DCC Booster Research (Video

[@EsotericArctos]

This is a very well thought out, feature rich, product. To be honest, I expected nothing less from projects you think of. I have no other input at this point, but I am definitely watching this project as it looks like something that would help complete the features of a DIY solution, allowing people who are watching their budget to really expand their DCC layouts.

[@IoTT]

Thanks for the feedback. Stay tuned ;-)

[@robleathley6024]

Well the IoTT line of products is just getting better and better. A booster will be a great addition. So if I’m reading this right, using a spare Arduino UNO with a motorshield and your new booster board will give me a complete booster in one package. I can then expand the booster as I wish by simply adding motorshields. Does the auto reverser feature do the same thing as say an AR1? If it does, that would make some things much easier. One feature I’d like to see is the addition of a screen to give you some feedback on what is happening. I know the IoTT stick has a small screen but my eyes aren’t what they used to be so something larger would be nice. This would be even better if it could be placed remotely on, or near, the fascia. Even a 16x2 lcd display would help. Thanks again for your excellent work. You are making DCCEX one of the best things to happen to model railroading!

[@IoTT]

Yes, auto reversing is like the AR1, typically based on current pulse caused when a loco is bridging the double gap and polarity is opposite on both sides. In addition, it also could be controlled from the outside, e.g. via turnout address. Regarding screen, the solution is using a web browser to connect to the status page of the booster. Could be on the smart phone as well.

[@hb9dod]

Traincontroller fixed the loconet over tcp so all works well. Would be great to develop some loconet accesoires as a servo decoder, switch decoder for switchmotors and block current sensors. Thanks for all the work you do.. Regards Tom Reinach Aargau

[@IoTT]

So it was a software problem? Regarding Loconet accessories, check out videos #47 (YellowHat), #66 (GreenHat) and #78 (Level to Pulse converter).

[@billflude5204]

Hi Hans! Looks very good - for my scale/gauge boosters combination 3 to 4 outputs each with max current of 3 Amps would be good - I would have a DCC EX command station with RedHat and a booster combo on each baseboard of a portable layout. Looking forward to having boards to play with! Thanks again for all of your projects! Bill in the UK!

[@IoTT]

Sounds like a good application. Would certainly be more cost effective than using commercial boosters and you can simply run a Loconet cable from module to module to control everything.

[@billflude5204]

Can boosters send back the current consumption of each power shield to somewhere - maybe via MQTT?

[@IoTT]

@@billflude5204 yes, Loconet or MQTT

[@billflude5204]

Hi Hans. You said that there is the possibility of using separate power supplies for each Power Shield board - does that imply that you could use the same supply for two or more Power Shields on the same Arduino, so a single supply for Power Shields and Arduino…. Thanks! Billl.

[@IoTT]

Yes, you can. You would daisy chain them on the input side. You can see that in Video #125 where I use 4 PowerShields supplied from the same supply. The only thing you need to think about is the current you can draw. If you plan on running full 5 Amps om each shield, it is probably not a good idea. But for a 'normal' layout it is an option.

[@ClinchfieldModelRailroad]

For the Autoreverser, is it possible to program loconet block occupancy detector addresses so that this booster can see that the block ahead of the Autoreverser block is occupied and therefore switch the polarity befit the loco enters the block ? This way you don’t have to wait for a short circuit to occur. Therefore protecting the loco decoder better. Similar to the Digikeijs DR5013 auto reverser.

[@IoTT]

Yes, if you use the SilverHat along with an IoTT Stick you can control the polarity of the reversing output using a configurable turnout address. You can use the event handler on the Stick to listen to a block detector event and then issue the turnout command to set the reversing section polarity. Watch video #136 for an explanation of the configuration options.

[@joelhauxwell6773]

This looks like a great addition to the excellent IOTT lineup. +1 for the RailCom cutout support. Also, could current values be available via MQTT?

[@IoTT]

With the IoTT Stick on the AUX shield, you can send out the current values as analog message either to Loconet over TCP or MQTT and then use some other device for example making a current display or event based system etc. Everything is possible as the data can be distributed.

[@erniepike3902]

Maybe an occupancy detection option?

[@IoTT]

Thanks for the suggestion. I actually considered that, but decided not to do it for a technical and a conceptional reason. The technical reason is that the booster can deliver up to 8 amps and with the sensor on the chip it is almost impossible to detect a single axle resistor of 10k, which should be the minimum sensitivity for a block detector. The conceptional reason is that one booster typically serves several blocks, which means they would have to be wired back to the booster, which leads to more connectors on the booster than there is space for, and longer wires than needed to serve all blocks. It is way more efficient to have distributed block detector cards that have one track input from the booster and serve say 8 or 16 local blocks. Several of these cards can be supplied from the same booster.

[@nialatelevoj6113]

hello Hans, if I understand correctly the orientation of your architecture, you dissociate the control station function without motorshield card and the multi motorshield booster function. Will the control station still control the entire network? possible additions to the booster: LED display for current measurements, temperature, one shut-down button per channel.....

[@IoTT]

Yes, it is just a regular booster that can be used with any DCC command station, which is still in control. Thanks for the suggestions. I like the LED idea. Temperature is difficult as I do not have a temperature sensor on the PowerShield that I could read out. But individual disable/enable per channel certainly will be possible.

[@rhbsd3441]

Does it have an output so it could be connected to an existing booster bus?

[@IoTT]

It takes any DCC input either from a command station or a control bus, as long as it has DCC Rails A and B and the voltage level is somewhere between 5 and 30 or so volts.

[@matthewesler8379]

Does will with DC district

[@IoTT]

Technically it could, but it would not make much sense as if you have several outputs, they all carry the same signal. To control DC districts you would need different speed in each district. That does not come from a booster but from the command station as shown in the last video (and more to come in the future)

[@matthewesler8379]

@@IoTT thanks you

[@dennischerry4545]

Will the Mega also work with the Boosters?

[@IoTT]

I have not tested it yet, but I do not see any reason why it would not.

[@joedoe6471]

What happened to your enclosure system? I can no longer find it.

[@IoTT]

It is still there. You need to be logged in to Tinkercad. Search for IoTT Cube or use this link: www.tinkercad.com/dashboard?type=tinkercad&collection=projects&id=6CA0QrHTI3J

[@joedoe6471]

Thanks Hans!@@IoTT