# PB11 Sound and Rev question



## krogerssolar (Jan 8, 2009)

Hi again i have one other question i just got my new Santa Fe warbonnet Dash-9 im wiring it to be in a MU setup along with a new PB11 sound board i have the sound working in it in this unit i have wired in a set of mu Wire to go to my other BNSF H2 unit for sound where i will remove my PB9 setup to go to a Alco unit and to trigger wires for bell and horn so i can use my santa fe or bnsf has the head units. is this going to work if i have two AUX wires from the Rev wired together ie two wires from one loco and the to same aux wires from the other unit connected to the sound triggers. so that the card is in one loco but i get sound out of both and can run one or the other as my main head unit. any one done this.

Thanks Kevin 



ill post some photos and a video once i get it looking like a loco again and will post my dicth light work that i used from Dave Bodnar


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

You could combine the aux wires, but I think you want diodes to isolate the 2 revos from each other..., i.e. 2 diodes on each of the trigger inputs on the phoenix. Then the diodes go to each revo. This way ensures the phoenix cannot "connect" the 2 revos together. 

Perhaps Dave Bodnar will comment on this if it's needed or just being safe. If I think logically (ha ha), you have just paralleled 2 open collector transistors that pull to ground, so most likely unnecessary. It's just my policy to make sure any time I parallel triggers like this to really be sure of isolation. Old habit that has paid off. 

Regards, Greg


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## krogerssolar (Jan 8, 2009)

Thanks for that Greg i was contemplating diodes on this setup but wasn't sure its better to be safe than sorry ill see if Dave responds to this


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## krogerssolar (Jan 8, 2009)

Greg what Diode would you recommend i have a few just need to look at what they are again i soldered in two last night in to my setup when i tested it i still have continuity out of my wires in the front and rear of my loco that i wired i put the Trigger wire in front of the line on the Diode where it cant come back i thought unless im missing something there but from the common wire to my other to trigger wire i had contact.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

small "signal" diodes, the tiny ones with the glass body, usually 1n914 type... Radio Shack has them. 

The diode "arrow" should point "into" the Revos. My understanding is that you want to be able to control the same sound card from 2 different places/decoders. 

I cannot quite decode the rest of your post, can you re-state what you are asking if I am not understanding you? 

Regards, Greg


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## krogerssolar (Jan 8, 2009)

basically right now how its wired REV Triggers Wire is here ______|


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## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By krogerssolar on 15 Dec 2010 11:18 AM 
Hi again i have one other question i just got my new Santa Fe warbonnet Dash-9 im wiring it to be in a MU setup along with a new PB11 sound board i have the sound working in it in this unit i have wired in a set of mu Wire to go to my other BNSF H2 unit for sound where i will remove my PB9 setup to go to a Alco unit and to trigger wires for bell and horn so i can use my santa fe or bnsf has the head units. is this going to work if i have two AUX wires from the Rev wired together ie two wires from one loco and the to same aux wires from the other unit connected to the sound triggers. so that the card is in one loco but i get sound out of both and can run one or the other as my main head unit. any one done this.

Thanks Kevin 



ill post some photos and a video once i get it looking like a loco again and will post my dicth light work that i used from Dave Bodnar




Kevin - I have never tried what you describe but would stick with the diodes that Greg suggested just to be safe. Strange things can happen when you connect two different devices together! 


Let us know how it works out.

dave


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Kevin, measuring a diode with a ohmmeter depends on the polarity of your measurement, they ohmmeter typically uses DC, so one direction the diode will conduct and the other it won't. 

I can answer your last question better if you confirm/answer the question I asked: 

My understanding is that you want to be able to control the same sound card from 2 different places/decoders. 

Is my "understanding" of what you are trying to do correct? Not understanding the problem completely, I can't answer any further... 

Regards, Greg


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## krogerssolar (Jan 8, 2009)

Greg your spot on that's what im trying i don't get a reading back when i don't have it hooked to the sound card if i have the diode hooked to the pb11 card and i trigger it then i see a reading not hooked and triggered no readingim not sure if the pb11 is connecting it some ware but i don't get why i get a reading when its hooked to the pb11 and then no reading when its not wired to it


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Don't try to get a reading with a meter... the revo should pull it's "output" to ground when triggered. 

So 2 revos, each has a diode on it's "output"... then the two wires from the 2 revos go to the appropriate trigger on the Phoenix... 

If you need to test you take one diode and connect to ground... either diode to ground should trigger the Phoenix... 

If you were trying to measure with a meter, you would want the meter on volts and measure voltage on the wire... it should be "high" when not triggered, and go very close to ground (0 volts) when triggered. 

If you are trying to debug this, only hook up one revo and get it working first. 

Be careful of the mistake many beginners make, wanting to be "done" too soon, so "hook everything up" and if it does not work, they are lost. 

Connect and test your system piece by piece... 

Connect one revo and make sure it triggers. 

Then connect the next one and see if now you can trigger with each one.. 

At each point if it stops working, go back a step. 

