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Offline PeFu  
#1 Posted : 09 January 2020 08:11:12(UTC)
PeFu

Sweden   
Joined: 30/08/2002(UTC)
Posts: 1,208
I just installed an Uhlenbrock 67600 decoder, which provides control of 2 units compared to the Märklin k84 or m84 which controls 4 units. On the other hand, price for the 67600 is only EUR 28.41 compared to the m84 which is EUR 64.90 (Prices from Lippe).

I needed switch on/off functions for the Vollmer ”house on fire” and for controlling the castle floodlights.

The only feature you can program is independent addresses for the two outputs, using a button on the unit. I didn’t manage to program adresses in Märklin-Motorola mode, but succeeded in DCC. Unfortunately, the relay control cannot be powered by anything else but the digital power, however I can live with that as my units will not be switched very often. In my opinion, this is a good unit if you only need one or two switch on/off features in a remote area of your layout

44475E6F-0612-441B-A6A0-D464B75AEC88.png
Andreasburg-Mattiasberg Bahn is inspired by Swiss railways |Forum Thread |Track Plan |Youtube | C and K track | CS2 | TrainController Gold V10
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Offline kiwiAlan  
#2 Posted : 09 January 2020 23:18:27(UTC)
kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,082
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: PeFu Go to Quoted Post
Unfortunately, the relay control cannot be powered by anything else but the digital power, however I can live with that as my units will not be switched very often. In my opinion, this is a good unit if you only need one or two switch on/off features in a remote area of your layout


Interesting unit. To save digital power you could always use a 6017/ or 6017 booster or a Delta controller set up in booster mode as a dedicated booster to drive a number of devices (including k83/4 devices) to save using track power.

Offline DaleSchultz  
#3 Posted : 10 January 2020 01:51:01(UTC)
DaleSchultz

United States   
Joined: 10/02/2006(UTC)
Posts: 3,997
the power being used is not coming from the digital track current. That is simply carrying the 'messages' to do the switching. The power used by your building can come in on the middle terminal of say U1 and it switched to either adjacent terminal. Whichever one you decide is the 'on' mode, you connect to the load and then the electricity goes to the ground that corresponds to the power you brought into the middle connection.

So if you used say 16VAC using yellow and brown wires

take the yellow from the power supply to the second terminal from the left.
connect the first terminal to the load in the building
Connect the other side of the load to the brown wire of the same power supply.

When the digital signal (connected to Gleis/Gleis) say that address must switch 'left', it connects the center to the left terminal and completes the 16VAC circuit.

Dale
Intellibox + own software, K-Track
My current layout: https://cabin-layout.mixmox.com
Arrival and Departure signs: https://remotesign.mixmox.com
Offline PeFu  
#4 Posted : 10 January 2020 05:34:22(UTC)
PeFu

Sweden   
Joined: 30/08/2002(UTC)
Posts: 1,208
Originally Posted by: DaleSchultz Go to Quoted Post
the power being used is not coming from the digital track current. That is simply carrying the 'messages' to do the switching.


...and for controlling the relays within the 67600 unit, as mentioned in my initial posting BigGrin
Andreasburg-Mattiasberg Bahn is inspired by Swiss railways |Forum Thread |Track Plan |Youtube | C and K track | CS2 | TrainController Gold V10
Offline DaleSchultz  
#5 Posted : 10 January 2020 14:28:02(UTC)
DaleSchultz

United States   
Joined: 10/02/2006(UTC)
Posts: 3,997
so how much current does it draw continuously?
Dale
Intellibox + own software, K-Track
My current layout: https://cabin-layout.mixmox.com
Arrival and Departure signs: https://remotesign.mixmox.com
Offline PeFu  
#6 Posted : 10 January 2020 16:47:07(UTC)
PeFu

Sweden   
Joined: 30/08/2002(UTC)
Posts: 1,208
Originally Posted by: DaleSchultz Go to Quoted Post
so how much current does it draw continuously?


Almost no current. A small peak only, when switching the relay.
Andreasburg-Mattiasberg Bahn is inspired by Swiss railways |Forum Thread |Track Plan |Youtube | C and K track | CS2 | TrainController Gold V10
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Offline clapcott  
#7 Posted : 11 January 2020 08:43:18(UTC)
clapcott

New Zealand   
Joined: 12/12/2005(UTC)
Posts: 2,433
Location: Wellington, New_Zealand
The SD2 and its stablemates, the SD1 and MD2, have been available for a while (15 years)

I agree that there is an initial and apparently obvious attraction for the "one off"/"remote" solution, however looking a bit deeper the selection of this item becomes a bit more specific.

If and only if, you are tapping into the main track signal then the unit still requires two wired from a separate voltage supply for the "load"
If you are driving LEDs then the power may be derived from the local track signal.

Personally I discourage this parasitic implementation.
As per the point about distinct command side power - I 100%+ agree this should NOT be from the feed that is for Locomotives.

So , putting aside the aspect of "common return" 4 wires are therefore need anyway.

The alternative is to use a k84 (now m84) implementation - which may be a (little) bit further away but only requires 2 wires to be run to the "load".

Above all, I would point out that the comparison on price for a SD2 v a k84 (half) is a consideration if you really do want SPDT capability.
If , as I suggest is the case in the majority of situations when switching accessories on and of , you only want a SDST then the m84 can be used in 8 port mode.

Sure, this applies to a common power feed (per port pare) but comparing one eights of a m84 wins out over one half a SD2.

I have SD2s (and SD1s), but i use them rather dynamically. If I am going to animate items in a certain part of the layout it is not hard to find 4 things to switch. So even if I have initially used a SD2, I will quickly replace it with a k84/m84 and retrieve the SD2 for the next "one off"

separately , but related..
.. just in case there is a concern about k83 v k84 I generally always use k83s(m83s) and selectively add an external relay for "k84 like" loads


I am not totally against the SD2. Its small form factor is far better than a x8x when used inside a 1 gauge wagon to simply turn one or two things on/off
Peter
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