# Running Arito Rev With MTH's DCS



## dapharoonie (Dec 7, 2011)

Its been suggested I run a new thread on this subject. The queston is can I run Aristo Crafts Revolution with MTH's DCS on the rails,running DC not AC ?

Stephen from Down Under 

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## jmill24 (Jan 11, 2008)

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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yes... 

The MTS signal is a small AC signal riding on "top" of the DC voltage. 

It's small enough that it won't bother the Revolution. 

So you have constant DC on the rails as far as the Revolution is concerned. 

Remember that you will most likely want a full wave bridge between the track pickups and the Revolution, since the Revolution needs a fixed polarity. 

Greg


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## dapharoonie (Dec 7, 2011)

So! Greg the bridge rectifier is to fillter out the smal amount of AC from the DCS signal ?

Stephen from Down Under 
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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Nope, the bridge rectifier is to avoid damaging your Revo if the track polarity does not match how you wired the Revo... 

The capacitors (I'd use the 6 cap bank) would help filter the track power to keep the Revo from going nuts, and it would probably smooth out the DCS signal a bit. 

Greg


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## Rods UP 9000 (Jan 7, 2008)

Greg is wrong, The rev in NOT polarity sensitive. It has a built in bridge. . I don't know much about DCS but as long as you have DC in the track it will be OK


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

According to the revolution manual, page 32, it says you need the positive side of the battery to TR+, and the negative side to TR- .... now maybe the manual is in error. 

It is protected against reverse polarity, but just recently someone had a problem because he gave it the wrong polarity. Did not damage anything, just did not run when put on the track in one orientation, ran fine in the other. 

When he added a full wave bridge at my suggestion, he reported everything worked. 

This is where my info comes from. 

Is this incorrect? 

Greg


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## Rods UP 9000 (Jan 7, 2008)

I might be wrong then. On mine I use the adapter board that comes with it and it looks like that there is 2 diodes on it. All I do know is that using the adapter board that the track can be either polarity


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## Ward H (Jan 5, 2008)

Greg, 
I believe the confusion stems from which Revo RX is being talked about. 
The on-board RX is not polarity sensitive. If it was, then I wouldn't be able to swap the direction my locos are facing. 
The Super Receiver (originally designated as a track side receiver) is polarity sensitive since it is designed to be used with battery or right off a power pack.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks Ward, that's probably the situation... most likely the person I was working with had the on board one.... 

I do now remember that there were enough FETs on the Revo to have a FW bridge... let me look for a picture... 

Found it... yes 2 rows of 4 fets, 4 fets for motor power switching, 4 used a full wave bridge.... thanks for the correction Rod...










Greg


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## Ward H (Jan 5, 2008)

Rod, 
Pretty sure the adapter board diodes are for lighting. The on-board RX has the circuits so it is not polarity sensitive. 
(tried to edit my first post to add this but it wouldn't save)


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## Ward H (Jan 5, 2008)

Greg, is a FET similar to a diode?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep, the small diodes on the adapter boards are to provide a "common" for the lighting "outputs". 

FETs are Field Effect Transistors. Transistors are basically 2 diodes sandwiched together. Aristo apparently used them as diodes to save parts cost. 

FETs have very low "on" resistance, which means even under a lot of current, very little heat is generated (since the resistance is low) 

Greg


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## Rods UP 9000 (Jan 7, 2008)

Thanks Greg for looking at a board and finding out for sure 

Ward I just looked and yes they are in the lighting traces


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Once I thought about it, it had to be what Ward said, and I remembered the picture, I tore one apart when I reviewed it. 

Greg


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## dapharoonie (Dec 7, 2011)

Thanks so fare every one....I only plane to use the on board ,board with track power, no batteries. So does this mean I shouldn't need the bridge?

Stephen from Down Under 
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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The larger unit, was called the "trackside" originally, the 15 amp one, does definitely need the full wave bridge, again from what I have been told. 

There's a number of people who have used them, so maybe someone can chime in, I did not review that product. 

greg


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## Rods UP 9000 (Jan 7, 2008)

Stephen 
If you are using the onboard one, then no you do not need a bridge. 

Rodney


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## dapharoonie (Dec 7, 2011)

I assume using the capacitor board would be advantages as it would with DCC , from whats been said ?

Stephen from Down Under 
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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The capacitor board is much more important to a Revo, that's why they ship a small one with the unit. The Revo is unusually sensitive to power fluctuations. 

Motor only DCC decoders have no issue, they did 10 years ago, but they figured it out. 

Sound decoders do benefit from a capacitor in general, but not one so large as Aristo requires. 

Just setting the record straight. 

Greg


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