An earlier post resulted in very good info on a wireless solution for my Digitrax Zephyr. But I'm a little short in cash at the moment for that, and so now look to solve it with maybe a less expensive solution. What do I need for using a throttle with plug-in cord? I know it would connect into the Digitrax Loconet, and I have the cost of the the Universal panel receptacles and have plenty of phone cable for the loconet wire around the layout.
I've searched a lot of the internet and Ebay for a throttle, but with limited success. The Digitrax UT4 gets a few hits for about $65. Can't seem to get any hits for a UT2 or UT1. Any other suggestions? It seems the tethered must be a dinosaur approach now.
What else do I need beside the wire, UP5 receptacles, and throttle?
Thanks, Hal
Hal,
Don't waste your time looking at a used UT1 or UT2 - they are 2 digit address throttles. You want a UT4 throttle. Now, on to the Loconet cables - They are not phone cables! They have 6 wires in them and are 'reversed' end to end. To make up cables, you will need RJ12 ends and a good 'crimper' to attach them. In your case, you can buy them cut to length with the end crimped on. A phone cable with 6 wire will work, but it will cause problems if you add boosters to your layout.
As you found, new UT4 throttles are about $65, and Tonys Trains will sell you a 20' Loconet cable(with ends) for about $5.
Jim Bernier
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
I think the reason you don't see much used/cheap Digitrax stuff is that there's a pretty good demand for it, because almost all of it can still be used with the newer systems. The stuff I've seen goes quickly.
But since you have a Zephyr, a basic, low-cost solution would be a tethered, battery-operated jump throttle.
Here are a couple links to DIY tethered jump throttles:
http://www.tandre.net/Trains/Firebaugh/Current/JumpThrottle/index.html
http://www.cmlelectronics.co.uk/support/adding%20jump%20throttles%20to%20a%20zephyr%20command%20station.pdf
HTH, Steve
jrbernier They have 6 wires in them and are 'reversed' end to end.
They have 6 wires in them and are 'reversed' end to end.
Actually, LocoNet cables are in what is known as a "straight through" or "Data" configuration. They are not reversed! Pin 1 goes to pin 1, pin 2 to pin 2, etc. That is known as "straight through". If you lay the cable out, the plugs will be oriented 180 degrees out of phase with each other, but that facilitates, not reverses, the 1 to 1, 2 to 2, etc.
jrbernier A phone cable with 6 wire will work, but it will cause problems if you add boosters to your layout.
A phone cable with 6 wire will work, but it will cause problems if you add boosters to your layout.
That is because a phone cord is reversed. The plugs are oriented in phase with each other, but that means that pin 1 of one plug goes to pin 6 of the other, 2 to 5, etc. So the actual connections are reversed.
To use a phone cord, just be sure you get one that has 6-conductor flat cable. Then just cut the plug off one end and crimp on a new one, making sure it's 180 degrees out of phase. In other words, if you lay the cable out flat, the locking tab on one plug should be facing up, and the other facing down.
Steve
I would be more than happy to relieve anyone of the 2 digit address UT's they no longer want.Or DT100/300 for that matter. Send me a PM
Terry
Terry in NW Wisconsin
Queenbogey715 is my Youtube channel
Jim:
I have a Digitrax Super Chief. I use nothing but factory made standard 6 conductor telephone cables from Lowes and Radio Shack. Neither of those places has ever even heard of an RJ-12 jack. They have RJ-11 & RJ-14. I have 11 of them around the layout connecting jacks, DS-64s, etc. and they work fine. The only place I have ever heard of problems with standard telephone 6 conductor cables is multiple command stations, and even that can be corrected by making sure you have an even number of cables between the two command stations. Just run a cable from the command station to a UP5 and another from the UP5 to the second command station. If he has a Zephyr, he probably only has one command station.
Pin 1 to pin 6 then pin 6 to pin 1 is the sams as pin 1 to pin 1.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Hal:
The UT4 throttle is infra red ready. If you add a UR90 instead of a UP5, it will work wireless.
Bear in mind it is infra red not radio. It, like your TV remote, requires a line of sight between the throttle and the UR90. But it's much cheaper than radio, which seems to be your initial goal.
Steve,
The phone cable has the clip on the same side of the cable - both ends. Grab each end and hold them with the clips 'up'. The colored wire pattern should be opposite - On a phone cable you see them reversed(I guess this is just what your take on 'reversed' is) Phone cable will work if you just use them for going to UP5 panels. As soon as you chain a booster into an incorrectly wired one, you will get booster shutdowns. This can be one if the more frustratings things to trouble shoot. That is why I always check the ends to make sure they are wired correctly. Sorry for any confusion. I just do not want Hal thinking that all of those 'extra' phone cables he has are the makings of great Loconet cables.
Jim
If he has a bunch of telephone cables laying around they are probably 4 conductor anyway.
Loconet is configured symetrically, as far as I know the only Digitrax device that cares whether pin 1 is connected to pin 1 or pin 6 is multiple command stations talking to each other. I have 4 UP5s, 5 DS64s and a PR3, all connected together with off the shelf 6 conductor telephone cables.
I have a box full of old 6-wire phoen cords - we ditched the phoen system at the office and I saved all the cables. They'll work anywhere but directly connecting another booster becaus eof reversing the Railsync signal. I usually just cut one end off and make 2 proper cables out of each phone cord. Or buy the 50 foot phone cords at Walmart and make multiple Loconet cables - I sort of see it as getting 50' of cable with 2 free ends already attached.
