I have received my 4 output CSB-1 and I'm hoping to connect it in the next couple of weeks. I've looked through the online manual and I didn't see mention of overload protection. I assume I can do this with traditional bulbs connected between the track and CSB-1. I'm going to purchase a 12V 6A power supply. I'll be putting the whole thing in a plastic enclosure so I plan to add a 40mm fan to that box.
It might not be mentioned explicitly but the CSB1 has inbuilt overload protection, it's part of the standard DCC-EX code base. You can configure the trip current setting using the EX-Installer app. It works by measuring the current drawn through the motor driver chip, then disabling the driver for a short time if the limit is exceeded. The driver will be momentarily enabled again and if it trips again it will be disabled for longer. If the overload is persistent this disable/re-enable repeats, getting longer with each iteration until it finally disables completely. This allows for momentary overloads to be dealt with safely while still providing protection against hard shorts. If you have a display connected there will be a message for each time it detects an overload.
You don't need the bulbs or anything else. It has protection built in (as mentioned by dotzen -- was typing while he posted) and you can change it if you need too. I believe with the CSB1 and the 8874 motor-shield (which I'm assuming you also have) the current is limited at a little over 4.5 amps when you set them with the auto-installer or come set like that. If you have a power supply under 5 amps (20 amps for all 4 track outputs) you would want to lower that to what is safe for what the power supply can put out. Also if you are N you might not want 5 amps to all the outputs even if you have a power supply that is capable of that. I had 5 amp power supplies with my Tam Valley boosters (8 districts) and had the jumper on them set to trip at 2 amps as I felt there was no need to have 5 amps to the rails If I was never going to use anywhere near that with my N scale locos. Now I'm switching from the Tam Valley boosters to 8 districts with 4 Arduino 'clone' motor-shields (2 tracks each) and they are each limited to 1.5 amps per district....plenty for me. You can set the current limit in the config file. Sumner
Update: You can run the EX-Installer and override the default track currents that are set automatically when you select a motor shield. The following link describes that and other options with the EX-Installer.... https://dcc-ex.com/ex-installer/installing.html# Down the page a ways you will find... "Override current limit Enabling this option will allow you to override the default current limit." Sumner
Sorry for the slow reply. Dad's got some scary stuff in hospital coming up and trains are taking a back seat. The CSB-1 I bought is fully assembled and configured and I've yet to connect it up to a power supply and track. It is the model with four track outputs. Not needing to put a overload protection into the system is great. It did come with a screen as supplied. I'm going to mount the CSB-1 into a plastic box and I read some where in the instructions to keep any metal screws etc away from the wi-fi aerial. So where is the wi-fi aerial on this thing?
The top board is the 8874 Motor Driver. Underneath it is the CSB-1. The bit poking out past the edge of the CSB-1 at the other end of the board to the green power terminals is the WiFi antenna. See the pic on the DCC-EX web page for details. https://dcc-ex.com/_images/csb1_render_layout_top.png A small metal screw wont have much effect on the WiFi unless you jam it right up against the antenna. Mounting the unit anywhere in that plastic enclosure will be fine. I'm guessing that you bought yours from Paul, it's got his nice purple boards and nifty plastic base. He seems to be online 24/7, a true nerd, he's answered any questions I have almost instantly.
I did get it from Paul but it was late so I posted here. I'm far from brilliant with electronics / electrical stuff so I do tend to ask lots of dumb questions. Somewhere in the DCC-EX web page it mentions not letting the boards get too hot so I figure I will put a 40mm computer fan and filter in the clear top of that box and put the aerial in a slot where the air is exhausted out the side. I'm going to add 4 x 5 pin DIN plugs in the side of the box so I can plug in a track as needed. I will test the CSB-1 before it goes in the box.
Test it, load it up and see how hot it gets. You may not need a fan, just some vent slots. 40c should be fine, 60c maybe a small fan. I'd look at stick on heat sinks before adding a fan, but I've worked way too long in noisy places and I detest hearing fans when they don't need to be there. Hope your old mans ok, I'm doing 300k's a day to visit mine in hospital. I hope they kick him out soon.
Thank you very much regarding dad. He is home after 11 days post operation care. it was an 8 hour operation. The nurses and surgeons are wonderful people. He has many more appointments to full recovery and each time we meet more people looking after him. He is getting better , he helped me wash his car today so that's a very good sign. I thought I had it tough with a 80k round trip to hospital but 300 is really going the extra mile/s. I really hope your dad is better soon too and he gats to go home and get back to normal. When I have a family member or friend become ill it's in my mind on and off throughout the dad and it concerns me. When they are in hospital and the complex and scary details are right there in front of me it takes over everything. I don't panic but I know my concentration on driving is less than 100% on the way home from hospital. Stay safe on those journeys, our families need us and we need them. ......... oh and something about a fan , , blah , blah , blah.
