Has anyone converted the drive on a USA #6 switch to a ProDriveTM DC/DCC by TrainLine45?
Thx
john.
John;
I haven’t had any experience with “TrainLine45” switch motors, but in doing a wee bit of research, it seems that they are readily mounted on LGB switches, so will probably fit the USTrains switches just as well.
My only question is; are they readily available in North America…since you refuse to indicate where you are located in your name plate; I gather that you might be in Britain, or South Africa, or maybe in New Zealand.
Letting others have some idea where in the World you reside, makes it much easier for your FRIENDS here on LSC to help you out on any information you might be requesting.
I get the feeling that the standard LGB switch motors might be less expensive, no mater where you live, but the ones that come with the switches might just do the job, DC or DCC.
Fred Mills
Jeeze, isn’t the word refuse a bit strong?
Welcome John… and Fred, he did indicate where he is from, he lives in Arrowhead, California.
John, I’ve used them, are you using on DC or DCC?
I believe there’s some tips on my site.
Greg
Fred is being Fred. Greg, I will take a look, thanks.
John if you are going to use them on DCC, send me a private email, there are some technical issues to share.
I think this link will take you there, it should index you down the page, but if it takes you to the top of the page, scroll down for the Prodrive stuff.
Regards, Greg
For the foreseeable future, I am running DC. I had converted the controllers to LGB machines with the accessory switch to control power to the frog. I’ve never been satistied with the throw of the LGB with the the #6 nor the accessory switch, which is leading me to this option. ( i am not considering carb choke cables either, nor battery power)
Greg, I’ve always appreciated your website, using quite a few of your tips, and I hope you continue to add new material.
John
I would assume you are buying from Train-LI?
In any case, specify that you want them set up for DC.
And thanks John, yes adding new pages all the time, in fact the last 10 created/modified are listed at the bottom of every page…
Ted Doskaris continues to add new vignettes/articles…
Regards, Greg
The Pro drives are set to DC by the Manufacturer as DC customers can not change the DC/DCC feature.
I find that sometimes when I try to program them to DCC the first time I have to go back to my LGB 55045 compuiter programmer.
I do have the Zimo MX1 and MX10, but sometimes the older technology works the first pass!! Unfortunately this old MTS stuff only works on the first 256 bytes.
I think I outlined tips on programming on my site, but this is only for DCC, and John is DC. So they come set for DC from Austria?
Greg
One time I switched a (DCC) Prodrive to DC (changing a CV value, forget which one), for an experiment I was doing. But after finding there wasn’t a way to get it back to DCC, I sent it to Dan and he fixed it. Thanks Dan!
I wish, however, that there was a simple jumper for that. One should be able to change the control means, in my opinion.
I think the fewer connections the better, since moisture has always been the bane of those units, so the entire board is waterproofed (meaning no switches, or jumpers)
John, when you get yours, be sure to drill drain holes in all 4 corners of the unit. Last ones I saw had one drain hole, but it seemed that it was never the low point in the “in situ” installation.
While in there, slather silicone dielectric grease all around the servo motor end where it rotates, there are small contacts in there that go bad if moisture gets in, and then it cannot tell where it is.
Greg
Greg, since the servo plugs in with a JST jack, I figure one more for a jumper wouldn’t hurt. But, I agree, the fewer connections the better.
Regardless, maybe conductive grease on the jack’s pins would be a good idea…
Absolutely…
Greg
Good suggestion Greg, since these will sit under a deck in the mountains (subject to rain/snow) moisture is an issue. I did send them an email about a week ago, with no response…so either they are busy shipping, on holiday or do not want my order.
Holiday, and realize they just recently relocated from the East Coast to Reno.
Greg
Greg, yes, they are set to DC from the manufacturer.
PS, setting CV1 to 0 is DC mode. Any other number here gives DCC.
How I change some items using my old Zimo MX1. The handheld addresses registers in the MX1.
Sometimes I have to reprogram my MX1 to ‘stretch’ the pulses to program some digital units, an old lenz is one I remember.
CV 91 for pulses, CV 93 for current on the Zimo MX1.
I found certain firmware versions need a complete power interruption just after programming. This is not part of the NMRA spec, but common in some older decoders and European systems. Thus when I was having issues initially, I discovered this, since the Zimo worked easily and I was unable to program with my NCE.
Again, I believe I documented these tips on my site. I’ll have to experiment again now I have both Zimo and NCE systems.
Greg