Rocrail features a Power Manager supporting this booster.
The standard available booster bus topologies in the market have the undesired behavior of shutting of all, if one booster experiences a short circuit.
The idea was to make individual inputs on each connected booster to be able to switch them on / off separately.
This could only be achieved with additional in and output to the booster and a program to make it possible.
Rocrail is the program which supports all these features, and since all MGV/GCA units are more or less based on LocoNet, this LocoNet should be part of the booster.
The next problem with boosters connected to Loconet thus RailSync, is that they are getting a DC output over the RailSync lines when a General Power Off is given.
This causes problems with some decoders, which are switching back to analog control and thus running away in high speed.
This booster is also taking care for that. Within the 30 mSecs spec, after the Railsync pulse has become DC output, the booster shuts off output.
An internal short circuit detection is provided for maximum security, which switches off the booster and signals the problem via LocoNet to Rocrail.
There decision is made if all other boosters should be switched off.
LocoNet is a trademark of Digitrax, Inc.
The complexity made it necessary to design in double sided. However, only a few -easy to reach- points have to be soldered at the top layer.
In this latest test version V2.1, a solid cooling devide is used.
Jumper | Open | Closed |
---|---|---|
JP 1 | report loconet input states at startup | No report at startup |
JP 2 | Power output 3Amp maximum | Power output 1 Amp maximum |
Switch SW1 | 1 | 2 | Scale Output |
---|---|---|---|
OFF | OFF | O/G | |
ON | OFF | N | |
OFF | ON | HO |
LocoIO port | Function | Setup | Connector |
---|---|---|---|
1 | user defined | - | J7(3) |
2 | user defined | - | J7(4) |
3 | user defined | - | J7(5) |
4 | user defined | - | J7(6) |
5 | user defined | - | J7(7) |
6 | user defined | - | J7(8) |
7 | user defined | - | J7(9) |
8 | user defined | - | J7(10) |
9 | user defined | - | J8(1) |
10 | user defined | - | J8(2) |
11 | user defined | - | J8(3) |
12 | user defined | - | J8(4) |
13 | user defined | - | J8(5) |
14 | short circuit / no pulse indication to loconet | block | |
15 | Booster indication OFF(= high) / ON(=low) | input | |
16 | Booster start command(Low = on) | switch + C2 |
Short circuit indication (p14) needs to be set to block, since output is flashing.
Use the Programming Dialog to setup the I/O.
Leds indicated from left to right | from version 1.5 | ||
---|---|---|---|
Led # | function | action | LocoNet I/O |
LE6 | Loconet | On = LocoNet OK | |
Off = LocoNet not connected | |||
flashing = LocoNet activity | |||
LE1 | GCA108 supply | On = Power OK | |
Off = No Power | |||
LE5 | Booster On/Off | On = Booster OFF | I/O 15 high |
On = Booster ON | I/O 15 low | ||
LE4 | Railsync/short circuit | Off = Normal | I/O 14 high |
quick flash = Short circuit detected | I/O 14 + 15 low | ||
slow flash = No Railsync | I/O 14 + 15 low | ||
LE2 | Railsync indication | On = Railsync OK | |
Off = No Railsync | |||
LE3 | Railpower indication | On = Railpower OK | |
Off = No Railpower | |||
Pin | function |
---|---|
1 | Rail power +(-) |
2 | Rail power -(+) |
Pin | function |
---|---|
1 | 0V |
2 | +5V |
3 | 0V |
Pin | function |
---|---|
1 | Supply Power |
2 | Supply Power |
Pin | LocoIO port |
---|---|
1 | + 5V |
2 | GND |
3 | 1 |
4 | 2 |
5 | 3 |
6 | 4 |
7 | 5 |
8 | 6 |
9 | 7 |
10 | 8 |
Pin | LocoIO port |
---|---|
1 | 9 |
2 | 10 |
3 | 11 |
4 | 12 |
5 | 13 |
6 | GND |
7 | GND |
8 | +5V |
Pin | LocoIO port |
---|---|
1 | GND |
2 | Railsync - |
3 | Loconet signal |
4 | Railsync + |
5 | +V supply |
6 | GND |
7 | n.c. |
8 | n.c. |
9 | +V supply |
Pin | LocoIO port |
---|---|
1 | GND |
2 | Railsync - |
3 | Loconet signal |
4 | Railsync + |
5 | +V supply |
6 | GND |
7 | n.c. |
8 | n.c. |
9 | +V supply |
The best suitable cable is Cat 5 Ethernet cable. For all cables together a maximum length up to 200 mtrs is allowed.
DB9 female | wire colour | DB9 male | function |
---|---|---|---|
1 | blue + blue/white | 1 | GND |
2 | orange/white | 2 | Railsync - |
3 | green | 3 | Loconet signal |
4 | orange | 4 | Railsync + |
5 | brown | 5 | +V |
6 | green/white | 6 | GND |
7 | not connected | 7 | |
8 | not connected | 8 | |
9 | brown/white | 9 | +V |
Standard full wired male to female 'extension' Rs232 cables are allowed, but will cause problems when many of them are used.
However, a few do not disturb the communication.
The parts positions are visible at page four of pcb files.