I have a K-27 which is getting a QSI Quantum Aristo decoder, battery power & using their Air wire remote control. I would like to be able to control the smoke unit and other lights (not currently supported by the board) remotely as well and was thinking about using another, cheaper DCC decoder, wired along with the Quantum Aristo to control these functions. (I have a few HO TCS 4 function decoders in a box somewhere)

Has anyone ever tried this? I don't know how something like this would be wired up. I also imagine it involves changing a lot of CV,s. I am supposing that the smoke unit would need to be connected to the second decoders motor controls, which cater for the higher amperage than the circuits for lights?

  I was on the phone with QSI back in Oct. The man there told me that they were working on a smoke control board to go with the Quantum.  I think that I've seen directions on QSI's site that said how to wire the lights so to have control of them, though this may have involved the magnum addapter.  I too will be going with the G-wire set up and batteries on board for the bulk of my motive power. Let us know how it works out. I know I'm interested.....Hope this helps....Later All.....S.B.

To the best of my knowledge, the G-wire receiver that plugs into the QSI board will only control one board, so with the current production QSI board, you're out of luck. Word on the street is that the next generation QSI board due out "soon" remedies that deficiency.

Later,

K

Quote from: Kevin Strong on February 03, 2011, 01:40:49 AM
To the best of my knowledge, the G-wire receiver that plugs into the QSI board will only control one board, so with the current production QSI board, you're out of luck. Word on the street is that the next generation QSI board due out "soon" remedies that deficiency.

Later,

K

It is actually rather simple to do but not inexpensive.

If you have the G wire receiver that has the solder connections, you hook the 2 signal wires to a Lenz Gold decoder using a small capasitor in line with the connection.  You then hook the +- of the QSI decoder to the +- of ther Lenz Gold decoder.  This will give you 6 extra functions you can use for whatever purpose you desire.

Stan Ames

hi Stan,
do you have a picture of the decoder and connections?
thanks, willis.

Stan, are you piggy-backing the QSI and the Lenz from the same G-wire receiver or are you using just the Lenz with the G-wire? It was my understanding you couldn't piggy-back two decoders on the G-wire, but if you can, that's great news.

Later,

K

Quote from: Kevin Strong on February 03, 2011, 06:56:46 PM
Stan, are you piggy-backing the QSI and the Lenz from the same G-wire receiver or are you using just the Lenz with the G-wire? It was my understanding you couldn't piggy-back two decoders on the G-wire, but if you can, that's great news.

Later,

K

Kevin

Yes I am piggy-backing to the G-Wire receiver.  This only works because the Lenz decoder with USP does not draw any type of load from G-wire.  I do not believe this would work with any other decoder.

Stan

Thanks, Stan. I'm assuming something inexpensive like the Gold JST would be sufficient (MSRP $37)? That's not too bad, considering the TCS FL-4 needed to give lighting functions to the QSI in a "normal" track-powered DCC environment would run you around $18 or so.

I agree-can you post some photos of the installation or a wiring diagram? Lighting controls is the Achilles heel of the QSI system in the R/C environment, and if this gets around that successfully, I think there are lots of people who would love to add that functionality.

Later,

K

I have some small relay switches which draw 40mA on the coil side and which can power up to 10A on the output side. Do you think that piggy backing a second decoder with the QSI Magnum / Aristo and powering the smoke box and auxiliary lighting through the relays wired to the second decoder will overload the QSI receiver?

Quote from: Red26 on February 11, 2011, 05:53:55 AM
I have some small relay switches which draw 40ma on the coil side and which can power up to 10A on the output side. Do you think that piggy backing a second decoder with the QSI Magnum / Aristo and powering the smoke box and auxiliary lighting through the relays wired to the second decoder will overload the QSI receiver?

The smoke unit in the K27 draws only a few milliamps from the switched line.  The auxiliary lighting circuits also draw very so no relays are needed.

The high current needed to actually run the smoke come from the locomotives +- lines. 

The +- lines by default come from the output of the item in the socket (in this case the QSI decoder)  If the load is to high you can install a separate rectifier but in the case of a QSI decoder this is not necessary.

Stan

Stan, if you're back in town, can you furnish a photo or wiring diagram of the install?

Later,

K

The new QSI Titan comes in a version that plugs right into Bachmann engines with a 12 pin (on left) and a second multi-pin connector (on right) and another version with screw connectors.  The Titan has separate outputs (with lots of amp capacity) to drive a smoke generator AND a smoke fan (or both together using the smoke generator output.  This also has more than a dozen accessory outputs for lights or other stuff of your choice.  It hosts the Gwire receiver. 

It is also a sound unit.  It seems to me that there is no need for two decoders given the capabilities of the Titan.  The unit is available now.  Google it to see stores selling it.  It comes in 6 amp and 10 amp versions (double that output for short periods of time).  Con side:  It's expensive.