Littfinski DatenTechnik LS-DEC-BR-F Light Signal Decoder Instruction Manual
- October 27, 2023
- Littfinski DatenTechnik
Table of Contents
Littfinski DatenTechnik (LDT)
Operating Instruction
Light-Signal Decoder for light-signals with LED from the Digital-
Professional-Series !
LS-DEC-BR-F Part-No.: 510112
> > finished module <<
LS-DEC-BR-F Light Signal Decoder
Suitable for the digital systems:
Märklin-Motorola and DCC
For direct digital control of:
⇒ up to four 2- to 4- aspect British Railway (BR)-Light Signals.
⇒ up to two 2- to 4- aspect BR-Signals with direction indicator (Feather).
Realistic operation of the signal aspects by implemented dimming function and
short dark phase between the switching of the signal aspects.
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/Safety instruction:
You have purchased the Light-Signal Decoder LS-DEC-BR for your model railway
as a kit or as finished module.
The LS-DEC is a high quality product that is supplied within the
DigitalProfessional-Series of Littfinski DatenTechnik (LDT).
We wish you having a good time using this product.
The Light-Signal Decoder LS-DEC of the Digital-Professional-Series can be
easily operated on your digital model railway.
By using a connector plug bridge you can choose if you want to connect the
decoder to a Märklin-Motorola system or to a digital system with DCC standard.
The finished module comes with 24 month warranty.
- Please read the following instructions carefully. Warranty will expire due to damages caused by disregarding the operating instructions. LDT will also not be liable for any consequential damages caused by improper use or installation.
- Also, note that electronic semiconductors are very sensitive to electrostatic discharges and can be destroyed by them. Therefore, discharge yourself before touching the modules on a grounded metal surface (e.g. heater, water pipe or protective earth connection) or work on a grounded electrostatic protection mat or with a wrist strap for electrostatic protection.
- We designed our devices for indoor use only.
Connecting the decoder to your digital model railway layout:
- Attention: Before starting the installation-work switch off the layout voltage supply (switch-off the transformers or disconnect the main supply).
The Light-Signal Decoder LS-DEC is suitable for the DCC data format as used
e.g. by Lenz-Digital Plus, Roco-Digital (switching via Keyboard or multiMAUS
only; switching via Lokmaus 2® and R3® is not possible), Zimo, LGB-Digital,
Intellibox, TWIN-CENTER, DiCoStation, ECoS, EasyControl, KeyCom-DC and Arnold-
Digital / Märklin-Digital= respectively Central Station 2 (60214/60215)
whenever no connector plug bridge is inserted in position J2.
The decoder is suitable for Märklin-Digital~ / Märklin Systems or Märklin-
Motorola (e.g. Control-Unit, Central Station, Intellibox, DiCoStation, ECoS,
EasyControl, KeyCom-MM) if you insert a connector plug bridge on J2.
The decoder receives the digital information via the clamp KL2.
Connect the clamp with a rail or even better connect the clamp to an own
digital main ring supply assuring the supply of digital information to be free
from any interference.
Please attend to the marking on clamp KL2. The colors ‘red’ and ‘brown’ next
to the clamp are usually used by Märklin-Motorola systems (e.g. Märklin-
Digital~ / Märklin Systems / Intellibox DiCoStation / ECoS /EasyControl).
Lenz-Digital systems are using the letters ‘J’ and ‘K’.
In case you assemble the decoder to an Arnold-Digital (old)- or Märklin-
Digital= system, you have to connect ‘black’ to ‘K’ and ‘red’ to ‘J’.
The decoder receives the power supply via the two poles clamp KL1.
The voltage shall be within a range of 14…18V~ (alternate voltage output of a
model rail road transformer).
If you do not want to supply voltage separately from a transformer to the LS-
DEC decoder you can connect the clamp KL1 to clamp KL2 with two wires. In this
case the decoder will get the power supply completely from the digital
network.
Connecting the signals:
General:
Up to 4 signals can be connected to the Light-Signal Decoder LS-DEC.Two
signals per each 11poles clamp bar. The connection sequence ofthe two clamps
is identical. The following description refers mainly to oneclamp only. As you
can see at the identical markings the description isalso valid for the second
clamp.
Common connection:
All LED-signals of any manufacturer are designed in accordance to the same
principle. One wire of all light emitting diodes of a signal will be generally
connected to a common cable. Depending if all anodes or all cathodes are
connected together the signals will be called as common anodes- respectively
common cathodes-signal.
If you use signals with common anodes you have to clamp this cable to the
connection marked ‘+’. In addition you shall not insert the connection plug
bridge in J1 in this case. If you use signals with common cathodes you have to
clamp this cable to the connection marked ‘-‘. In this case you shall insert
the connection plug bridge in J1.
The second connection of each light emitting diode is separated and mostly
color marked at the end and contains a series resistor.
Series resistors:
Light emitting diodes have always to be operated with a suitable series
resistor to prevent that they will be destroyed. For this prevention all
outputs contain already a series resistor of 330 Ohm integrated on the printed
circuit board of the Light-Signal Decoder LS-DEC. Is there no further external
resistor available the diode-current will be about 10 mA. This provides
sufficient brightness.
For assigning the single cables of the light emitting diodes to the correct
clamp connection please attend to the below signal images.
The marks next to signal light diodes are not corresponding to the actual
light-color but to the marking of the connection at the LightSignal Decoder
LS-DEC.
