Wiring LCS modules

You don't have to.  The "looping" scheme is more or less a convenience for those who have multiple modules in a localized area. That way you would only run 1 feed from the buss and just loop to the other modules.  Your setup will work fine.

Does the LCS module provide any advantage in controlling a DZ-2500 switch machine over a push-button on a control panel?  Can an LCS module work in conjunction with panel push-button?

The advantage to using LCS is the ability to throw switches over TMCC (either by remote or iPad), you can still wire it up to buttons as well. Specifically using LCS (as opposed to a DZ2001 module) is the ability to have LCS detect which way the switch is thrown, and its accurately reflected on the iPad display. 

I can't imagine the LCS Modules care where the power comes from as long as you put the black and red wires in the right spot. Unless you need more block relays, 1 CSM2 would do the job (its the data driver), and then you could use the STM2 (Switch Throw Monitor) which gives you more switch monitor positions in the box than a CSM2. You'll need to add a 3rd wire to the buss bundle for the data driver (blue in the 2500s) wire.

Thanks for the info.

Chuck

@Boilermaker1 posted:

 Unless you need more block relays, 1 CSM2 would do the job (its the data driver), and then you could use the STM2 (Switch Throw Monitor) which gives you more switch monitor positions in the box than a CSM2. You'll need to add a 3rd wire to the buss bundle for the data driver (blue in the 2500s) wire.

Justin,

I understand that the STM2 has more sense capability (16 switches vs 7), but not sure how you would interface it with the CSM2.  Here is my overall diagram for a switch I use mainly to keep track of wire colors.  I don't use the whole thing for every switch.

How would you add a STM2?  Use the CSM2 for data only and the STM2 for sense?  Seems like you could still use the sense function on the CSM2 as well as the STM2.  One CSM2 and STM2s as needed for the number of switches?  I guess I need to play with that a bit.

The STM2 manual does not address the DZ-2500.  Here is an old diagram on how the forum thought the STM2 would be used with a DZ-2500.  You need a separate DZ-1008 relay and a 4.5 VDC power source.  Might be cheaper, but it would seem more complicated to use STM2s instead of all CSM2s.  Maybe if you are going to use the STM2 anyway, just use the DZ-2001 Data Driver instead of the CSM2.

Still need to play with this some more.

Admittedly, I havent used the STM. I've got 9 switches and I just used a CSM2 because i needed the data driver capability. I didnt use breakout boards, and I dont have buttons. Im iPad/remote only. The 2 switches that dont fit in the CSM are somewhere that I can see if they're thrown right and its kind of irrelevant if they're not (runaround track).

Dennis Zander says you need 1 data driver, so it would seem to follow that you would just need 1 CSM2. 

The only interface the DZ2500s really require with the CSM is via the blue data wire, the switch sense connection is optional, but I understand thats the whole point of having the module. 

I dont understand why you need relays and stuff, The relay should just be for auto derail activation on the switch. If you dont use the relays for auto derail (DZ2500s are sprung and you can run backwards through them anyways), it looks like a matter of simply connecting the green or yellow wire (whatever makes it read the right way) to the STM2 and grounding the return to the outer rails on the track. I'm willing to stand corrected if I'm wrong.

I'd be curious to know if you use multiple CSMs, if you're connecting each data driver or just running a data wire around the layout and connecting them all to a single CSM. The address of the CSM is linked to the switch sense positions, so you can give a bunch of CSMs different addresses and the sense positions would all work without connecting all the data wires.

@Boilermaker1 posted:

I dont understand why you need relays and stuff, The relay should just be for auto derail activation on the switch. If you dont use the relays for auto derail (DZ2500s are sprung and you can run backwards through them anyways), it looks like a matter of simply connecting the green or yellow wire (whatever makes it read the right way) to the STM2 and grounding the return to the outer rails on the track. I'm willing to stand corrected if I'm wrong.

I'd be curious to know if you use multiple CSMs, if you're connecting each data driver or just running a data wire around the layout and connecting them all to a single CSM. The address of the CSM is linked to the switch sense positions, so you can give a bunch of CSMs different addresses and the sense positions would all work without connecting all the data wires.

Thanks.  The relay is only for when I need to alternately energize the lead rails on longer switches (#6 and up) for my engines with a short space between pickup rollers.  If you want powered non-derailing the green and yellow wires from the switch machine can go straight to the track instead of through the Breakout Board.  In my first diagram above, the CSM2 and Breakout board will only be used for my mainline and passenger terminal switches.  This is so I can have a dispatcher in another room, talking to engineers via radio, control the switches.  If you want all the functions except energizing the lead rails, it becomes simpler and the BB board may be more trouble than its worth.

My yard switches will be manual (at least those in reach) for the engine crew to work.  Yard/industry switches farther away will probably just be wired with three wires to the one button controller (no CSM2, Breakout Board, or relay).  Maybe non-derailing too if warranted, but still none of the other stuff.

As far as multiple CSM2s, my thought was to limit each CSM2 data to the seven switches it senses.  This way it will limit the trouble shooting if one the the switch machines on the circuit goes bad.