:ngauge: Hi everyone. I have two Gaugemaster Combi controllers (about 10 years old) and on Farish Powerbox 0199 (about 25 years old).
I have a number of Dapol M7 and 2-6-2t locos and they all run very smoothly on the Farish Powerbox with good control over speed. However on the Gaugemaster they run at a minimum speed of around 100mph and the slightest move on the controller makes a massive difference in speed.
Has anyone else experienced this and if so are the Gaugemaster controllers as good as they make out?
On this occasion it would be unfair to suggest Dapol is at fault as they run so well on the Farish Powerbox as do Union Mills.
I must stress that the other locos I have are ok on both.
Any help please?
It would cost a bit in ;postage but do remember that G/Masters recon they will honour goods returned to them after guarantee runs out for life so it might be worth phoning them and explaining the situation
Thx for that. I am suspicious because it seems ok with Farish Locos, but not Dapol or Union Mills
I dont know about UM locos but the 2 Dapol types you mention require the lowest current of any I own and require very small controller settings to run slower than Farish locos.
I have no knowledge of either controller you use but from you comments it is possible that the Gaugemaster controllers are not defective just too coarse for your Dapol locos. I had similar problems with H&M controllers many years ago on larger gauges. Talking to Gaugemaster may provide a solution.
Dodger
Thanks for replies so far....
I hope to get to the bottom of this as indeed I find that I never use more than about 30% of the combi power available on any loco.
Quote from: Andy007 on January 29, 2016, 11:55:23 AM
Thanks for replies so far....
I hope to get to the bottom of this as indeed I find that I never use more than about 30% of the combi power available on any loco.
That suggests to me that they may be coarse controllers.
Dodger
Thanks again, i assume by "coarse" you mean that they are too powerful for n gauge. Wasn't there a make of controllers who offer a model that they say is particularly designed for n gauge?
Farish or AGW for me, good control of the "jackrabbits", the Farish Power box were made by AGW. I have one of each of these, plus a smaller Farish/AGW and a Farish Handheld
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AGW-Solid-State-PE144-Dual-Circuit-Control-unit-/311533907165?hash=item4888de2cdd:g:spQAAOSw-zxWpS9V (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AGW-Solid-State-PE144-Dual-Circuit-Control-unit-/311533907165?hash=item4888de2cdd:g:spQAAOSw-zxWpS9V)
This one has sockets on the output, I replaced them with screw terminals
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AGW-Solid-State-PE144-Dual-Circuit-Control-unit-/311533907165?hash=item4888de2cdd:g:spQAAOSw-zxWpS9V (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AGW-Solid-State-PE144-Dual-Circuit-Control-unit-/311533907165?hash=item4888de2cdd:g:spQAAOSw-zxWpS9V)
After 10 years my Gaugemaster Transformer decided to cease working, returned it to Gaugemaster on the 25th of FEB 2016 and it was returned in working condition on the 28th with compliments and no charge, cannot fault their service and for lifetime guarantee well done Gaugemaster
Quote from: east anglian on January 29, 2016, 12:34:00 PM
returned it [...] on the 25th of FEB 2016 and it was returned in working condition on the 28th
Blimey !
Where did you get your time machine from ? ;D
When the Dapol M7s and Q1s first came out they took off like rockets and were very difficult to control or run at slow speeds. I'm not sure whether later batches have improved.
I remember a suggestion that made sense. Buy a Markiln Z gauge controller as they run at 10v DC and below and give much finer control.
I never came across a Z controller to test out the theory but I do find that most of my locos run much better with the Bachmann controller that comes with their train sets as opposed to an older Arnold controller I was given.
One way to "tame" the jackrabbits is to fit a low value resistor between the controller and track with a switch connected across it, for other locos close the switch to short out the resistor, open the switch for the Dapol and UM.
[CONTROLLER]-------|--[RESISTOR]--|------>TRACK
|---[SWITCH]---|
Resistor should be at about 1watt, can't remember the ohms, it's buried under the test track but a quick calculation gives somewhere between 25 and 40 ohms, "preferred" values in that range would be 22, 27, or 33 ohms; you need to drop about 2 volts, Dapol draw around 60mA, UM about 100 "flat out"
Thanks you all for your interesting replies.
I think I'll go down the additional resistor route with a switch to isolate it when not running the M7's.
Thanks all!
