Hi Tim, This is both boards, from this side of the moon they look both the same. I just cut yours in the middle (right direction) made here my simpler common anode version, your jumpers (and all the rest) will stay to solder but I will send you the boards and the chips. For connections, the lonely 2pin is 12 Volt, after this you have for every of the 4 blocks 3pin for the signal connection following 2pin for the block detector. The corresponding signal stands BEFORE the block that is detected. You can connect together as much boards as you want, you have on every board 2 input and 2 output lines for soldering.
Hi, Today I build a test track for the search signal circuits, with some fake and funny looking signals, so ready for the video. The block detector signals will be replaced by locos motor, enough to short the input of the board(s). So tomorrow J-day, if not OK, will repair with pump-action. :we-mad:
Yeah, its :w20z6q:working ! and here is "Search-Signals The Movie" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKs8NSsM-cM May the force be with you THE END
Woo!!!!! Freakin Fantastic!!!! That is awesome!!!!! Tim's Gonna Have Operating Signals!!!!!!! Hobo Tim
Hi Tim, I was really happy today, because after 6 month of theoretical with no error in the schematics and in the board design, thats also arrive rarely to me. For the board, I will send you next week your version (not yet tested) and this is free for public domain, so if somebody has the wish to have the edge and drill files, no problem.
Armand, That is pretty cool. I do have another question though. Should all the lights be green when there is nothing on the tracks. It would be nice to see some lights on the signals even if not prototypical It is great as it is but just a thought. Kim
Hi Kim, Andreas was also asking this question on the neighborhood forum The board was specially made for Approach-Lighting, because you need in this case a feedback forward to the next block signal. If you want the green always on, very easy with the same board, just connect Green-In to mass instead of the preceeding circuit, thats all. When Red turns on, Green is anyway always switched off in the chip, so working. One other trick could be to use the yellow output on the board for some device to slow down the speed for this block. But this will depend of what the power will be analog/digital and system.
Modern Signal I regret to inform everyone reading this that the signal posted is not exactly 1:220 scale. I am working on decreasing the size to meet Z scale standards. Prototypicality will be difficult to maintain but I will do my best. This signal is static, meaning no working lights(LEDs), but I will make them where the installation of Nano 0402 LEDs will be possible as I plan on making my own working with a red/yellow/green LED in each signal head! Stay posted as this is exactly what Jeff said, a Teaser!! Hobo Tim
I am currently assembling rights and lefts of the modern cantilever signals. To take a break, I decided to work on a single track double signal. I made one years ago out of styrene and vowed to make one smaller and that actually operated. Using ultra small brass tubing and etched nickel-silver parts along with Kingbright SMD nano domed LEDS this is the end result. View attachment 51438 The whole unit from ground level to top of signal is 1.5" tall. The signal was assembled to be used with a common anode signal system such as the one here. View attachment 51443 Electronic schematic View attachment 51444 Block Signal example To find more 3 light signal systems check out this website. http://home.cogeco.ca/~rpaisley4/3LightSignals2012.html View attachment 51441 Photo shows all lights for each color on. Most people use a DCC system to activate their signal systems. I use a magnetic hall sensor system to activate/de-activate my system. I glue nano neodyne magnets under my front coupler (+) of the lead loco and one under the rear coupler (-)of the last car. The hall sensors are placed every 2' under the track. As long as the consist is longer than 2' the consist will keep the signal system activated. Hall Effect Magnetic sensors can be found at http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G1994 They come with the simple circuit to connect to the signal system. The sensors are in series in each signal block. When the (+) magnet goes over the first series sensor it activates the signal system. As the consist goes thru the block the lead turns on the hall sensors and the rear turns them off. Sounds complicated but it is not. With my signal system it could be used on DC or DCC track cause it is a seperate entity. Do you want realism! Hobo Tim
