Massoth 8413102 pulsed smoke generator - analog

D

DavidCeng

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This is sound very old school ... but.... I use on board battery R/C, which is obviously DC. I use Fosworks which has great functionality equal to DCC for my needs. I have the capability to program an Arduino Nano. So far, I have ascertained that if I connect the motor to the 'track power supply' input to the smoke unit then smoke will be produced. However, can the unit cope with +/- and then -/+ (reversing)? This is not really a problem because I can use a Nano with a MOSFET to create smoke using +/-. The advantage is I can program the Nano to vary the smoke volume according to speed. The issue I have is the 'clock sensor' input. It has three wires. Does anyone know if the wire labelled 'not connected' is actually used ie is this say 5volt positive? Otherwise does the hall effect sensor 'short' the 'clock in' to GND? But this needs a supply the the hall effect detector. I can see that using DCC that the decoder might operate the fan speed using different voltages. I assume this is PWM but I do not know the frequency?
My questions are:
1. to create smoke confirm I can use a straight DC (6-14.4 volts) onto the 'track power' cable?
2. how can the fan be operated without DCC?
 
Your DC voltages are within those that the smoke generator can cope with.

Supply polarity into the 'track power' leads is not a problem.

You can use a Massoth hall effect sensor to trigger 'chuffs'.

You will need access to a DCC system, if you wish to change any of the operating parameters of the smoke unit. - Except for those controlled by the two DIP switches, obviously.

PhilP
 
PhilP,

Thank you for your reply. I am a little disappointed. One would not expect an item marketed as analogue still needed DCC input. I have built a 'smoke' system using water via an ultrasound atomiser, operated by a Nano which in turn monitors the rotation (speed, cylinder action etc) and simultaneously sends a signal to the sound card.
Please forgive my lack of DCC knowledge. It appears to me that reading the coding of the DCC decoder sends either a DC or PWM voltage to the smoke unit which operates the fan speed. Also Massoth hall effect sensor 'sends' two pulses per rotation, polarity N>S and S>N. This means on a 4 pulses per revolution the 'steam' pulse will always be delayed for one complete revolution.
This is all immaterial at the moment. If I knew the voltage of the fan I would isolate it and use the Nano to control it.

You will probably guess I am not defeated easily, but I am grateful for your input.

David
 
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