Littfinski DatenTechnik RM-GB-8-N-B 8-fold Track Occupancy Detector Instruction Manual

: October 30, 2023
: Littfinski DatenTechnik

Table of Contents

Littfinski DatenTechnik RM-GB-8-N-B 8-fold Track Occupancy Detector
Product Information
Product Usage Instructions
Information
Introduction
General
Set-Up
Assembly List
Soldering instruction
General installation information
Warranty
Contact
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

Littfinski DatenTechnik RM-GB-8-N-B 8-fold Track Occupancy Detector

Product Information

The Littfinski DatenTechnik (LDT) Feedback Module is a kit that comes with an integrated 8-fold track occupancy detector. It is designed for use with the s88-feedback bus from the Digital-Professional-Series. The part number for this kit is RM-GB-8-N-B and the manufacturer’s part number is 320101.

Product Usage Instructions

Before using the Feedback Module, ensure that you have all the necessary components and tools required for assembly.

Begin by carefully unpacking all the components and laying them out on a clean, flat surface.
Assemble the Feedback Module according to the instructions provided in the kit. Make sure to follow the instructions carefully to avoid any mistakes.
Once the module is assembled, connect it to the s88-feedback bus from the Digital Professional Series.
To use the 8-fold track occupancy detector, connect it to the tracks that you wish to monitor. The detector will provide feedback on which sections of track are occupied.
Test the Feedback Module to ensure that it is working correctly. If you encounter any issues, refer to the troubleshooting guide provided in the user manual.

Once you have successfully assembled and tested the Feedback Module, you can use it to monitor track occupancy and improve the functionality of your digital model railway system.

Information

controls up to 8 different tracks (current detection from 0,001[1mA] up to 3 amperes).
integrated voltage control (avoiding “track free” feedback in case of power failures).
separated by opto isolation (between track voltage and feedback bus).
s88 standard connections and s88N(5V) (with 6-poles s88-pinbars and RJ-45 sockets].
suitable for following digital control systems: Märklin CS1 and 2, CS3 (plus) over L88 with 5V, Twin- Center, Intellibox, HSI-88(-USB), EasyControl, ECoS, DiCoStation.

This product is not a toy! Not suitable for children under 14 years of age! The kit contains small parts, which should be kept away from children under 3! Improper use will imply danger of injuring due to sharp edges and tips! Please store this instruction carefully.

Introduction

You have purchased the 8-fold feedback module RM-GB-8-N with integrated detection of track occupancy for your model railway. The RM-GB-8-N is a high quality product that is supplied within the assortment of Littfinski DatenTechnik (LDT).
We are wishing you having a good time using this product.
Feedback modules RM-GB-8-N of the Digital-Professional- Series can be operated with your digital model railway without any problems.
The RM-GB-8-N is suitable for all digital model railways with s88 feedback bus.

General

Tools required for the assembly

Please assure that the following tools are available:

a small side cutter
a mini soldering iron with a small tip
solder tin (if possible 0.5mm diameter)

Safety Instructions

We designed our devices for indoor use only.
All electrical and electronic components included in this kit shall be used on low voltage only by using a tested and approved voltage transducer (transformer). All components are sensitive to heat. During soldering the heat shall be applied for a very short period only.
The soldering iron develops up to 400°C. Please keep continual attention to this tool. Keep sufficient distance to combustible material. Use a heat resistant pad for this work.
This kit consist of small parts, which can be possibly swallowed from children. Children (especially under 3 years) shall not participate on the assembly without supervision.