If you do not know the correct allocation of the single wires to the light
emitting diodes you can test the function by connecting the wires to clamp
RT1. This output is active because the decoder switches all signals to red
after switching on.
- Two 2- to 4-aspect signals on each clamp bar:
- One 2- to 4-aspect Signal with direction indicator (Feather) for each clamp bar:
Further sample connections are available at the internet on our WebSite (www .ldt-infocenter.com) at the section “Sample Connections”Additionally you can find detailed information about the Light- Signal Decoder LS-DEC-BR at our Web site within the section “DigitalCompendium”.
Programming the decoder address:
-
The jumper J3 has to be inserted for the programming of the decoder addresses.
-
Switch-on the power supply of your model rail way.
-
Activate the programming key S1.
-
At least two light emitting diodes on a signal connected to the left clamp block (on this decoder side is the programming key S1) will be automatically switched over every 1.5 seconds in a flashing mode. This indicates that the decoder is in the programming mode.
-
Press now one key of the fourfold address-group to be assigned to the left clamp block of the decoder. For programming the decoder address you can as well release a turnout switch signal via your model railway software.
Remarks: The decoder addresses for magnet accessories also to be used for switching the signal-aspects are combined into groups of four. The address 1 to 4 will be the first group. The address 5 to 8 will be the second group etc. Each clamp block of a LS-DEC decoder can be assigned to any of these groups. It does not matter which of the eight possible keys used for programming will be activated. The decoder stores always the complete group of keys.
If the Light-Signal Decoder LS-DEC shall control on this clamp bar two 2 to 4 aspect signals or one 2 to 4 aspect signal with direction indicator (Feather) this has to be adjusted together with the decoder address. If you activate within the programming mode one key of the desired group of four keys designated for switching a turnout straight or a signal to green the decoder will be set for the controlling of two 2- to 4- aspect signals.
If you activate a key for switching a turnout round or a signal to red you have selected the option to switch one 2- to 4-aspect signal with direction indicator (Feather). For both programming modes (left and right clamp bar) you can individual select if two 2- to 4- aspect signals or one 2- to 4-aspect signal with direction indicator (Feather) shall be digital controlled. -
If the decoder has recognized the assignment correctly the connected light emitting diode will flash a little faster. Afterwards the flashing slows down to the initial 1.5 seconds again.
In case the decoder will not recognize the address it could be that the two digital information connections (clamp 2) are wrong connected.
For testing this, switch off the power supply, exchange the connection on KL2 and start addressing again. -
Press now the programming key S1 again. At least two light emitting diodes connected to the right clamp block will flash now.
Repeat the programming of this fourfold-address block as described above. -
Now press the programming key S1 a third time for leaving the programming mode. All signals will be automatically switched to STOP.
Signal switching:
The opposite sample connections show how the fourfold addressgroup can be set
by use of 8 keys of the push button panel for setting the turnouts or signals.
Between each pair of keys are e.g. the addresses 1 to 4. The two keys red and
green for each address are assigned to the turnout position round or straight
respectively the corresponding signal aspect which is indicated above or below
key.
The actual address section is related to which fourfold address-group has been
selected during the programming.
If you use a remote control LH100 of Company Lenz Elektronik then red will be
the minus key and green the plus key.
-
Two 2- to 4-aspect signals on each clamp bar:
If you have adjusted the Light-Signal Decoder LS-DEC-BR for switching two 2- to 4-aspect signals by programming one clamp bar as shown at picture left under 1 you can e.g. switch the first signal to drive with address 1 and key green.
The LED marked with GN indicates this at the first signal.
Please activate the key green of the address 3 and the second signal will be switched to drive. The LED marked with GN1.
The first signal will be always switched via the address 1 and 2. The second signal of the clamp bar will be switched via the address 3 and 4 of the programmed four fold address group. -
One 2- to 4-aspect signal with direction indicator (Feather) on each clamp bar:
If you have adjusted the LS-DEC-BR by programming the address of one clamp bar for switching one 2- to 4-aspect signal with direction indicator (Feather) the picture left under 2 will indicate the status.
Via the two first addresses of the clamp bar of this programmed four fold address group is it possible to switch the four signal aspects. At the sample 2 this will indicate the addresses 1 and 2.
Via the third address of the programmed four fold address group is it possible to switch the direction indicator (Feather) on or off. The direction indicator (Feather) will lighten exemplary only if one of the three drive aspects will be indicated. If the signal indicates stop the direction indicator (Feather) will not lighten.
For the signal aspects drive slow and drive medium is it possible to switch the function flashing on or off via the fourth address of the programmed four fold address group.
Attention:
The Light-Signal Decoder LS-DEC switches the signal aspects not just on and
off but is dimming the light emitting diodes realistic up and down.
Even between the signal aspects a short off-phase is provided. Further digital
commands received during this switch-over-time of about 0.4 seconds will not
be taken up from the decoder. Please take care that the switching-commands are
not in a to fast sequence. The impression is absolutely realistic if the
switching is considerable slow.
If the jumper J3 will be removed after programming of the decoder addresses
the memory storage of the Light-Signal Decoder LS-DEC will be protected
against any alteration.
Made in Europe by
Littfinski DatenTechnik (LDT)
Bühler electronic GmbH
Ulmenstraße 43
15370 Fredersdorf / Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 33439 / 867-0
Internet: www.ldt-infocenter.com
Subject to technical changes and errors. © 09/2022 by LDT
Märklin and Motorola are registered trademarks.