Hello All
While reading up on the BD4's in the digitrax groups i was surprised to find that they are not compatible with modern sound decoders.
Apparently the frequency drive output to the motor creates false detections throughout the layout. Notes are in several places warning against using the BD4's and suggest that the BDL168 be used since it's been upgraded for use with the decoders.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Digitrax/message/159679
Springfield PA
They say this abotu the older BDL-162 boards as well - friend of mien has oen set up to detect his N scale trolley loop so he can runt hem automatically with RR&Co - and even though each trolley is outfited with a Lenx Gold Mini with supersonic turned on, it works fine - 4 sets of trolley cars all followign each other, stopping when the block ahead is occupied and waiting for the lead one to get out of the way, then the next one moves up. The blocks are not all the same length so this causes soem randomness in which ones stop and where. Works quite well. The BDL-162 ha no problems with false detection, even while running other trains aroudn the other part (unconnected - but ont he same power bus) of the layotu that have all manner of high frequency drive decoders - Digitrax, Lenz, CT Electronik, etc.
I sometimes question the results some of these peopel get, and wonder at how their layout is actually wired. It seems to be 'common knowledge' that a PM42 cannot reset with as little as ONE sound decoder on the rails. Oh really? I have mine set at default settings, fresh out of the package. I just picked up my first Tsunami equipped loco, so now I have a fairly decent representation of sound decoder makers (no QSI ont he roster at the moment though). As a test I put my Tsunami equipped FT-B powered unit, a SOundtraxx LC F7-B dummy, a PCM Loksound 3.5 T-1, and also a Stewart F-7 powered A with a TCS motor decoder and a Walthers FA powered, also with a TCS motor decoder, all in the same section. All sounds working, headlights on everywhere. Then shorted the track. My PM42 started clicking. I removed the screwdriver I had across the rails. The PM42 stopped clicking and all the sounds started up. So for those that say their PM42 didn;t work after even just ONE sound decoder in the power district - I say check your wiring, somethign is inadequatre and it's NOT the PM42.
Bottom line, if you have the BD-4, try it out and see what happens.It may work just fine. It's not sound decoders - it's any decoder with a high frequency motor drive that is supposed to mess these (and the BDL-162) up. Personally I prefer the current transformer type detectors over the didoe drop ones, so if I were to install track detection I wouldn't us the BDL or BD options, but they do work.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
How well do the transformer types interface with digitrax or do you use a relay to switch an input to ds64's or the SE8?
Most of them are open collector outputs and can interface directly to the DS64 or SE8C - like the Team Digital DBD22. They have a new one which is 8 detectors and already has a Loconet interface. If I ever get around to it I'll probably use one of DIck Bronson's Tower COntrollers and some of his 8 section detectors. That too plugs right in to Loconet. The NCE detectors also should hook right to a DS64. Rob Paisley has one on his site that's pretty simple to build, and cheap - problem is finding a transformer that works. I tried one of the recommended subsititutes and built one a few years ago but I never got it to work, more recent information on the MRR Electronics group on Yahoo finally tells me why - the recommended repalcement trnasformer is WAY off in rating and requires more modifications. They found a better replacement for the long discontinuted one that actually works - if you are so inclined to build your own. It will work with the DS64/SE8C or I would build myself a few more LocoIO boards and connect them to that.