Set-Up

For the board assembly please follow exact the sequence of the below assembly list. Cross each line off as done after completing the insertion and the soldering of the respective part. For the diodes please keep special attention to the correct polarity (marked line for the cathode).
With reason to different makes of electrolytic capacitor you will find different markings of the polarity. Some are marked with “+” and some are marked with “-“. Each capacitor has to be assembled to the board that the marking on the capacitor is in correspondence with the marking on the pc-board.
Integrated circuits (ICs) are either marked with a half round notch on one end or a printed point for the correct mounting position. Push the ICs into the correct socket assuring that the notch or the printed point is corresponding to the half-rounded marking on the pc-board.
Please attend to the sensitivity of the ICs to electrostatic discharge, which will cause immediate damage of the IC. Before touching those components please discharge yourself by contacting an earthed metal (e.g. radiator) or work with an electrostatic safety pad.
Before assembling the clamps please connect the 2-pole and the 3-pole clamps together to a block with 14 connections.
Please glue the below two label onto the RJ-45 sockets for the identification of the output socket BU1 (wire directed to the central unit) and BU2 (wire from the next feedback unit).

Assembly List

Pos.	Qty.	Component	Note	Ref.
1	1	Printed Circuit Board
2	8	Resistors 39Ohm	orange-white-black-gold	R1…R8
3	1	Resistor 1MOhm	brown-black-black-yellow	R9
4	2	Resistors 4,7kOhm	yellow-violet-black-brown	R10, R17
5	4	Resistors 22kOhm	red-red-black-red	R11…R14
6	1	Resistor 82kOhm	gray-red-black-red	R15
7	1	Resistor 100kOhm	brown-black-black-orange	R16
8	1	IC-Socket 18poles		IC1
9	4	IC-Sockets 16poles		IC2, 3, 5, 6
10	1	IC-Socket 8poles		IC4
11	3	Capacitors 100nF	100nF = 104	C1…C3
12	1	Resonator 2MHz		CR1
13	1	Electrolytic-cap. 22uF/25V	attend to the polarity!	C4
14	2	6 Pin contact bar header		ST1, ST2
15	32	Diodes BY251	attend to the polarity!	D1…D32
16	6	Clamps 3poles	form blocks before assembly	KL1…KL6
17	1	Clamp 2poles	form blocks before assembly	KL7
18	2	RJ45 Sockets		BU1, BU2
19	1	IC: Z86E0…	attend to the polarity!	IC1
20	1	IC: 4052	attend to the polarity!	IC2
21	1	IC: 4014	attend to the polarity!	IC3
22	1	IC:LTV824	attend to the polarity!	IC4
23	2	IC:LTV844	attend to the polarity!	IC5, IC6
			End Control

Soldering instruction

Provided you have no special experience in soldering electronic components please read first this soldering instruction before starting the job. Soldering has to be trained!

Never use additional fluxes for soldering electronic circuits which contain acids (e.g. zinc chloride or ammonium chloride). Those can destroy components and printed circuits when not washed off completely.
As soldering material only lead free soldering tin with a rosin core for fluxing should be used.
Use a small soldering iron with max 30 Watt heating power. The solder tip shall be free from scale to assure an excellent heat transfer to the area to be soldered.
The soldering shall be performed on a speedy way because a long heat transfer can destroy the components. To much or to long heating can take off the copper pads and copper tracks from the board.
For a good soldering a well tinned solder-tip has to be brought in contact to the copper-pad and the component wire at the same time. Simultaneous a little solder-tin shall be applied for heating up. As soon as the solder-tin starts melting the tin wire has to be taken away. Just wait until the tin has well wetted the pad and the wire and take the soldering iron away from the soldering area.
Make sure not to move the just soldered component for about 5 seconds after removing the soldering iron. This should create a silver shining faultless soldering joint.
For a faultless soldering joint and well done soldering is a clean nonoxidized soldering-tip absolutely required. It is not possible to perform a sufficient soldering joint with a dirty soldering tip. Therefore please clean the soldering tip from excessive solder-tin and dirt by using a wet sponge or a silicone cleaning pad after each soldering process.
After completion of the soldering all connection wires have to be cutted off directly above the soldering joint by using a side cutter.
By soldering semiconductors (transistors, diodes), LEDs and ICs is it very important never to exceed the soldering time of 5 seconds to prevent the destruction of the component. It is absolutely required to attend to the correct polarity of the component before starting the soldering process.
After the board assembly carefully control the pc-board about correct insertion of the components and the correct polarity. Please check if no connections or copper tracks are accidentally short circuited by soldering tin. This can not only result to malfunction of the module but also result to a destruction of expensive components.
Please take into account that improper soldering joints, wrong connections, faulty operation or wrong board assembly is not a matter within our sphere of influence.

