General > General Discussion
Accessory bus
Alan:
--- Quote from: EsselW on February 21, 2018, 09:58:41 PM ---Thanks for the reply, Alan! Arduino sounds intriguing. The basic idea is one or two light circuits per building, maybe inside and outside. I was thinking of a controller per building which if using a Light-it decoder means an extra $5 per building. I like the size. But could an arduino controller be, say, an inch square or less? If so, I would probably enjoy tinkering with the circuits. Just don't know anything about it yet. And can arduino be controlled by JMRI? Or does that require a different interface? Like I said, I don't know anything about it yet.
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The smallest Arduino is the Nano. It measures approx. 1" x 2". JMRI and Arduino can be made to communicate but it is no simple matter.
--- Quote from: EsselW on February 21, 2018, 09:58:41 PM ---A couple of other questions... If I use RailPro for loco control, that means there is a constant voltage on the rails. Can the arduino control instructions be multiplexed onto that DC voltage? OR would it make the RailPro LM3S go nuts? The reason I ask, is that I had mentioned reed switches for control of lighting in rolling stock. Do you think arduino could be used for that, too, instead of reed switches and magnets?
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It could use the rails as the communication line however you are essentially duplicating a DCC control system. It would be a complex project to undertake.
--- Quote from: EsselW on February 21, 2018, 09:58:41 PM ---And, regarding the first questions, can you direct me to an article or articles that could explain how to go about building arduino circuits for either of these applications? Thanks.
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The basics on multiplexing an Arduino: http://playground.arduino.cc/Learning/4051
Bill's idea of using the AM-1 is a great suggestion if you want to control lighting with your RailPro system.
Dean:
You could use the motor outputs to dim your lights.
EsselW:
The thing I'm trying to avoid is a rat's nest of wires under the module. I don't want to bring a separate pair of wires from each of sixteen buildings to a single/central AM-1. And I would need a separate AM-1 for each of the layout modules as I wouldn't want to connect all those wires between modules. I like the Light-it approach because I can run a single bus around the layout and bring a pair of wires to the bus rather than the AM1. One tiny Light-it decoder per building or set of street lights. I just need to hook up an entry-level DCC system to the lighting bus. Lighting isn't something I need to control from the HC.
The rolling stock is a different matter. There I am trying to find an inexpensive way to allow on/off control of one or two lights in a car through the rails rather than using a reed switch / magnet. But I would use the switch/magnet before i would invest $40+ for an LM module per passenger car or caboose. Sounds like arduino would be too large for a car with an interior. No idea where I would put it. But I can hide a bridge, capacitor and reed switch pretty easily.
I love the RailPro concept for locos and signaling and maybe turnouts, but not for buildings and rolling stock.
Alan:
Use the DCC system to power the rails. Use Light-It inside the cars. RailPro runs on DCC track just fine.
EsselW:
Did not know that! That's great, thanks Alan. ;D
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