Custom test bench - part 3: Wiring

Wiring

The wiring was fairly straight forward:

Finished product

And here's the finished test bench:

I left quite some space on the panel to allow for a future installation of a LED display to show voltage and current consumptions. I'm thinking about an Arduino project.

Custom test bench - part 2: Components & Diagram

 Since the goal for this test bench is to host all testing options, I have the following inputs:

1. DC power
2. DCC with my Roco Z21 multiMAUS
3. ESU LokProgrammer
4. AUX which is in fact my ESU ECoS 2 Command Station

and I have 3 outputs:

1. Track 1
2. Track 2
3. ESU Decoder Tester

Each track can take any of the 4 inputs, but obviously, the Decoder Tester will only take the 3 DCC inputs.

Components

Here's the list of all components for this part of the test bench:

• Athearn 9997 Trainpak Power Pack - link
• Roco 10810 Z21 multiMAUS - link
• ESU ECoS 2 Command Station - link
• ESU 53451 LokProgrammer - link
• ESU 53900 Decoder Tester - link
• 2 Rotary Switch 2 Pole 5 Position - link
• 1 Rotary Switch 2 Pole 4 Position - link
• 3 knobs - link & link
• USB A panel mount connector - link

Diagram

A simple wiring diagram:

Custom test bench - part 1: Woodworking

As I need to digitize a significant number of engines, it became clear that I need a test bench that can host the DC and DCC stations. I also purchased a decoder tester and a decoder programmer from ESU; those will also be placed on the test bench.

The first step is the woodworking part. I didn't do any precise plans, just going off by the size of the plywood I got and hoping wood glue will do magic.

• 6mm 1/4 x 12 x 24 Inch Premium Baltic Birch Plywood - here

I didn't take pictures of every step, unfortunately.

Digitization of a Z 24500 Jouef - intro

This is going to be a multi-part post on the digitization of a Z 24500 from Jouef and more specifically the Nord-Pas de Calais version HJ 2001:

Parts

In this section, I'm listing all the components for this work:

• ESU 54614 LokPilot v4.0 for the side without a motor to control headlights and interior lighting; purchased from Train Modelisme
• ESU 54671 PowerPack Mini for LokPilot V4.0 to prevent flickering of the interior lighting; from eBay
• ESU 58419 LokSound v5.0 for the DCC Sound control; purchased from Train Modelisme
• LED strip, warm white 4000K, 600 SMD on 5 meters, 12V:
• 3 colors: yellow 3000K, warm white 4000K, daylight 6000K - the warm white is obtained by turning on both the yellow and the daylight LEDs; purchased from Amazon
•  1 color; purchased from Amazon
• Miniatronics 3-Pin Micro Mini Connectors MNT5000301; from eBay
• Passenger models purchased from Amazon

Resources

• Notice from Jouef

Several links to articles and posts about digitization and interior lighting:

• Article in RMF 563 from June 2012
• Biscatrain
• Blog

And links for the real unit:

• Europe train
• Blog
• Maligne-ter

And some videos to see the interior colors:

• Video from Simply Railway
• Video from SteveTC59
• Video from Productionstudio 92

The next post will be about the installation of ESU 54614 in the side without a motor.

Shelf #2 wiring - part 7

 This shelf carries the ESU ECoSDetector modules. I have the following items:

• 1x ESU 50094 - http://www.esu.eu/en/products/digital-control/ecosdetector/ecosdetector/
• 3x ESU 50098 - http://www.esu.eu/en/products/digital-control/ecosdetector/ecosdetector-rc/

The ESU 50094 has 16 inputs for detection, but only 4 are RailCom. The ESU 50098 has 4 RailCom inputs.

Schematic

Here's what I designed on Anyrail:

Wiring

Here are these several steps with pictures:

Completion

And here's the final result:

Shelf #1 digital

In this post, I summarize the digital configuration for all switch motors:

Switch reference	Lenz decoder	Digital address		Switch reference	Lenz decoder	Digital address
A1	LS150#3	13		C3	LS150#3	17
A2a	LS150#1	1		C4	LS150#3	18
A2b	LS150#1	2		C5	LS150#4	19
A3	LS150#3	14		D1	LS150#4	20
A4a	LS150#1	3		D2a	LS150#2	9
A4b	LS150#1	4		D2b	LS150#2	10
B1a	LS150#1	5		D3	LS150#4	21
B1b	LS150#1	6		D4	LS150#4	22
B2a	LS150#2	7		E1	LS150#4	23
B2b	LS150#2	8		E2a	LS150#2	11
C1	LS150#3	15		E2b	LS150#2	12
C2	LS150#3	16		E3	LS150#4	24

Shelf #1 wiring - part 6

Following the wiring diagram, I wired the 4 Lenz LS150 with the terminal blocks. I initially thought that the fourth terminal block would need to be located on a side, but then I realized I could probably stack them.

