What wrong with Kato's blue switch controller?

[inobu]

Wanted to know what's you don't like about them. I saw that Spiff was trying to get rid if his.

They seem to work ok a little clumsy but workable. Would like to hear your opinions.

 

Inobu

[KenS]

For a temporary table-top or floor layout, they're fine.  I used a dozen or so with three Kato power-packs on my first Unitrack layout, which was set up on a mostly-disused dining table.

 

The biggest problem I had with it was that the switches snap to each other and to the power pack, and it's not the most solid connection.  The last couple in a string of 6 or 8 were always coming loose.

 

Another problem is that they use wires with plug/socket connectors on them.  This usually meant that either the wire was too short and I needed to add a 3-foot extension to get a half-foot of wire, or they were too long (the usual problem) and I had coils of excess wire bunched up behind them.

 

But that aside, they worked fine. The only reason I don't use them now is that I've switched to DCC, so I can throw the switches from my hand-held throttle.

[IST]

Nothing wrong with the Kato switch controller, it easy to use and works without any problem.

But I agree with KenS's comments.

[scott]

I just don't like how you can't orient them to the actual directions of the switch--one way is always straight, and the other way is always "turn", no matter what way the actual switch goes.

 

Also: never take one apart to figure to see how it works. Trust me on this.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Hi inobu, to be honest I haven't really used the kato switch controllers all that much (just testing during layout construction). I am just trying to find something with a smaller footprint. I am still in the construction phase and not sure on how I am going to install them. I have a switch panel/box but not sure how I am going to place the blue controllers. My panel is just below the below the Kato crossover in the picture.

 

Spiff

[cteno4]

Inobu,

 

short term they are ok, but over the years the club's switch mechanisms started to fail w/o that much use. also at times they dont give a really positive snap to the coil as they rely on a mechanical snap to give the pulse of power to the switch coil.

 

other problem was with a complex track plan the old jrm club layout 'spaghetti' bowl had was trying to find the switch number on the track plan and then then find the appropriate kato controller to fire on the kato switch controllers to the right direction was a pain in the ass. a simple control panel with the layout diagram on it and simple toggle switches at the positions would work much, much better! its been so painful over the years we have not wired the switches on the new jrm 2.0 layout! easier to throw them manually. eventually we hope to have a nice control panel with toggle switches and use the BCD circuit to fire the coils.

 

more info on the BCD circuit are here

 

http://www.jnsforum.com/index.php/topic,1260.0.html

 

cheers

 

jeff

[inobu]

I wanted to get you guys opinion on the controllers. I think they are ok but something still is missing. They are good for temp layouts but fall short in other applications as Jeff pointed out.

The design is functional but not practical I think there is a better alternative.

 

I want to put together a kit that address the most common issue that we run into. So keep posting things that you would like in a control switch and or panel.

 

Inobu

[cteno4]

Inobu,

 

I hope to work with Ray Stilwell to see if we can come up with a very simple kit for his BCD circuit. i have a potential manufacturer that might be interested in this. basically would be a circuit board to do the basic bcd circuit perhaps w/ and w/o direction indicator led (user's choice). then folks could use any DPDT switch they might want to. his circuit is super simple and clean and works really well.

 

its so simple you can even wire it up on a terminal strip with screw downs w/o any soldering or pc board.

 

cheers

 

jeff