Quote from: Dorsetmike on January 29, 2016, 01:59:01 PM
One way to "tame" the jackrabbits is to fit a low value resistor between the controller and track with a switch connected across it, for other locos close the switch to short out the resistor, open the switch for the Dapol and UM.
[CONTROLLER]-------|--[RESISTOR]--|------>TRACK
|---[SWITCH]---|
Resistor should be at about 1watt, can't remember the ohms, it's buried under the test track but a quick calculation gives somewhere between 25 and 40 ohms, "preferred" values in that range would be 22, 27, or 33 ohms; you need to drop about 2 volts, Dapol draw around 60mA, UM about 100 "flat out"
My thoughts exactly. A friendly Maplins will have a selection of resistors, although stripping one from a Scalextric or similar hand controller will do the job too. This is what I did back in 1974 in order to use an old Hornby Dublo controller on N gauge.
Quote from: Byegad on January 29, 2016, 05:58:53 PM
Quote from: Dorsetmike on January 29, 2016, 01:59:01 PM
One way to "tame" the jackrabbits is to fit a low value resistor between the controller and track with a switch connected across it, for other locos close the switch to short out the resistor, open the switch for the Dapol and UM.
[CONTROLLER]-------|--[RESISTOR]--|------>TRACK
|---[SWITCH]---|
Resistor should be at about 1watt, can't remember the ohms, it's buried under the test track but a quick calculation gives somewhere between 25 and 40 ohms, "preferred" values in that range would be 22, 27, or 33 ohms; you need to drop about 2 volts, Dapol draw around 60mA, UM about 100 "flat out"
My thoughts exactly. A friendly Maplins will have a selection of resistors, although stripping one from a Scalextric or similar hand controller will do the job too. This is what I did back in 1974 in order to use an old Hornby Dublo controller on N gauge.
Most controllers these days have low impedance (resistance) outputs so that the voltage doesn't change much when the load varies (for example going up a hill)
If you have any inclines on your layout, then with a resistor in series with the controller, any increased load (going up an incline) will increase the current which drops voltage across the resistor and will result in a slowing of speed.
Isn't physics clever!!
:) :beers:
Quote from: austinbob on January 29, 2016, 06:09:55 PM
Most controllers these days have low impedance (resistance) outputs so that the voltage doesn't change much when the load varies
,
Isn't physics clever!!
:)
Wot 'e said ^ !
[ aka common collector or emitter follower regulator ]
which got me thinking over my gin&tonic !
that the output impedance is much reduced compared to the source impedance ( the output of the wallwart / input to the controller )
So, for the consideration of the hive mind, aka the NGF collective, : would a suitable point for introduction of an extra resistor be at the input of the controller (thus reducing the input voltage) ie. between the wallwart output and the controller input ? Its disturbance to the output impedance being reduced in proportion to the transfer function of the emitter follower and its Hfe ?
Bearing in mind the aforementioned G&T, dont try this at home without an adult assisting ;)
Absolutely....................
(sound of men in white coats getting out of van }
You've got it !
Quote from: Agrippa on January 29, 2016, 09:46:46 PM
You've got it !
:laughabovepost: but have they brought the vaccine with them ?
Sorry Andy, normal service may be resumed soon ;)
Quote from: MalcolmAL on January 29, 2016, 10:06:00 PM
Quote from: Agrippa on January 29, 2016, 09:46:46 PM
You've got it !
:laughabovepost: but have they brought the vaccine with them ?
Sorry Andy, normal service may be resumed soon ;)
Can we please have a workable definition for 'normal' please... Some sort of benchmark is necessary for a discussion of this nature.....
Quote from: MalcolmAL on January 29, 2016, 10:06:00 PM
Quote from: Agrippa on January 29, 2016, 09:46:46 PM
You've got it !
:laughabovepost: but have they brought the vaccine with them ?
Sorry Andy, normal service may be resumed soon ;)
O.M.G you're (we're) all mad!!. Aren't we?? Aren't I?? Now where did I leave those pills - Oh yes - next to that bottle of Scotch.
See you all (even if there's only one of you) soon...
Night Night all...
:beers: :beers:
Quote from: MikeDunn on January 29, 2016, 01:09:08 PM
Quote from: east anglian on January 29, 2016, 12:34:00 PM
returned it [...] on the 25th of FEB 2016 and it was returned in working condition on the 28th
Blimey !
Where did you get your time machine from ? ;D
I think this just shows how good Gaugemaster are - they can repair faults before they even appear :goggleeyes:. David.
Sorry guys, should have read January, got the wrong month,
East Anglian