Hello Simon, I know its been a few year since you have done this video. But just would like to thank you for the show how, t is the clearest video I have seen. So have just ordered six. So wish me luck. Thanks Mick
I have 32 on my layout .i previously used seeps but had loads of problems. No problems with the cobalt motors very pleased .expensive but worth it for better running .very good vid Simon
john lee Thanks John, good to hear that the Cobalts are working well, I'm really impressed with them so far. Surprised one of my Seeps failed already as it hasn't really had that much use, if any more go I'll definitely replace them with Cobalts.
One thing I'd like to ask is this... so all track has been laid and trains are running fine and now it's time to add some point motors. How do you drill the hole beneath the point when the point has already been laid. I guess a tiny 2mm hole could be drilled from above through the hole in the point where the point motor wire goes through and then from beneath the baseboard widen that hole without going too far and damaging the point? Is this the best option?? Most point motor installation videos show installation with points not already fixed to baseboard.
Maybe a little bit of nail varnish inside the point blades would fix it? I have some OO gauge Peco Bullhead points and they are not cheap. I might experiment with this before removing the spring, I know the snapping of the point blades is not realistic, but the thought of potentially wrecking my Bullhead points is not a good one. Thanks for posting your experiences though.
I didn't realise they made a digital (DCC) plug-and-play version, I had dismissed the cobalt motors previously but I will certainly be using them on my new layout, thank's Simon!
Yes I think it was a while after the 'analog' version was released until they did the digital version, but have to say I'm really impressed with them so far.
Simons Shed I have now downloaded and studied the manual and the Cobalt Digital motor can also run a Dapol Semaphore Signal too. Two wire from the DCC bus to the signal and the other two wires, from the signal, to the Cobalt Motor. Excellent!
I definitely need these in my life! I am currently using Hornby decoders, points and motors and they are just not reliable enough. I'm moving house shortly so my current layout will soon be no more, so it'll be a good opportunity to install Peco track which seems to look superior. Thanks for your great videos.
Can I ask why you don’t put the bar through the hole in the middle of the point, it looks like you use part of the payslip outside the rails ? I only ask as I have cut all those bits off on mine 🤔🙄
Simon, I am trying to fit my first Cobalt Digital ip point motor on my DCC layout. As DCC layout is always powered ,ie, tracks, points including frogs. The two arms of the "V" are always on opposite polarity. So, where should I solder the Green wire?. If I solder the Green wire at the "V", will I not short-circuit the whole layout?
Excellent review Simon! I bought some of these at the Newark show last year after talking to the guy from DCC concepts who was over here demonstrating their wares. Have worried now and then if I made the right choice, as not installed them yet, but this video definitely eases any concerns I might have had. From what I can see, their items seem to be expensive but great quality and clever. Thanks for a nicely explained review as always! :) - Sim
I think £21 is a fair price given how it only costs a smidgin more than buying a regular Peco motor & a train tech single decoder but it's all self contained. I think it's a great product. Now I need a layout to get them for now lol
Hi Simon For once I'm ahead of you :) I have 16 of these on my layout and I don't regret fitting them. So far after about 6 months no problems at all. I use a control board so have extra wires to my push to make switches. I've also fitted frog juices not really needed but it's belts and braces ;) Next on the list is some leds to show which way the points are set. Only got about half of them on my DCC controller I like presses buttons ;) Mike
Reefy1952 Hi Mike, glad to hear there are no problems with the cobalts after a longer test than mine! They are great and worth the cost I think. I can see how a control board and real switches is appealing, a lot of DCC controllers make it too fiddly to control points but I'm liking the way the z21 does it so far.
Simon ,I was onto NCE who recommeded to buy a DB5 booster and EB1 one's to operat the point motors so I have, will I need a second bus bar just for the points or just link the DB5 into sb3a.Points work well when programed so I got some more.Hope you can help.
Simon, I see that there is now an updated "IP" version of this. I'm, struggling to see what the difference is though? Could it be that there is no longer any need to remove the spring?
Ken Toogood Hmmm hadn't seen those, looks like they have added some electronics so that it can cope with a wider range of input voltages, thats the only difference I can see.
Simon I'm new to dcc, your cobalt wiring diagram ref. the green wire to the point vee is that green wire soldered to the track there and does it matter which side it's soldered to thanks Jack
Jack Brown You need to solder it to the "V" bit of the point, not the left or right, its the middle bit on the end of point with the 2 tracks, there is a "V" shape in the middle, anywhere on the V should be fine.
So they have a built in decoder? i would use these pads too they dampen the sound, can you make 2 of these point operate together with a 2 point setup?
Yes the Digital ones have a built in decoder (they also do an analogue version I believe) You could just set 2 to the same DCC address and operate a 2 point setup, yes. Or some DCC controllers allow you to link multiple points up in a 'route' so pressing 1 button operates 2 (or more) points. The latest version is called Cobalt IP Digital which have a few improvements over these,
Simon Have you any plans to wire up a panel with leads showing witch way points are turned.With the Dcc Concepts Digital, as I'm changing over to them.
Sounds like a good idea for a video (even if I just show how to do it with 1 point motor and a couple of LEDs rather than a whole panel) but not sure when I'll be able to get around to doing it. I'd also need to figure how to do it first!
