Can Legacy control my SC-1 and DZ-2500s

The SC-1 and SC-2 will work fine.

 

The Legacy base has less drive current from the serial port, so if you are using a DZ-2001 data wire for your 2500s it may be a little finicky - especially if you have other devices hooked up to the Legacy serial port.  But the DZ-2001 alone ought to work.

I would like to hear about the above statement.

 

how?

 

why?

 

so I and others might learn.

But if you bought the SER2 and power cube for it, you can run a number of serial devices. Just like the TMCC base was.

I have a DZ-2001 data wire. I assume it will plug into the serial port on the Legacy. What do I plug the Bridge into then, the end of the DZ-2001?? What is a SER2 and power cube? The TMCC base units were damaged by shorts when I had wrecks. I have fuses on the power side but I guess I need one on the line from the TMCC base to the track???

This is the new LCS stuff. They have solved the lack of drive from the Legacy base with this new module. It's part of the new system of wifi (which you don't need right away) to run your layout with your iPad.

 

http://www.lionel.com/lcs/LCSproducts/SER2/index.html

 

Probably put a TVS diode across the track power. Maybe that would help save your electronics. They are here for example.

 

http://www.mouser.com/ProductD...WKHmJCsiKCq6xrofg%3d

Yes it will all work fine with Legacy. I run dz2500s with the data wire driver. I do have a suggestion on the powermasters. The Legacy powermasters don't need the bridge or base. I know it's more money but the electronics are better and there shutdown on a short is faster. Also you don't need another tmcc base to legacy will run them.

Ron

On the short term, how do I connect the DZ-2001 and the Bridge off the Legacy base?

The Legacy "Y" cord could hook up to the Legacy base and give me 2 connection. The male plug could go into the Bridge and the female plug could hook into the DZ-2001. Would that be a proper configuration?

Ron,

    Please go into a little further detail on this hook up, are you controlling the dz2500 switch controls from the Legacy base & Cab2 in the same manner I control my FasTrack Switches. Or do you need a Powermaster and some different hook up also.

PCRR/Dave

I had to send my data wire driver back to Zstuff for a mod to work with legacy 

They reduce the drive to the photo diode so it's not such a load on the Legacy output.

But if you use the SER2, then you have the drive capability of the original command base and don't need the mod.

Chris,

    I was told some kind of non owner upgrade was required to run other companies switches from the Legacy Cab2, that is why I ask Ron the question I did.

Maybe it is just certain companies switch controls that must be matched, to set up the remote switch control from the Cab2.

PCRR/Dave

Chuck,

   So you must have the SER2 or the Powermaster to run the dz2500 switch machine via Legacy Cab2 remote control?

PCRR/Dave

If the dz data driver is the only thing you load the Legacy Base db9 output with, then it'll work. But if you are driving other loads like TPCs, etc, then you need a booster like the SER2.

Chuck,

   Thank you sir that is exactly what I wanted to know.

PCRR/Dave

Pine Creek you only need the powermaster to run the engines or control track power. The switches are operated just like the fastrack command control switches operate. Press the sw and then the switch number and then then through or diverging route. They are easy to wire and have the route capability and also (I've never used this part) can return there status to the data wire. With the right program you could read the every switches position on the layout. The way this works is the legacy base or tmcc command base (whichever you're using it doesn't require both) sends the command out on the serial port for the switch you want to control, the data wire driver picks the command up and sends it out on the data bus (a wire the runs all the way around the layout and each switch is tapped into) , each switch machine picks up the command and decides if it needs to use it or ignore it, the proper switch executes the command. Job Done. When you install these you set the switch number just like you set the engine number on an engine.

Also Pine Creel the Ser2 may not be needed. This depends on the amount of items you daisy chain off the serial port. I just have the data wire driver and the powermaster bridge and everything works fine. If you have more items than that if the commands start getting dropped then the ser2 may be required. I have a booster that I bought before the ser2 was out and I've never had to use it so it sets in the box and looks nice and new.

Ron

 

Ron,

   Thanks for the further education, I was asked if different companies switches could be remotely run from the Legacy Cab2, now I know how to answer the question properly.  My low voltage FasTrack switches run via track power, can the dz2500 be made to operate remotely from the Legacy Cab2 via track power or must they have their own power supply to activate.

PCRR/Dave

They need there own power supply. What I did was run a 3 wire bus all the way around the layout. This will give you hot neutral and the data line. Tie every machine and the data wire driver board into this bus. Once all switches are set up and programmed with a tmcc address you can operate them with a cab1, cab2, a computer running the proper software or the LCS control system. If you want a control panel also all you have to run is one wire from the switch machine to the control panel switch and also run a hot and neutral from the bus to the each button on the control panel. The data wire driver board must be powered with the same wire as the switches.  

