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Capacitor Discharge Units made in the USA

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  • Member since
    September 2014
  • From: 10,430’ (3,179 m)
  • 2,311 posts
Posted by jjdamnit on Friday, November 13, 2020 2:39 PM

Hello All,

Welcome to the age of globally produced and sourced electronic components.

I use the PECO CDUs- -proudly manufactured in the U.K.- -according to them.

Available here in the U.S.A.

I have a pair of PECO turnout motors (solenoid type) in parallel leading to the #2 sets of turnouts for the wye, the lower coal loading, and the upper unloading sidings on my pike.

The wall wart couldn't supply enough oomph to throw both PECO motors simultaneously. There were no problems throwing 2 Atlas motors simultaneiously.

I split the 20 some turnout motors into two districts and assigned each district to a single CDU. (Some have said this is overkill and a single CDU would suffice.)

Yes, I could have DYI'd my own but I've got enough projects on my bench. I didn't need to add another to the "waitlist".

I understand this is not the solution you were hoping for, but...

Hope this helps.

"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Western, MA
  • 8,571 posts
Posted by richg1998 on Friday, November 13, 2020 1:35 PM

I made mine out of scrap box parts years ago. The Snapper is quite nice.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
  • 9,352 posts
Posted by BATMAN on Friday, November 13, 2020 1:32 PM

wvg_ca

it my be [home]made in the usa, but most of the parts will be from china, lol

 

Not to mention the raw materials like petroleum products and mined metal(s) Oh the horror of it all!Laugh

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Yorkton, Sk, Cnd
  • 441 posts
Posted by wvg_ca on Friday, November 13, 2020 10:57 AM

it my be [home]made in the usa, but most of the parts will be from china, lol

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Friday, November 13, 2020 9:04 AM

Cobalt stuff is made in the UK.

A CD supply is one of the simplest beginenr electronic circuits to make. Very few parts, very few connections. Then, not only is is made in the USA, you even know who made it. I built one in the late 70's for my N scale layout I had then, got tired of spending my money to repalce switch motors. I was 11 or 12. But it was easy to go to Radio Shack and get the aprts. no need to mail order or anything.

                                     --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Thursday, November 12, 2020 6:49 PM

https://www.dccconcepts.com/manual/owners-manual-cobalt-cdu-2-power-supply/

 

Mel



 
My Model Railroad   
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Thursday, November 12, 2020 6:34 PM

If you decide to "roll your own"

http://www.circuitous.ca/8CommonCapacitorPSU.html

Good luck, Ed

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,484 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Thursday, November 12, 2020 5:06 PM

Mine's made in the USA.  A couple of resistors and a couple of capacitors.  It's about as simple an electronic circuit you can build that has any real function.  The breadboard and fancy screw terminals cost me more than the circuit itself.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Thursday, November 12, 2020 4:59 PM

I'm confused (as usual) The title suggesst you you looking for a capacitor discharge unit to control your turnout motors.  Your text suggests it's the motors themselves.

Rix Rax is still made in the USA  https://rixproducts.com/product/rix-rax-flat/

You can power it with the Snapper

Circuitron info page says they make the Tortoise here, they probably make everything here.

 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Franconia, NH
  • 3,130 posts
Posted by dstarr on Thursday, November 12, 2020 4:29 PM

I always made mine.  All it takes is a good big capacitor, say 5000 mfd or more.  And a modest transformer and rectifier to charge it.  Make sure your charging voltage is less than the voltage rating on your capacitor.

  • Member since
    September 2019
  • 10 posts
Capacitor Discharge Units made in the USA
Posted by nycentral54 on Thursday, November 12, 2020 10:11 AM

To all Atlas turnout users,

Does anybody know of a supplier who makes a CDU for H.O. scale turnout motors that is made in the USA. All of the ones that I find on our favorite auction site are either made in the U.K or Austraila.

 

I perfer "Made in the USA"

NYCentral54

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