General installation information

The contact-wires of resistors and diodes to be assembled in a lying position shall be bended in accordance to the raster distance into a right angular position and assembled into the specified bores (in accordance to the board assembly plan or the assembly markings). To prevent that the components will not fall out by turn-over the pc-board please bend the connection wires about 45° apart and solder them carefully to the copper pads on the rear side of the board. Finally the excessive wires shall be cutted off with a small side cutter.

The resistors in the supplied kits are metal-foil resistors. Those have a tolerance of 1% and are marked with a brown “tolerance-ring”. The tolerance ring can be identified by the larger margin distance respectively the larger distance to the other four marking rings. Normally there are five color rings on the metal-foil resistors. To read the color code you have to locate the resistor that way that the brown tolerance ring will be on the right side. The color rings will be red now from left to right! Please take care to assemble diodes with the correct polarity (position of the cathode marking). Take care about a very short soldering time! The same will apply to the transistors and the integrated circuits (IC`s). The flat side of the transistors has to correspond with the marking on the pcboard.

The transistor legs should never be assembled in a crossed position. Further those components should have a distance of about 5mm to the board. Attend to the short soldering time to prevent the damage of the component by excessive heat.

Capacitors shall be assembled into the respective marked bores, the wires to be bent a little apart and careful soldered to the copper pad. By the assembly of electrolytic capacitors (electrolytic cap) it has to be attended to the correct polarity (+,-)! Wrong-way soldered electrolytic capacitors can explode during the application! Therefore is it very important to check the correct polarity two- or even better three-times. In addition it has to be attended to the correct capacitor values, e.g. n10 = 100pF (not 10nF!).

A careful and clean assembly will drastically reduce the possibility that anything will not be in correct function. Check every step and every soldering joint two times before carrying on! Attend closely to the assembly list! Perform the described step not different and do not skip any step! Mark each step as done at the foreseen column after assembly and careful check. Take your time. Private work is no piece-work because the time for careful assembly work is much less than an extensive fault diagnosis.

Final assembly

Sockets and integrated circuits (IC´s) of the kits will be supplied on a piece of foam to assure safe transport. This foam shall never be used below or between components as this foam is electrical conductive. In case the kit will be taken into operation the conductive foam can produce a short circuitry and destroy the complete kit. Anyhow the function of the module will not be as expected.

Warranty

As we have no influence to the proper and correct assembly we have to limit our warranty to the complete supply and the faultless quality of the components.

We guarantee the function of the components in accordance to the identified values within a non-assembled condition of the parts and the compliance of the technical data of the circuit by attending to the respective soldering instruction and the specified start of operation of the module including connection and operation. Further demands are not accepted. We are not taking over any warranty nor any liability for any harm or sequential damage connected to this product. We reserve our right for a repair, rework, supply of replacement or refund of the purchase price.

The following criteria will result to a non-repair respectively to a lost of right to claim under guarantee:

if acid-containing soldering tin or fluxes with corrosive content and others have been used
if the kit has been improper soldered or assembled
by alterations or repair-trials on the device
by own circuit amendments
by construction of non-intended improper displacement of components, free wiring of components etc.
application of other non-original kit-components
by damaging of copper tracks or soldering copper pads on the board
by wrong assembly and the sub sequential damages
overloading the module
by damages caused by intervention of foreign persons
by damages caused by disregarding the operation manual respectively the connection plan
by connecting a wrong voltage respectively a wrong current
by wrong polarity connection of the module
by wrong operation or damages caused by negligent usage or abuse
by defects caused by bridged or wrong fuses.