Ron  

I also adapted some of my manual fastrack switches to work with the dz2500s that I used on my Christmas layout for a couple of years.

Ron

Ron,

   Thanks again for the education, and nice going on making the FT switches into your own version of Command Control, way cool.  I will save your education in my favorites, for the guys who keep asking me about dz2500's and Legacy Cab2 control, they can now read it for themselves.  I intend to stay with the FasTrack CC switches myself, I may also run some FT CC switches with my inner oval of RealTrax this next Christmas.

Thanks again for the dz2500 switch control education I appreciate it.

PCRR/Dave

Rail fan Ron,

 

   I was reading your comments on FastTrack cc switches and I believe that you said that they were easy to wire. I just put together a layout with the new switches and assumed that they could operate in the CC/Legacy environment wirelessly. I have not powered up the layout just yet but if you could tell me what wires I may need to attach to the switches and where I would appreciate it. The instructions with my switches say wire is not necessary. Thanks.

 

Rich

You need no wires to a command FT switch if you want to run on track power and only control it from the remote.

 

?!!!! Wow!  There are some real doozies in this thread.

. Thanks gunrunner join, I have been away for some years, and I knew this stuff backwards and forward, even demoed it for Lionel. But my previous layout was all Gargraves track and manual switches and I didn't need to power them. FastTrack was just coming out. I guess I am just being cautious so as not to fry anything. Thanks again.

 

Rich

BOTRAINZ

Put power to your track.  Program your switches.  Enjoy your fastrack command controlled switches powered via the track.  It is that simple.

 

Please take the time to read the instruction manual just for kicks.  Have fun.

If you run MTH DCS, one thing you can do to minimize the impact of the switches is to remove the link that powers the switch and replace it with a 22uh RF choke, that will prevent the switch electronics from affecting the DCS signal.  If you don't plan on running DCS, forget this advice.

 

Rich,

    More than likely your FasTrack CC switches will run off regular track power just fine.

They are low voltage and the 18 Volts from your transformer should power them unless you have over 20 switches, even then depending on how you set things up block wise,

you will have more than enough power, to operated fully wireless.  Mine run just fine

thru out my enite multi level layout, completely remote controlled by the Legacy Cab2.

Ron was making his own custom FT CC switches from the original FT switches before Lionel developed the FT CC Switches.

PCRR/Dave

 

 

Botrains what I said is the dz2500s are easy to wire and before the command control Fast track switches came out I used the dz2500s on some manual Fastback switches.

Ron

I still want to know how you can 'burn up' three command bases.  You may have an issue there.  What is to prevent you from burning up a new Legacy base if your wiring configuration stays the same.  You may want to do some troubleshooting before you hook up the new gear.
I also was a bit flummaxed by the powermaster inclusion in the discussion of command controlled switches.  But, I suppose you could run your power to your switches and or accessories through it and be able to vary the voltage.  I never thought of that.

I agree with the previous post, how in the world do you smoke three TMCC command bases???  Given the fact that you just connect one capacitively coupled wire to the outside rail, how did you manage that?   That's about as close to impossible as it gets!

Gentlemen,

   Remember we just had a guy running both channels of his Z4K to the same set of tracks, in the same blocks, I do not even question how some of the new guys, can burn up equipment any more, however you would think once doing it, a guy would do some serious reading, before playing with any more expensive gear.

PCRR/Dave

 

Dave, big difference between the Z4000 with hundreds of watts of power and connections that you can really zap things with.

 

The BASE1 has a single binding post that connects to the outside track.  Inside the command base is a .1 capacitor between the logic and the track, pretty effective protection for a wiring screwup.  Short of plugging something really wrong into the power jack of the BASE1, I fail to see how you commit a wiring error and toast it.  Of course, you could connect AC to the serial port, but that's another story.

 

Yes, that needs to be addressed.  That is the first time I've ever heard of a command base being 'burned up', much less three.  This stuff isn't cheap.  It may be worth your time to figure out what is going on before burning up a new Legacy setup and your SC1 and it's serial ports and whatever can follow.  Best of luck.

Has anyone used a TVS-4 from Train Electrics with TMCC? It looks like it would protect a command base.

As I pointed out, there really isn't anything to protect with the command base, it should be close to bulletproof unless you do something really nutty with either the wrong power supply or plugging power into the serial port.

 

I have the correct power supply and there was not anything plugged into the serial port. One minute I had red and green lights and then nothing. That has happen 3 times. What do I look for as an issue?

I can only imagine the power supply is an issue.  While being "correct", maybe it's not 100% functional.  The only other issue could be some bad wiring of your 3-wire outlet.

 

You might want to check your house voltage. Before they replaced the transformer out on the power pole my voltage measured 156 volts. I had a couple of appliances go to an early grave before I checked the voltage.

Ron