Schematic

Here's what I designed on Anyrail:

Placement

I used the following supplies:

• M3 & M2 bolts and nuts: https://amzn.to/2CoDldR. M3 are used for the Lenz LS150 and the terminal blocks, where M2 are used for the screw terminals
• Rubber feet: https://amzn.to/3hfPIrp

Here are these several steps with pictures:

Wiring

I used the following supplies:

• 18 AWG cables: https://amzn.to/32tkjhh and https://amzn.to/2OGIgt7

Here are these several steps with pictures:

Testing

Now, all Lenz LS150 need to be configured:

Completion

And here's the final result:

Alpha Meter

As mentioned in this previous post, I purchased a 2U panel for an electronic display. This is for the Alpha Meter from DCCconcepts - https://www.dccconcepts.com/product/alpha-meter-for-dc-or-dcc/

It is a digital meter for use on DC or DCC layouts. There are only two wires in, two wires out. It automatically adjusts for AC, DC or DCC power and even compensates for its own load, leaving only readings relevant to the layout operation. 

It is that simple!

Installation

I used the Dremel to cut through the steel plate. It took a while, but no problem here:

Result

Wiring diagram - part 5

I completed the schematics on Anyrail:

More wiring - part 4

Over the last couple of weeks, I have worked on the other 3 modules for switch controls - as described on this previous post: https://lagaredascq.blogspot.com/2020/05/wiring-part-2.html

And everything together:

I've also tested connecting of ESU modules together to the ECoS Command Station:

• ECoSlink Terminal - http://www.esu.eu/en/products/digital-control/ecoslink-terminal/
• ECoSDetector - http://www.esu.eu/en/products/digital-control/ecosdetector/ecosdetector/
• 3x ECoSDetector RC - http://www.esu.eu/en/products/digital-control/ecosdetector/ecosdetector-rc/

Rack for all electronic modules

After a bit of research, I decided to go for a server rack to hold all the electronic modules as well as the ESU ECoS command station. 

Here's what I purchased:

• Sysracks 18U 24inch Deep Server Rack Cabinet - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MR0IP2N

This unit works well as it can slide under the layout table and I can put the ESU ECoS command station on top of it when operating the layout.

• 3x NavePoint Sliding Rack Vented Server Shelf 1U 19 Inch - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01A6JR4JY

One shelf for the Lenz LS150, one shelf for the ESU ECoS Detector, and the top one for the command station.

• StarTech.com 8 Outlet Horizontal 1U Rack Mount PDU Power Strip with Surge Protection - 120V/15A - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0035PS5AE

The rack came with a PDU, but the outlets were front-facing and it didn't work since the sliding shelves take the complete depth of the rack. This PDU has surge protection and the outlets are in the back.

• NavePoint 2U Blank Rack Mount Panel Spacer - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0060RUV4M/

I'll show on another post why I wanted this panel. It will hold an additional electronic display.

Overall, it took a long while to build the rack. It's quite cheap, so it came with some defects; the biggest one of which is that it is slightly wobbly. Here's the final result and I'm pretty happy about it:

ESU ECoS - Peco double slip switch

I forgot to mention one rather important detail in my previous post: how to configure the ESU ECoS for a Peco double slip switch. On the ECoS, a double slip switch has only one digital address. The thing to know is that the ECoS will automatically assign the next address to the second motor.

Therefore, the double slip switch B1 has addresses #1 (TB1a) and #2 (TB1b).

ESU ECoS - Engine image

This is a short post to list the steps to add an engine image on the ESU ECoS:

1- Login to http://www.esu.eu/en/downloads/loco-pictures/
2- Download the image on your computer
3- Login to the ESU ECoS http://192.168.1.197/en/index.html
4- Upload the image
5- Restart the ESU ECoS