What is the advantage of connecting a PM42 directly to the BDL168? Is that even doable? I acknowledge that the A track wire has to be on the left side of the PM42 breakout board, however does the A track wire have to be on the left side of the track or is polarity no longer an issue at this point.
Not sure what you mean? The A output of the PM42 would go to the input of one or more BDL168 zones, the zone outputs would feed the various detection blocks within that PM42 power district. The B wire from the PM42 would go to the opposite rail of all blocks in the power district. That's the way is gets hooked up, that's about the ONLY way to hook it up.
For a PM42 section for a reversing loop, all 4 BDL168 detection sections will be in the reverse loop. You might only have one detection block, so some may be 'wasted'.
--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 see. I do not own a BDL168 yet. It is next in my purchase list. Can one connect a PM42 to a Digitrax SE8C?
There is no interaction between a PM42 and the SE8C. Othern than the Loconet connection between all devices, the SE8C does not do anything with track power. It takes commands via Loconet and lights up up to 32 signal heads, operates up to 8 Tortoises, and has inputs for 8 block detectors.
I finally purchased a PM42 and wired it into my layout, tested it and it worked correctly. Now I have even purchased a BDL168. According to your last response on this thread you mentioned that the only way to connect a BDL168 to a PM42 is to wire the BDL168 into the PM42 zones and that it is the only way to do it. Previously I thought that one should connect the PM42 to the BDL168 through the terminal pins! Would be quite complicated if you ask me.
Not sure what you are asking, the outputs from the PM42 feed into the inputs on the BDL168. Fairly straightforward. There are lots of wires, because there are a total of 16 detection zones on the BDL168, so you now will have up to 16 feeds to the track instead of just one bus.
After reading the manual of the Digitrax BDL168. I saw where it said " The BDL168 is the "last" device in the chain from booster to power manager to BDL168. It is connected directly to the track detection section." So I understand the illustrative visual concept more better now.
The picture in the manual shows the power feed coming right from the booster, and connecting to all 4 sections of the BDL168 (the heavy grey line). However, this can be 4 seperate lines, each coming from a different section of the PM42.
The track is gapped in both rails between sections, but only one one rail between each of the 4 BDL outputs for that section. Instead of that single red wire in the diagram, you'd have 4, one from each PM42 output.
Alloboard,
The way Digitrax likes it, you solder short wires to the pins on the edge connector and connect to a terminal strip. You do this for each Digitrax product you have: Eg: PM42 and BDL168. You then join the two units by wiring between the terminal strips.
As I said in a reply on another thread, I prefer to use Acculites card edge connectors, which eliminate the need for soldering, and the terminal strips. You simply slot the edge connector onto the product and wire up using the labelled screw terminals provided.
Here's the link again: http://acculites.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=40_77
BTW, I have no connection with these guys: They're in the States and I live in Sydney, Australia. They simply make a good product that saves me HOURS of time.
Cheers
Nige'
Oh my god, you are a god send! I could have used this with I fried one edge connector on my PM42. Anyone remember that conversation?? BUT Ihave 2 SEC8s to wire up and this will help A LOT!
Thanks!!
DANOC&O lives on!!! Visit my railfan community site: http://www.crtraincrew.com
The Digitrax manuals and other manuals in general do not adequately describe how to make connections, for example; how a a single wire all of a sudden become four wires. Voila magic! please, for a novice, quite confusing. I don't know how to connect the PM42 to the BDL18 with the breakout boards from LWH3 sold on Acculites. I have the multiple input breakout board for the BDL168. If you don't mind can you give me an Idea of how to connect the outputs of the PM42 to the BDL168? The breakout boards are already installed so I assume without the original 44 pin connector, it should be easier. I've seen allot of your replies in my previous threads. I think you seem very experienced and knowledgeable. You're replies has helped me out allot. I really appreciate your previous help.
I have one PM42 with all reversing for loops. Now the BL168 have four zones which can be connected to separate feeds (one PM42 zone, booster, or command station) A zone will have up to four sub zones coming out of the BL168. If you have an auto reversing section fed from the PM42, you could hook it up to a zone on the BL168, which will give you four sub zones on the same reverse zones. As long as you dont hook to separate feeds (another feed from the PM42, booster or command station) on the sub zone, it will work fine. If you have only one reverse zone a AR reversing will be a better deal, because you would have three sub zones of no use, and the AR has occupany detection built in.. The BL168 should be fed from the PM42, it will give you a false occupancy if you dont pay attention to this. Also the Bl168 uses common rail on one side and one feed goes to the BL168. If you accidently hook up the common you will get an occupied light, simple fix just swap wires. I use the LED indicator from the BL168 to operate LED,s on the sub panels to alert operators. Recently I have found the cable for signaling (digatraxx) works realy good to hook up to the LED driver pins from th BL168. The BL168 is very reliable on my layout for the last three years, plus if you go the next step to signaling you have the basic foundation to make it eay, because the BL168 will give you the basic occupancy logic to drive the SE8c.
LOL I will, but not yet. The project has been in a halt for a while. I 'm working on the detection sections "occupancy detection".
The whole layout and components are all shut off for now before I proceed to move it off the floor. It's been off for the past 2 months.
I don't get the sporadic nature of these threads. Nothing new here. Nothing happening.
What's the point?
Rich
Alton Junction
This is how you connect a PM42 and a BDL168 tyogether. By the way I use the Acculites connectors also. Best thing since sliced bread.
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