I am currently assembling rights and lefts of the modern cantilever signals. To take a break, I decided to work on a single track double signal. I made one years ago out of styrene and vowed to make one smaller and that actually operated. Using ultra small brass tubing and etched nickel-silver parts along with Kingbright SMD nano domed LEDS this is the end result. The whole unit from ground level to top of signal is 1.5" tall. The signal was assembled to be used with a common anode signal system such as the one here. Electronic schematic Block Signal example To find more 3 light signal systems check out this website. http://home.cogeco.ca/~rpaisley4/3LightSignals2012.html Photo shows all lights for each color on. Most people use a DCC system to activate their signal systems. I use a magnetic hall sensor system to activate/de-activate my system. I glue nano neodyne magnets under my front coupler (+) of the lead loco and one under the rear coupler (-)of the last car. The hall sensors are placed every 2' under the track. As long as the consist is longer than 2' the consist will keep the signal system activated. Hall Effect Magnetic sensors can be found at http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G1994 They come with the simple circuit to connect to the signal system. The sensors are in series in each signal block. When the (+) magnet goes over the first series sensor it activates the signal system. As the consist goes thru the block the lead turns on the hall sensors and the rear turns them off. Sounds complicated but it is not. With my signal system it could be used on DC or DCC track cause it is a seperate entity. Do you want realism! Hobo Tim
Hi Tim, I see that all my picture files here disappeared I made the mistake in the time to load them up to zentralstation and link them here, after the implosion there, nothing staying. Never make such mistake again. I will reload on my server and relink the files if somebody just want to make search-signals.
This 2 circuits, first for common anode red/green Led's and second mixed for common anode or common anode or cathode (today more rare) Led's were made for 1 lamp search signals, and specially for the Bernd Bauer signals. The circuits can be chained at infinity and deserve 8 signals on an PCB 100x160mm, that can be cut in the middle as seen. You can choose Approach Light or not. I just use N°1, on second board it is necessary to solder some bridges depending of the used Multi-Led's. N° 1 schema and PCB N° 2 schema and PCB The boards looked like this And the finished circuits Test array for the video was here And the video (for the moment youtube dont lose their files) :cute: [video=youtube;AKs8NSsM-cM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKs8NSsM-cM[/video] I can also provide the etching files if they are needed.
Armand, Thanks for re-posting all your data and photos. It is good to hear from you. I have been dormant for too long. When work overwhelmes, distance from home increases and production vs hobby creates burn-out we tend to lose our greatest modelers. I fear those things dig at me. Again, good to hear from you. Joe, Appreciate your input! I had thought about making the first one static, but figured what the hell, go for broke and make it operational. 6 individually controlled nano domed LEDs all wired for realiZm. I will confess that the first teaches build techniques for future ease of assembling. If it were not for all the wiring and care to not dis-lodge a wire inside the tiny tubing the build would have taken about 2 solid hours to complete one. The most time consuming was allowing the glue to dry around the wiring on the back of the LEDs. This is the first static from styrene tubing, cast resin hoods with etched brass parts. It was slightly oversized and had no viZible red, yellow or green color bezels. Too big so the new operational signal is sized for Z. Will I make static models? I won't rule it out, especially since I have enough etched parts to experiment with! Just right now I am working on assembling two other production projects. This signal was a break from the norm and greatly needed as it hekped to invigorate my Z passion. Alot of my past projects have been onesy's just to see if I can build something no one else has or to build it smaller. Take for instance my DCC MOW truck. Built only one about 6-7 years ago and still no one has topped it. Of course I need to complete it, but still. It operates on DCC and is the smallest mechaniZm that I have seen. Signals, well I am working on more of the lefts and rights of the static modern cantilevers. I am very close to completing more. Here This photo shows the one modern canitlever that I built that has 12 LEDs and is fully operational for a double mainline and covers two blocks. It's the same modern cantilevers that Stonebridge sold last year. If you zoom in close of the photo you can see the silver disguised wiring running thru the horizontal upper section. This signal took several days to assemble to completion. But hey, I made one just to see if it could be done. Now I know it can. For modern realistic signals, these can't be beat, yet! Now for the dilema, do I keep them or sell them? Still debating! But looks good! Have a good day!!! Hobo Tim
I forgot about that MOW truck. That was fantastic. Do you have a video of it? That was one really neat feat of engineering.
