Hi all!

It's been a while since I last posted anything. SLowly coming out of winter hybernation now.
My question relates to an Uhlenbrock intellibox which I aquired recently. My current controls are:
Marklin 6021, two 52VA transformers, two 6040 keyboards and one 6017 booster.

Can anyone explain to me the best way to hookup all of this to maximise the benefits of the intellibox.
I know how to do it basically, but get abit confused when hooking up the 6017 booster- i.e. whether I should run the booster to control the K-83 solenoid decoders ONLY or ???

I know you can use the 6021 with an adaptor, but I am not sure if I need another transformer to power it seperately as it seems suggested in the Uhlenbrock manual. The manual like most, are always a little tricky to understand when translated to english! I am worried I might somehow blow something up!

Any help to get the most out of all these would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Glenn

Hi, Glenn,

you need the Uhlenbrock 61020 adapter (or plug) to connect the CU 6021 to the Intellibox.
The track output of the 6021 can be used for accessories only, not for locos - so there is your solenoid booster: the CU 6021.

The 6017 can be connected to the Intellibox and you can use that for track power.

Using this setup, the Intellibox is the master of the layout and the CU 6021 serves as another controller connected to it.
The 6040s can be connected directly to the Intellibox.

Three transformers are recommended.

The Intellibox is not listed for the 68320 adapter so I don't know if that can be used (it would work for an IB Control, but maybe not for an IB). In the worst case it won't work.
I have the 61020 adapter and that's all you need (and it's much cheaper).

I love the throttle of the CU 6021 (you can even control DCC locos with it as the IB does the translation).
You can buy the cable from Märklin to use them at different places.
You'll have three controllers, not two.

If you like the IB controllers and if two controllers and two booster outputs are enough, just leave the CU 6021 in the box.

The connector is sold for 18 through 25 Euro (incl. VAT), so no big money if you include it with your next order. I don't regret buying it.

That sound correct (if I understood you correctly).

The latest free-for-all version is 1.55. I think you should upgrade if your version is older than 1.5.

You can try to upgrade to 2.0 - for some boxes it worked, for mine it didn't. Probably depends on the serial number.
I'm using a Central Station Reloaded and keep the IB for the programming/test track only, so I won't spend a penny for the software upgrade.

G'day Glenn,

Others have already confirmed correct setup.

I have a very similar setup already, I have Intellibox, and a 6022 Central Control plugged into the left side of the IB via the 61020 Bus adapter.

Both units require their own Transformer, and heed the warnings, the Red/Brown outputs must never come in contact with each other, but they can be used to power either Trains on one and Accessories on the other, or another possibility is the center rail from one and the overhead from the other.

It's all about spreading the load evenly. You have a booster which is a help to you and increases your options.

As for control, the advantage of adding your 6021 and Keyboards is that you have an extra throttle, and additional one-touch buttons for accessories.

My 6022 is a bit of a hybrid unit, in the center 4 preset loco addresses (10, 20, 30, 40), and on the left 4 preset accessory addresses (253, 254, 255, 0), almost like a mini-6040. It takes some getting used to but I've been playing with small layouts for a while on and off with Digital/Computer Control and it's not caused me any problems working within those constraints. The IB does have a small keyboard for Accessories of course but it's more keysteps to access compared with going straight to the 6040 for example.

I've attached an image of mine connected and working, you can see that any control of the Marklin unit is reflected in the display of the IB. This particular setup gives me throttles via the IB for any loco, and the CC gives direct throttle for the 4 preset loco's.

Your 6040 keyboards simply connect on the RH side of the IB in the normal manner and the Booster connects as normal to whichever controller you are boosting the signal for.

I've also done the Firmware upgrade on my IB a couple of times, you should get yourself to the last free version, 1.55.

Hope this helps


Cheers

Cookee
(Essendon North)

You can't connect any Controlled output AND Booster output to the SAME section of track. No no no.

In the words of George Orwell, that would be doubleplusungood - worse infact than crossing the ectoplasm containment beams I suspect.

If you wish to use a Booster you need to select a section of layout, perhaps a yard, a distant section of track, a helix or whatever and completely isolate it electrically from the rest of the layout - you must use the 'rockers' at the join of the isolated sections to raise the pickup shoe so there is no possibility of the shoe bridging the two sections.

If this happens...., well you don't want to know. I believe it does present some interesting challenges with trains having more than one pickup shoe such as the ICE etc.

Think of it this way, the Booster is designed to generate an exact copy of the original Digital signal, in composition and strength. Should they ever meet there will be a lot of digital shouting going on between them and both will go quite deaf, permanently.

Your first scenario however would work well. It's quite common to use the Booster signal to drive just the digital accessories and leave the controller signal to drive just the track/trains. Or vice-versa.

And thanks for the offer re the decoder, thanks to the kind generosity of another member, I now have the required decoder but no connecting cable to the controller - I went into Jaycar today and picked up some components to attempt to make my own and hope to get on to it this weekend, the promised rain will help keep me indoors.

I have not done anything with the layout for a few weeks so it needs a dust off and a run which I'm looking forward to. Now if I can just wean Miss 14 and miss 10 off their portable game gizmo's over the holidays and introduce the joys of multi-train control without collision, that might be fun.

Cheers

Steve

Thanks Steve and Tom,

Yes, i thought that way would be a difinite no-no!

About to head out to the layout now and play around with it all.

CHeers,