N Gauge Forum

General Category => N Gauge Discussion => Topic started by: petercharlesfagg on April 24, 2015, 08:57:10 AM

Title: DCC Concepts Cobalt Alpha
Post by: petercharlesfagg on April 24, 2015, 08:57:10 AM
Friends, I have conducted a search on the forum but all the references found do not say anything about the subject!  (Or have my eyes deceived me AGAIN!)


Anyway, would someone please explain what it is and how it can be of use to both DC and DCC layouts?

..."...................................................................................

I read and re-read their advertisement in Model Rail and was no wiser as to how, if at all, it could be a life saver on my and others layouts?

Regards, Peter.
Title: Re: DCC Concepts Cobalt Alpha
Post by: Malc on April 24, 2015, 11:56:25 AM
Hi Peter, I haven't found the exact wording on their web site, but as a point motor, you can either operate it by using a switch (DC mode) or use it as a decoder from a DCC accessory bus.
Title: Re: DCC Concepts Cobalt Alpha
Post by: sparky on April 24, 2015, 04:52:03 PM
Hi peter I think you mean the cobalt omega not alpha...anyway you can use this from a DC supply if that's how you want to use your point motors...if you want to power it from a DCC bus then you will need separate decoders which can be in singles 4 or 8 outlets depending on the decoder....if you were going to use DCC I would go for the cobalt IP digital which has a decoder built in...
Title: Re: DCC Concepts Cobalt Alpha
Post by: petercharlesfagg on April 24, 2015, 05:41:17 PM
Quote from: sparky on April 24, 2015, 04:52:03 PM
Hi peter I think you mean the cobalt omega not alpha...anyway you can use this from a DC supply if that's how you want to use your point motors...if you want to power it from a DCC bus then you will need separate decoders which can be in singles 4 or 8 outlets depending on the decoder....if you were going to use DCC I would go for the cobalt IP digital which has a decoder built in...

Thankyou but I was quoting from the advertisement page 83 in "Model Rail" May 2015 where it is called Cobalt Alpha!

I am not interested in DCC it is too expensive for my pockets! 

Reading the advertisement and later visiting their web site I am still in the dark somewhat even with Malc giving me a resume!

Regards, Peter.
Title: Re: DCC Concepts Cobalt Alpha
Post by: DELETED on April 24, 2015, 06:46:32 PM
Putting in "DCC Concepts Cobalt Alpha" in Google turns up an RMWEB thread on the Alpha as a new product for 2015.  If you go to the DCC concepts web page and put in "alpha" in the search you get a .pdf newsletter with the Alpha described as a DCC / DC pack for simplifying wiring mimic panels / points control etc.

http://www.dccconcepts.com/Default.aspx?SiteSearchID=-1&PageID=10921790 (http://www.dccconcepts.com/Default.aspx?SiteSearchID=-1&PageID=10921790)

Not sure if that helps, it's not directly to do with point motors.

Rich
Title: Re: DCC Concepts Cobalt Alpha
Post by: Luke Piewalker on April 24, 2015, 07:37:50 PM
Essentially, as I read it, it operates as an interface to operate DCC enabled accessories (point motors, signals or what have you). So you can then operate multiple attached motors signals etc. with reduced complicated switching and wiring.
Title: Re: DCC Concepts Cobalt Alpha
Post by: DELETED on April 24, 2015, 07:55:31 PM
...Sorry, just looked back and I copied the URL off the search and thought it would show the results with the newsletter at the top but obviously the results never showed.  The actual .pdf should be on this link:

http://www.dccconcepts.com/LiteratureRetrieve.aspx?ID=189206&A=SearchResult&SearchID=46695616&ObjectID=189206&ObjectType=6 (http://www.dccconcepts.com/LiteratureRetrieve.aspx?ID=189206&A=SearchResult&SearchID=46695616&ObjectID=189206&ObjectType=6)

NB:  Don't know anything about it myself, was just doing some googling and reading up as I used to piggyback small PLC's onto older systems to make life easier with wiring industrial control panels so it caught my interest once I looked.

Rich