the world who is having this problem - BS.

Thirdly, I then purchased a Digikeijs DR4024. It recognised the Faller motors, however the programming wasn't as easy as the Switchpilot but easier than the Faller. After many frustrating hours of trial and error, I discovered that one very vital step in the procedure to program the decoder was missing. I then was able to program the decoder and the doors opened and closed.

Conclusion - Faller should stick to producing models and scenery and forget the electronics. ESU should make their products more compatible with other manufacturers and if there is a compatibility problem, spend some time rectifying it and then you will sell more product. Digikeijs needs to check there instruction manuals and get people who know nothing about the product to test the instructions. All in all, cost cutting initially only leads to cost later with customers demanding support or products being returned for service warranty. AND above all - make the product easy to use, spend a bit more time designing the electronics to be easier to use. ESU nearly got it right.
Take it easy . . . . or any other way you can get it !!!!
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Offline PMPeter  
#11 Posted : 29 June 2022 16:54:52(UTC)
PMPeter

Canada   
Joined: 04/04/2013(UTC)
Posts: 1,273
Location: Port Moody, BC
Originally Posted by: Drongo Go to Quoted Post
Secondly, I then purchased an ESU Switchpilot 3 servo and the programming was a lot easier, however, the decoder wouldn't recognise the Faller servo motors. NO JOY ! I wrote to ESU and I'm the only person in the world who is having this problem - BS.


First of all it is good to hear that you got it working.

However, since you indicate that apparently you are the only person that has not been able to successfully get the ESU Switchpilot 3 to recognize these Faller servos, have you thought about the possibility that you did not properly set the CV values to recognize these analog servos? It seems strange that doing a Google search on potential problems with these servos and the ESU decoder, only comes up with a link to this thread. In the past when I have had a problem with something and find that I am the only person complaining about it, it has always turned out that I was doing something wrong in my settings.

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Offline kiwiAlan  
#12 Posted : 29 June 2022 19:48:14(UTC)
kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,082
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: Drongo Go to Quoted Post
Well I have finally sorted out the problem with the servo motors and the decoders.


So, how about laying out what the required settings are, so that when someone else has a problem, they also get help, rather than wandering around in the dark wondering what the problem is.

Having got it working on the Digikeijs did you then try and work out what the requirements are for the ESU decoder?

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Offline Drongo  
#13 Posted : 30 June 2022 14:36:06(UTC)
Drongo

Australia   
Joined: 03/06/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,221
Location: Sydney, NSW
Fellas, I'm very happy to help others regarding this problem, however, my point is that people are being paid to do a job and they don't do it very well. Also, managers of these companies are really the ones who should be reprimanded as they should be held responsible for the failings.

The solution to getting the Digikeijs DR4024 to work is that in the instruction manual on page 8 under section 3.2 "Programming the Servo Positions A-D" ; between steps 4 and 5 (I've called it step 4(a)) it should read "Press the program button".

A very small step but critical. BTW Digikeijs have told me that the author of their manuals left a long time ago (I wonder why) and they are now restructuring the manuals. Hopefully this will all help us. As for Faller & ESU - well . . . . . . . At least the Dutch are willing to listen.
Take it easy . . . . or any other way you can get it !!!!
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