Any good books with many examples that apply to G Scale? Not just G Scale books, others.
Toad (shocked FRIED in da Swamp)
I've got a set of lessons that may zip down to a reasonable size to Email covering basics of DC, AC, etc. Send me your Email address and I'll pass them on (do you have broad band?). They don't apply to any particular electronics usage, but I'm not sure what would apply just to G scale trains anyway. I've used them to better understand some simple circuits I've built to enhance my trains - like the one someone on this board or Bachmann's posted about a circuit to let battery power car lights but only if there's an interruption in track power. They're also good if you don't understand yet why and how one would use a multimeter.
Regards, Bob
rperego@qwest.net
The Home of Articulated Ugliness
Turns out the lessons I have are on the web - www.openbookproject.net//electricCircuits/
The "Experiments" volume has info on using meters.
The electronics forums are helpful for getting answers to questions. For a project I'm working on to use a servo to rock a loco bell, I've also received help from folks on robotics forums.
Have fun,
Bob
Thank you guys! Brush up and learn more!!!
Toad
TF:
Electronics is electronics; electricity is electricity, no matter what scale. Now, the biggest difference is between AC and DC. AC comes out of your wall, DC comes out of a battery. (Or a power supply that plugs into the wall.) All else is applicable to any scale. If you're wanting specific circuits, well so'm I. I've been surfing under 'board bending', 'robotics', and 'sound boards'. The idea is to find something that works for your needs and build it. Have to admit, I haven't found much directly useful.
(About five minutes later). I can't figure out how to post some of the choicer links I've found, so I'll go away, get 'em together and copy 'em out and mail you again.
Was that Cabbage that said to ask on the robotics forum? Geez, 2000hrs and my brain shuts off. I have CRS real bad, man. Real bad.
Les W.
I was the one who mentioned robotics, just as an example of using non-train oriented forums for help depending on your project.
BTW, if you don't own a multimeter yet, my advice is to spend a little more and get one with more features. I just kicked myself for buying another meter because my old one wouldn't measure AC current, and passed on the slightly more expensive one that included a temperature sensor. Just a few days later I found myself wanting to monitor the temperature of the voltage regulator in a circuit I built.
Have fun, Bob
Cabbage:
Please go take a look at the 'battery power' thread where I posted a bunch of questions.
It's very late and I'm having problems thinking, so if I come off terse that's why. These 'how to' train books tell me a whole lot that I already know about electronics. That's why I haven't risked my 30 US$ on one. I really appreciate your input, make no mistake. But for awhile I troubleshot airborne weapons delivery/nav computers to the component level for the air force. I know how to use a four-channel oscilloscope--or did, a good while back. A VOM holds no mysteries for me. I don't want 'experimenter circuits. If it had schematics for optical controllers, sound cards, flasher circuits and the like, I'd lay my money down right off. And, to repeat here what I posted there, I'm badly dated on modern terminology as it applies to this particular hobby. What I need is an overview, a block diagram, of how these various boards, sound card, motor controller, receiver and what they call 'decoders' all fit together. Then I need schematics to see if it's cheaper to build one or buy commercial. Certain chips might be hard to come by in less than lots of 1,000, for instance.
I've found a website that describes the use of a common tv IR controller to work a remote circuit. I can't figure out how to adapt that to RRing, and haven't done the simple obvious thing of posting on their boards to ask. Why? Complex answer.
The one thing I really like about this board, above all else, is that the level of warfare is nearly non-existent. I want to enjoy my RR, talk to/with others, and avoid the BS.
If I've in any way sounded offensive, I apologize in advance. It's really far too late for me to be trying to think. I always am pleased with yours and others inputs to my questions.
Les W. (Bedward bound!)
Quite impressive credentials you have. I've gone to the sites you were kind enough to list, and launched an email at one unsuspecting soul in quest of detailed information.
The reason I don't want an Airwire or the like is, obviously, cost. Another reason is, most are rather complicated to learn, and I'm afraid I'm at the age where 'KISS' is my watchword. And my proposed layout will be small and simple--multi-engine operation is not contemplated.
I suppose a good deal more info might be gotten were I to join some of the other model RR boards and ask around. Or one of the robotics boards. I'm intent upon determining if it is feasible to build my own circuitry, given the reasons stated above, plus the ability to do it if I had a schematic. I spent the latter part of my working life as an XP machinist and tool & die maker, so much of my electronics knowledge is dated.
But, thank you again for your information.
hoofe116 wrote:I've been surfing under 'board bending',
What in the world is "Board Bending" in the world of electronics?
My poor ole head hurts now......
Hmm.... apparently you run live steam? I'll assume by 'dynamo' you have what we call 'generators'. Looks like an AC gen--er, dynamo? If so, why don't you put a bridge rectifier in in place of all those caps? On the other hand, if it's pulsed DC output from the dynamo, then it's obvious why you'd go with the 8 capacitors. It appears you have two motor controllers. And that you have track electric? Is that a correct assumption? I've copied the schematic, hope you have no objections.
In my case, the track will be dead, so to speak: but an ornament for keeping the wheels of the train in line. Thus, I need a receiver circuit to connect to your circuit, and a transmitter to send my desires to the receiver. PWM is preferred for motor control, then?
Thank you for the input.
Del Tapparo wrote: hoofe116 wrote:I've been surfing under 'board bending',What in the world is "Board Bending" in the world of electronics?
Del:
Well, it's apparently a generational term. In the Olden Days we called it 'homebrewing' in the ham radio hobby. You take a circuit board out of some programmed toy--the circuit board must have a microprocessor on it--and you figure out how it works. Then you proceed to rewire it to make it do something you want it to do. Most of the guys are musicians--or seem to be--so they make various sound boxes. I've always found musicians to be a tad ... otherworldly ... so I'm really sorta reluctant to get on a board and say, "Hey, about making my choo-choo train do stuff, like make a bell noise and a 'chuff-chuff' sound...."
Hope this helps.
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