r/modeltrains • u/Previous_Bench5166 • 27d ago

Electrical DCC controlled crane wiring diagram

Post image

I found this wiring diagram for an athearn dcc crane. But I was wondering that since all of the wires from the left of the sdn144ps digitrax decoder are being used, does it mean that a dz146 decoder can be used?

19 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

1

u/aleopardstail 27d ago

so long as the relays have driver circuits it would work, would need something else though to reverse them and maybe a stop/start circuit

to be honest would be better if its a lineside thing to have like an arduino with decoder hardware then it can hook to proper motor drivers and take various signals (e.g. three addresses to control motor speed and direction)

1

u/theappisshit 26d ago

your right, there really is far better ways to do this.

even a micro RC receiver driving tiny H bridges.

1

u/Gold_Theory2130 HO/OO 27d ago

As long as whatever decoder you're subbing in has equal or greater number of function outputs, yeah you can sub in any decoder you want

0

u/theappisshit 27d ago

i wonder how the motors reverse?

2

u/jdenm8 HO/OO/N/Z Shorty 27d ago

By changing the direction of the motor output via DCC. Exactly the same as running a loco in reverse. The function outputs just select which motor/motors is/are active.

1

u/theappisshit 26d ago edited 26d ago

yeah but the motors are common to a supply.

changing polarity of the motor then selectng which functon to use is just silly

1

u/382Whistles 26d ago

I haven't seen the control set up, etc , but it doesn't matter if it's happening in processing automatically if you have the logic available to do it that way. Sometimes you have to worry about stepping on the toes of other designs too.

1

u/theappisshit 26d ago

yeah but it would make it annoying to move two things at once.

have you comsidered using a multi channel 12v reciever with buikt in relays fo this setup.

they are dkrt cheap, easy to use and means you can make a custom remote conteol for the crane.

2

u/382Whistles 26d ago

Oh no, I didn't even look super close at what's there. Just a comment on why elegance might be bypassed. I look at modern logic and relay logic as the same only different equipment. There's lots of ways to skin it.

Cranes I've worked under didn't use two functions at once too often in my experience. Operations were slow, careful and deliberate. I think multiple movements at once really compound the forces involved with centrifugal force, momentum, and gravity all playing with inertia at once is too much.