Newbie to DCC

Originally decoders were only motor control and lights.    Then some mfg started offering little 2nd decoders that provided basic sound.     Then the bigger mfg went for sound in a big way.    So now there are lots of decoders that include sound on the single decoder.   Most require you buy a separate speaker.     They run the gamut from handling .5 amps all the way up to 5.0 amps so there is something that will handle most any locomotive.

I should mention the ESU controller is not mine. Hence BT question

Welcome to the growing number of modelers that are interested in the DCC system. Lionel's Legacy and MTH's MTS offer an extensive number of operating features and work quite well. DCC does offer some features that are unique. For battery operation, the various wireless systems are necessary which include LionChief, BlueRailTrains and RailPro among others. Suggest looking into DCC to see what it can do.

You are entering at a good time.  Blunami is out for HO and O is coming out soon.  Wireless controller and Soundtraxx sound all in one. 

I do RailPro and BlueRail also.  Both really cool.

MTH PS1 engines are great candidates.

Ron

@Ron045 Ron, I was reading about the Bluenami in MR. It is very interesting even for someone who isn’t planning to use battery power. Have you installed either the Tsunami or Bluenami in a steam locomotive? If yes, how hard or easy was it to get the chuffs synchronized with the wheels?

I have not done steam in either BlueRail or Blunami.  Only RailPro.  Chuffs in RP are satisfactory but not perfect.

Sample starts at 4:06.

@Ron045 posted:

I have not done steam in either BlueRail or Blunami.  Only RailPro.  Chuffs in RP are satisfactory but not perfect.

Sample starts at 4:06.

I'm curious Ron, how is the RailPro decoder deriving the chuff signal? Is there a cam, magnet and Hall effect sensor, or just based on the tach stripes?

@rplst8 posted:

I'm curious Ron, how is the RailPro decoder deriving the chuff signal? Is there a cam, magnet and Hall effect sensor, or just based on the tach stripes?

I am using the stock MTH tac reader.  RailPro has a purple wire input for Chuff.  The purple wire gets the signal from the MTH tac reader.

@Ron045 posted:

I am using the stock MTH tac reader.  RailPro has a purple wire input for Chuff.  The purple wire gets the signal from the MTH tac reader.

Oh, ok.

To get that to chuff in sync, the MTH tach reader would probably need some counter circuit added after it and before the RailPro. Then you could count the number of pulses for one rotation of the wheels. Divide that by 4 and that would need to be selected in the counter circuit.

@rplst8 posted:

Oh, ok.

To get that to chuff in sync, the MTH tach reader would probably need some counter circuit added after it and before the RailPro. Then you could count the number of pulses for one rotation of the wheels. Divide that by 4 and that would need to be selected in the counter circuit.

Not sure... I'm not that smart.  It moves, it chuffs.  I'm happy with that. 

Ron, thanks for answering. I saw an article in the December MR on the new Blunami. It seems like a neat product.

Another DCC newbie here. I just ordered a 4 amp Blunami and started reading its manuals and taking a crash course in DCC. It appears there are dedicated outputs for motor, headlight, rear light and speaker plus 8 function outputs rated for 100 ma.

Correct me if I am wrong but believe I can use relays connected to the feature outputs for the smoke resistor, smoke fan motor and couplers.

Is this the case and if anyone is doing this I would appreciate any tips. I have no idea how to synchronize coupler drive to coupler sound. Same with smoke fan drive synchronous with chuff sound.

I hope to install this first one in an MTH Hudson running off rectified track power. I should have room for a buck boost convertor to give constant voltage to the device.

Pete

Although I don't think he gets into Blurail / dead rail, there's a lot of DCC information on Larry Puckett's YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/TheDCCGuy

He used to write the DCC column for Model Railroader.

Not sure if Soundtraxx will use the same chuff generating system in Blunami as with their Tsunami decoders.  From their Tsunami manual:

Exhaust Configuration
The first decision to make is whether or not to synchronize the exhaust
chuffs to the driver wheel rotation using a mechanical cam switch or to use
Tsunami’s Auto-Exhaust. Cam synchronized exhaust has the advantage
in that the precise timing and number of chuffs are correctly delivered
regardless of locomotive speed or load. The disadvantage is one of a more
complex installation.
Also, be aware that if you select cam-synchronized exhaust, the Tsunami will
automatically revert to auto exhaust when operating in analog (DC) mode.
This is because the cam sensor circuit requires an alternating voltage polarity
such as found on a DCC track in order to work properly.
Auto Exhaust
Tsunami’s auto-exhaust feature simply produces an (adjustable) exhaust
chuff cadence that is proportional to the locomotive speed. Since there is no
mechanical switch to worry about, the installation is much easier and ideal for
use in locomotives where space is extremely limited. The primary drawback
is that the chuff rate is tied to the throttle’s speed setting and not to the actual
locomotive speed. If the engine slows down due to a grade for example, the
speed change is not reflected in the chuff rate. The solution, then, is to use
the Auto-Exhaust in conjunction with Tsunami’s Load Compensation feature
(see Step 9), so speed changes due to load and grades are minimized.
Sound Programming

Articulated Mode
Tsunami provides an auto-exhaust mode to simulate the cadence of a
simple* articulated locomotives. When this mode is enabled, the exhaust
sound will have chuff-chuff-pause rhythm simulating two cylinder sets that
are out of sync with each other. You can also set a variable wheel slip rate
that causes the two sets of exhaust chuffs to go in and out of sync with each
other as if one set of drivers were continuously slipping**. It is also useful for
generating a double-header sound effect, especially if the second engine is
not equipped with a sound system.

John

Thanks John. No mention of cam chuff in the Blunami manual. I already determined I would have to use a cam to drive the smoke fan. The manual indicates chuff rate can be adjusted to driver rotation but no idea how well it stays in sync with speed changes.

TAS EOB has a similar setup where changing a variable will allow driver syncing but Blunami uses back EMF rather than counting tach pulses so I am not optimistic.

Pete

@Norton posted:

Thanks John. No mention of cam chuff in the Blunami manual. I already determined I would have to use a cam to drive the smoke fan. The manual indicates chuff rate can be adjusted to driver rotation but no idea how well it stays in sync with speed changes.

TAS EOB has a similar setup where changing a variable will allow driver syncing but Blunami uses back EMF rather than counting tach pulses so I am not optimistic.

Pete

Prototypically, I am pretty sure  you hear less chuffing when a steam loco goes faster anyway.

John