Power supply needed?

"Jeff Dippel" wrote in news:nCd2l.9779$ snipped-for-privacy@flpi143.ffdc.sbc.com:

The UR91 will run fine without a power supply, but if you get too many devices on Loconet you'll need supplemental power supplies. You might want to check the PS12 voltage, it should be around 20V no-load.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to plug in a LT-1 Loconet Tester (included with the set) and make sure all 4 lights come on.

Puckdropper

Puckdropper wrote in news:0038a77b$0$4345$ snipped-for-privacy@news.astraweb.com:

Just found something out from the Digitrax Yahoo! Group. Apparently the PS12 power supplies are supposed to be DC and some were ordered as AC.

Puckdropper

Hi All I'm having a similar problem with my UR90 and a DT400 throttle. Very slow response and if 2 trains are running only one will respond. I'm 7 feet away and everything works fine when tethered. As soon as I disconnect i loose control of the engines. Any suggestions? Changes batteries 3 times already. Thank you Mike Mueller

mike mueller wrote in news:cu6dnfTrOLPJCtTUnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.com:

A UR90 is infrared only, right? Are you sure there's a clear line of sight to the transmitter and no bright light sources in the way?

If you want to check the working of your IR beam, point your DT400 at a digital camera and press a button. You should see a light from the IR diode.

Puckdropper

Mystery solved! I appreciate the information regarding the UR-91 however it turns out that this problem, like so many of my electrical problems, was self-induced. To power my UR-91 I use an old powerpack set to 12V DC. Apparently at some point I hit the Forward-Reverse switch and reversed the polarity to the UR-91 which it didn't accept. Flipping the Forward-Reverse switch again solved my problem. (It's now taped down)

Carter

"Jeff Dippel" wrote in news:niQ2l.9876$ snipped-for-privacy@flpi143.ffdc.sbc.com:

Good to hear. You don't need any more power for a UR-91 than a simple

300mA universal power supply available for around $5 at a store, so you might want to consider one... Especially if you want your old power pack for something else.

Puckdropper

ok, thanks Carter

Hi Puckdropper Yes, IR only. Interestingly when pointed directly at the UR90 the response is very sketchy. If I point it just in the direction of or off slightly towards the UR90 it works great. Almost instant response. It works well if you point it in the direction of the loco you are controlling. Go figure. Thank you for your help Mike Mueller

mike mueller wrote in news:EaydnVNhsN07JtPUnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.com:

I haven't done much with infrared (besides use a remote control), but two things come to mind: Multipath and excessive brightness.

To check on multipath, I'd find something to put over the IR detector that would allow light in from the front but not sides. A hollow tube would work.

Excessive brightness might be tested by placing a piece of clear tape over the IR detector and trying it. The idea is simply to reduce the brightness, not do anything funny with the beam.

This might be something you'd have to ask Digitrax about.

Puckdropper

I'd also check the lighting in the room. A room with a bright light (especially an incadescent bulb) pointted at the detector can ovdrload the IR diode and make for bad recption. The IR" beam" is a pulse train of IR light to improve the snesitivity of the system but if the detector has a high incidence of infrared light on it then it will often not see the signal well and only the correct pointing of the remote to the detector will end up with a response. The LED in the remote also may not be pointed directly straight out of the remote control so this is why pointing it somewhat off from the center will provide a signal.

-- Bob May

rmay at nethere.com http: slash /nav.to slash bobmay http: slash /bobmay dot astronomy.net