AIU won't turn on track power anymore

Burnt out relay contacts??? try another port.

Note that the relays in the AIU are only good for 4 amps, are you sure you aren't overloading them with your siding?

I will try switching ports. 

So if I have a few engines on the siding they could draw too much power and overload the relays? Sorry I'm very new to O gauge.

Thanks

A few engines?  You bet your booties!  If that relay is powering more than one, you stand a real chance of overloading the relay, especially as they begin to move.

The AIU wasn't designed with powering tracks in mind.

HAHAHA.  I Got it.  Is there anything MTH or Lionel that can do it?

Lionel has several switching accessories that will work.  The BPC is made to do that, and I've used the SC-2 to do so as well.  Either of these have 15A relays and will stand up to the abuse.  The ASC has the capability as well.

First, you need to press the "ON" soft key, not the "ACT" soft key. "ACT" is a momentary switch.

If you are exceeding the 4 amp limit on AIU ports, you don't need anything other than an external relay that can handle 10 amps.

This is discussed in considerable detail on pages 87-88 of The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition, under Controlling Track Power Using the AIU.

This and a whole lot more is all in "The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition", now available for purchase as an eBook or a printed book from MTH's web store site! Click on the link below to go to MTH's web page for the book!

Well, if you want to control it from the DCS remote, you have to have it addressed as an engine, that leaves out the Lionel options.

Since I don't know the whole story here, it's hard to say.

Todd,

Does MTH have a specific relay to use with the AIU to control blocks? 

To the best of my knowledge, no. Regardless, any relay that can handle the amp load on the siding and for which you have an available power source will do just fine.

For example, if you have a siding with 10 amps worth of engines and cars, and a Z4000, you would ideally get a 10 amp relay that's powered by either 10 volts AC or 14 volts AC, since that's what's available from the Z4000's accessory terminals. This should be considerably less expensive than a Lionel BPC or SC-2, both of which are overkill for this application, and both of which can only be operated under TMCC or Legacy.

I would use a DC relay because they are cheaper. With a bridge rectifer wired to the 14 v AC Hot pin. The common would go the the AIU. The relay in the AIU would control the relay that controls the siding. Normally Open would be the track Hot. The wiper would come from a TIU channel.

A radio shack relay costs about $6.

This way the AIU never sees the track voltage.

Jim C,

   Outstanding advise!  Using the AIU to institute track power is just begging to mess up the AIU, with Jim's engineering it becomes safe.  Outstanding knowledge.

PCRR/Dave

Same relay at Digi-Key will be a similar price. And always in stock.

Digi-key has an excellent parametric search tool as well.

Just make sure you buy enough to cover the shipping and handling. there may also be a minimum.

I buy through my work so I can avoid these add ons, I just tack my needs onto the next order going out & pay for them.  Working for a small company has some odd benefits.

I've used the AIU to trigger AC relays. They are rated at 24v, but seem to work fine at 18. I use socket #SRN4-C from the same supplier. 

http://www.industrialcontroldi...ower-relay-3890.html

Gerry

Gerry,

  Actually those are darn nice!

PCRR/Dave