Hi John.
Please tell us more:
Are you use L88 device or are you going to connect your s88 devices to CS3'sconnector at the bottom of the device, do you use conventional flat cabel,or rj45 cable?

I think that you don't have to change parameter in CS3

Regards

Jukka

Hi Julia

I am using flat S88 flat ribbon cable to connect to litffinski datech RM-GB-8 feedback modules. A total of 8 units.

To connect to the CS3 plus I am using an S88-N to S88 ribbon cable converter to connect to the underside of the CS3.

Your comments would be appreciated.

John

Hi Jukka

Please accept my apologies for getting your name wrong. The IPad probably changed it.

I can see that with 8 S88 modules as installed each with 8 connections I will have to regard them as 4 with 16 connections.

I will amend GPF-3 to 4 as you suggest.

Thank you for your response.

Regards

John

Have you actually configured the CS3 for (the number of) S88s
this is done under System->System(Settings)->TFP3->Settings and the configuration field is called Length S88-bus

It is not surprising that Marklin decline to support your configuration as it is butt covering for the 12v v 5 v issue.
You will have to self certify that your S88s are 12v capable.

As to the cable, I would not make assumptions , you may work out the pin requirements for a RJ45 to 6-pin from the wiring info in the 60881/60882 manual,
https://static.maerklin....4565212d3a1510755647.pdf Page 9
But again you are self certifying.
NOTE: This cable requirement (system(RJ45) to S88(6-pin)) is NOT the same as the 60884 which is 6-pin to RJ45
https://static.maerklin....3089ca98d41434542408.pdf

You don’t need the link88 to connect with the S88 to the CS3+. S88 DC comes with cable and connection is made underneath the CS3+.

Thank you everybody for your very useful comments.

I did not realise that S88 is using 12 volts. Have checked my feedback modules and they are still working.

I am consulting the manufacturer of my modules Lettfinski Datech but I expect I will need to use the link S88 product.

John

Dave

I purchased the CS3 plus thinking that this avoided needing the S88 link now I see that I could have saved money by buying the CS3.

You learn by experience. I checked the S88-N output on the CS3 plus and sure enough it is 12 volts.

What is annoying is that I did a lot of research before buying and I knew that the S88 link existed. I assumed that a S88-N to S88 adapter would be a solution to get to my feedback cables.

Never assume always check in hindsight. Still if we could bottle hindsight we would all be better off.

John

The S88N style RJ45 connector on the bottom of the CS3+ is great for those users that have S88N style S88 modules (the current Märklin S88 AC and DC modules can thus be directly plugged in without the L88 being needed). But for those using ribbon cable and different signaling standards (voltages) the L88 still provides a required interface, as I understand it.

Hi John.

Hope I am still getting this right but providing you have the new S88 it will connect to the CS3Plus. However you had thought that the old S88 would connect but of course this does not work without the link. Does this mean that now you will buy the new S88 in order to avoid a Link.


Might have been better of Marklin had just made the CS3 Plus which has other advantages at a slightly lower price and nthus avoided in problems.


Interested to learn how you find you CS3 Plus as I will buy one around Christmas time.

I have now connected the Marklin link S88-N adapter to the CS3 and all my existing Littfinski Datech S88 feedback modules are working.

The addressing is now different because the existing modules are based on 8 addresses but the CS3 is based on 16.

For example an address of 7.7 would become 4.15. Also the existing modules are numbered from zero but the CS3 starts from one.

John

Hi TEEWolf

Thank you for the information. This helps me to understand more. In my case the CS3 was £60 pounds less expensive than the CS3 plus on Amazon.

I am pleased that you think the latter was a better buy.

It is now fully operational and I am busy entering the track diagram.

What puzzles me is we never see any advertisements for the CS3 in the UK. Also in a review of DCC systems in the USA magazine Model Railroader the CS3 is not mentioned. This is a puzzle. Mind you ESU’s ECOS or Zimo’s Z21 were not mentioned either.

John

Currently every month in Continental modeller there is a full page advert for Marklin placed by importer GM. One quarter of that is currently taken up by CS3 and the wording and the markings are careful to remind us that CS3 is not simply a digital controller for 3 rail but for all current systems. But then no body in their right mind would buy their CS3 from GM as they are the highest priced and offer no technical support to customers. Yes you can buy from Amazon a little cheaper perhaps but again there is no technical support unless its a complete dud and they ask you to send it back. There is the excellent book mentioned above and published in English on using a CS3 in model railroading along of course with this forum which offers every level of support from dumb to expert on all matters and keeps us up to date as things change!
Most people buy from trusted Marklin dealers in Germany my own being MSL who offer very good price, cheap and quick well packed delivery to the UK and a degree of technical support. I suspect that CS3 will in future do increasingly better as a multi protocol controller - Why even Goofy has bought one and he has hardly moaned yet or threatened to send it back!