There are 3 total 'signals' in the Loconet cable. A ground, which naturally doe snot care if it's reversed or not, the Loconet signal itself, which is some devices is tied together, so once again it doesn't matter if it's reversed or not, and the Railsync, which is a low pwoer version of the track signal. This DOES matter because if you reverse the order of connections you flip the phase of the DCC signal. If a reversed cable connect to a second booster, the booster will put out a positive-going wave when the command station/booster is putting out a negative going wave, because the signal will be crossed in the incorrect cable. While you can fix this by reversing the Rail A and Rail B connections to the track, good luck remembering that years from now. This also is critical if you later add trnasponding - the transponding signal being read back depends on the Railsync and if you have a reversed cable it will either not read or read incorrectly.
Bottom line - use the right cables and avoid future problems. A minute of effort now to make sure you put the connectors on the right way will save hours of headaches down the road.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I a pinch, a 4 wire cable, telco or data style will work for a throttle. You will absolutely need a good battery in the throttle because pins 1 and 6 provide power. In the absence of a battery, the throttle will be dead. Don't even try a UT1 or UT2 because they don't have batteries.
I have used 25 foot 6 conductor telephone extension cables from Wallmart and Radio Shack to "create" auxilliary throttle jacks. I did this when initially showing my club how DCC could be used on a modular layout. They have since been "fixed" by cutting the original plugs off and crimping new plugs data style. ZThey worked just fine for the demonstartion.
I don't advocate prolonged use of the wrong type of cable. One problem with using the wrong type of cable is we all tend to forget about it when something new is added later. That's when we start pulling our hair out trying to find out why loconet suddenly fails.
Martin Myers
jrbernierSteve, The phone cable has the clip on the same side of the cable - both ends. Grab each end and hold them with the clips 'up'. The colored wire pattern should be opposite - On a phone cable you see them reversed(I guess this is just what your take on 'reversed' is) Phone cable will work if you just use them for going to UP5 panels. As soon as you chain a booster into an incorrectly wired one, you will get booster shutdowns. This can be one if the more frustratings things to trouble shoot. That is why I always check the ends to make sure they are wired correctly. Sorry for any confusion. I just do not want Hal thinking that all of those 'extra' phone cables he has are the makings of great Loconet cables. Jim
I'm aware that the locking tangs on phone cables are on the same side - but that's exactly what makes the cable itself "reversed". You said as much when you said, "The colored wire pattern should be opposite..." And it's not just "my take on what "reversed" is" - look up ethernet wiring standards (although a true "reversed", or crossover, ethernet cable actually has the pairs reversed).
Anyway, that said, 'extra' 6-conductor phone cords do make great LocoNet cables. They're relatively cheap, especially at the big-box home improvement stores, and I use them extensively. However, I cut the plug off one end and crimp on another, oriented properly to make the cable straight through as opposed to it's original reversed configuration. Even though that's not always necessary, as others have mentioned, I find it's good practice so I always do it. Since all my LocoNet cables are custom-fit, I'd have to cut it to length anyway. And you can often make two shorter cables from a longer one with the simple addition of two properly-oriented plugs.
All of you have been most helpful, particularly the discussion on cable. I might have blown that one. I think I do have both 4 and 6 wire phone cable, but I agree I should make the install correct the first time so no later problems. I'll probably spring for using the UT4, although I'll look into the infrared alternative.
Thanks for taking time to help me. Hal
You can always add a UR90 infradred receiver later on. All current production Digtrax throttles have infrared bulit in so the receibver is all that would be needed as an extra.
Um, that's all great info and all, but, uh, I don't have an electrical engineering back ground. Except for the 9V adn 12V and 1kOhm sylmball markings you lost me, and the only reason I know those is back in high school I took a home building class and in the 1 year of college I did there was some class I had to take about juice. Heck if it weren't for me being so into cars, you know volts, amps, watts, mJ, none of that would have stuck with me and I'd be even more loss. I mean, I understand all what was said about making the throttle, oh but wait there was no descrpition of how to do it just that friggin electrical schematic.
donhalshanks All of you have been most helpful, particularly the discussion on cable. I might have blown that one. I think I do have both 4 and 6 wire phone cable, but I agree I should make the install correct the first time so no later problems. I'll probably spring for using the UT4, although I'll look into the infrared alternative. Thanks for taking time to help me. Hal
The UT-4 is infrared ready...however infrared can be "hit and miss" as to how it works. It's the same technology as a TV remote, and I know I have to lean over to the left with my arm outstretched to get my remote to line up with the TV when I'm home in the recliner. I'd hate to have to have a hard time getting the infrared signal picked up when I have an engine pushing a cut of ore cars towards the end of an ore dock!!
If you can afford it, get the UT-4R (radio equipped), then you just need to add the UR-91 receiver later to do radio control. You will need to get an extension cord for the UT-4R (the radio throttles only have a very short cord) but you can get that at most anyplace that sells phone stuff.
Keep in mind, there's no real penalty for adding radio later. The price difference when buying it is $50. Digitrax charges $50 to upgrade a non-radio throttle to radio. In fact, right now I'd wait and NOT buy a radio throttle, the new duplex radio is just around the corner, although Digitrax has said they will offer an upgrade for that as well. If they keep with current policies, there will be no penalty for upgrading later if you buy the non-radio now.