Regards, Greg


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## krogerssolar (Jan 8, 2009)

Thanks Greg im still working out other bugs on another setup for this loco so im still on one dash 9 for now i was on the wrong setting then on my voltmeter then i was i think on resistance not volts ill test it out when i get home and see if its going to work


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## krogerssolar (Jan 8, 2009)

ok i tested on my wires behind the diode and when i trigger i get -2.00 volts when i do it on the sound card side i get +2.00 volts


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

When you measure voltage, you must use the minus lead to ground. which ground are you using? 

Does the sound trigger properly? 

Greg


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## krogerssolar (Jan 8, 2009)

i am using the Rev Aux ground to the -lead on my meter in this loco sound triggers fine i just see it do a -2.00V when i connect on the blocked side of the diode on the Trigger wire side i get +2.00V i need to wire my other dash 9 and give it a try. ill try and get some photos up over the weekend to show. what I'm trying. im just not sure if seeing a - voltage behind the Diode is normal when triggered


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

You have not indicated battery or track power. There needs to be a ground reference between the sound board and the revo. I need to double check, because I know there are situations where you cannot connect the grounds as would seem obvious. 

The first thing to try is eliminate the diode, and make sure the sound triggers fine with just a wire on the "trigger line". 

I'll research the grounds, but please give me the rest of the setup. 

Greg


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## K27_463 (Jan 2, 2008)

When the REVO first came out , due to the way the ground was done on the revo, there were some issues with Phoenix. Phoenix fixed it with a software update. Phoenix has a diagram they will send you , but it should be correct in the new PB11 manual. As the PB11 is new, it will have the latest design. With a 4 volt swing in your measurements, sounds like ground is not really ground someplace.A single diode cannot create a 4 v drop. 

Jonathan/EMW


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## krogerssolar (Jan 8, 2009)

its running of battery and there is no ground connected from the rev Aux wire just the Blue Green orange and red wires are on it along with the power inputs from the loco sound pwr port and the speaker wires out and the pb11 3.0 volt pack no aux ground wire on it. i have the blue and green wires hooked to diodes to go to a four wire connector so PB11 in & Rev blue or Green wire _______|


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

So does it work when the diode is also installed? 

Greg


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## krogerssolar (Jan 8, 2009)

yes i just havent tried the other loco yet wasnt sure if this was a normal to see


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

if it works on one loco with the diode, the other should be fine, just set up the same way. 

But you may have to also connect ground between the two locos... 

Are you using battery or track power? You referenced 13v pack, sounds like battery. 

Regards, Greg


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## krogerssolar (Jan 8, 2009)

i run 19.2 volt battery cars so battery with mu jumper between loco's along with a wire inside the loco's to bypass the poly fuse so battery


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## krogerssolar (Jan 8, 2009)

Okay here's the update to my dash 9/ pb11 install i had no luck wiring both dash 9 Revs together to trigger the bell and horn this was along with tying the grounds across and diodes installed o well there if i need to trigger it ill select the mu loco on the transmitter how ever the wiring of both speakers works fine cant tell which has sound when there together im working on video for that along with the ditch lights in action here is a link to a few photos i have right now http://63.237.124.133


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Hmm... should have worked... I'll bet you can't get the one that does not have the Phoenix to trigger by itself... You could check that one connected alone... 

You did have the diode band "towards" the revo, right? 

Greg


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## krogerssolar (Jan 8, 2009)

Greg yes i do have the bands towards the Rev and no go that way i didn't take the loco apart and get to the pb11 to try just the wires from the other unit it was worth a shot maybe ill give it a go again sometime next week and see if without diodes works or if i wired it wrong from the diodes. 

Greg doesn't the diode band need to be on the device side along with one rev wire other wise if its revered it wouldn't work right that's how i wired it in this loco then the other side has the other rev input


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## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By krogerssolar on 23 Dec 2010 09:24 AM 
Greg yes i do have the bands towards the Rev and no go that way i didn't take the loco apart and get to the pb11 to try just the wires from the other unit it was worth a shot maybe ill give it a go again sometime next week and see if without diodes works or if i wired it wrong from the diodes. 

Greg doesn't the diode band need to be on the device side along with one rev wire other wise if its revered it wouldn't work right that's how i wired it in this loco then the other side has the other rev input 
Kevin - the circuit that we have recommended does work, at least to light a single LED from two Revolution receivers. I put together a test this afternoon and posted a photo and my notes as an addendum to the article on controlling a relay with the Revolution. Have a look here:

Addendum to relay article

dave


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## krogerssolar (Jan 8, 2009)

Dave thanks for that photo and info i think i missed a wire or reversed a diode somewhere ill take my locos apart tonight and see Thanks Kevin


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## krogerssolar (Jan 8, 2009)

Ok Guys i got it working had installed the diodes backwards im working on a video now ill post my pics when i get my web server backup at work then i can post some better pics wired the bell, horn, Doppler effect, and ground all works Thanks Dave for your info


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## krogerssolar (Jan 8, 2009)

ok finally got my web server up and updated still working on my video need to re edit it but the website is http://63.237.124.133/ for the photos


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## krogerssolar (Jan 8, 2009)

OK got the video finally up on the web at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4FF2aMGiZs and add some comments to the photos on the web http://63.237.124.133


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