Simon I am constructing an HO layout in Australia and am looking at using cobalt digital point motors. Has your experience been positive your comments would be appreciated regards David
+Paul Garwood Fleischmann points have dead, non-powered, frogs. And a spring that is easy to remove. I see no reason why they shouldn't work like a charm.
Very illuminating - thanks for posting. A quick question if I may - is there any problem in wiring two of these motors to operate together (such as for a crossover)? Regards, Alasdair
Hi Alasdair, I had that same question regarding interlocking two points to complete a switch from one track to another when they should be both set at the same time and sent an email to Rand Cooley at DCC Concepts and he responded with a very comprehensive how-to (also gives you the ability to interlock it to a signal), as I'm not going to be using my ones via a DCC controller but will utilise the DCC variant as it helps greatly with the wiring, frog polarity etc. You can contact Rand at randc@dccconcepts.com and he will provide you with all the information necessary - I found them fantastic to deal with.
highlandersixtysix Thanks for the info, hopefully that will answer Alasdair's question as I have no idea! I suppose if I were doing it with these "digital" Cobalts I would just link them together in the DCC controller so 1 button fired them both.
TheAudiostud Its best to remove the spring from the point itself, especially if you are using the Cobalt to switch polarity of the track. Its about 13:30 in the video where I take the spring out from the point.
I would never buy these motors again. I have had nothing but problems. They often need to h ave their address reset and I have to check optically if the points have changed as I cannot trust them. To power the signals is very complicated compared to Tortoise motors. I honestly feel that I have wasted $Au600. The spring clips that do not require soldering are a pain. They are too close together and if you don’t have the wire perfectly stripped you just have to bump it or have a stray strand and it will short circuit or pull out. I would prefer to have a solid solder fit. I wish I had not bought them.
Very good,But you should never use point motors,,unless they are hard to reach,Better to do them by hand,,,Also ,it is better to use analog,,It is easy to put a switch off 12v,,on your side board by your points,And they are also cheaper .And decoders do not last forever,,.,ie,,If you have 20 points on a layout,,You still have to check,,that each point has worked correctly..Before use..If you come to rely on the point motor working all the time,,and you have a failure,,You can do a lot of damage,,I try to discourage people from using point motors,,
Hello Simon, I know its been a few year since you have done this video. But just would like to thank you for the show how, t is the clearest video I have seen. So have just ordered six. So wish me luck. Thanks Mick
Thanks for this one. That programming method threw me I was using the Elite and doing the 'normal' accessory programming routine.
I've just purchased a pack of 12 & have just watched your video which shows how easy they are to install. Thank you, Mike.
Wordsworth Model Railway mm
I have 32 on my layout .i previously used seeps but had loads of problems. No problems with the cobalt motors very pleased .expensive but worth it for better running .very good vid Simon
john lee Thanks John, good to hear that the Cobalts are working well, I'm really impressed with them so far. Surprised one of my Seeps failed already as it hasn't really had that much use, if any more go I'll definitely replace them with Cobalts.
Another excellent review Simon, you are building up a useful store of knowledge which I am sure people will find useful for years to come.
One thing I'd like to ask is this... so all track has been laid and trains are running fine and now it's time to add some point motors. How do you drill the hole beneath the point when the point has already been laid. I guess a tiny 2mm hole could be drilled from above through the hole in the point where the point motor wire goes through and then from beneath the baseboard widen that hole without going too far and damaging the point? Is this the best option?? Most point motor installation videos show installation with points not already fixed to baseboard.
5:28 Is that an owl hooting in the background?
Maybe a little bit of nail varnish inside the point blades would fix it? I have some OO gauge Peco Bullhead points and they are not cheap. I might experiment with this before removing the spring, I know the snapping of the point blades is not realistic, but the thought of potentially wrecking my Bullhead points is not a good one. Thanks for posting your experiences though.
I didn't realise they made a digital (DCC) plug-and-play version, I had dismissed the cobalt motors previously but I will certainly be using them on my new layout, thank's Simon!
Yes I think it was a while after the 'analog' version was released until they did the digital version, but have to say I'm really impressed with them so far.
Simons Shed
I have now downloaded and studied the manual and the Cobalt Digital motor can also run a Dapol Semaphore Signal too. Two wire from the DCC bus to the signal and the other two wires, from the signal, to the Cobalt Motor. Excellent!
I definitely need these in my life! I am currently using Hornby decoders, points and motors and they are just not reliable enough. I'm moving house shortly so my current layout will soon be no more, so it'll be a good opportunity to install Peco track which seems to look superior. Thanks for your great videos.
Excellent review. I used to throw away any point that had lost their springs. Now I will keep them.
Rob McCrain Thanks Rob, I was bit unsure at first, having to "break" a point to get it to work properly but thankfully it worked!
Can I ask why you don’t put the bar through the hole in the middle of the point, it looks like you use part of the payslip outside the rails ? I only ask as I have cut all those bits off on mine 🤔🙄
Hi Simon. Have you by any chance tried the Tortoise ones too? I'd be interested in the comparison and ease of installation etc.?
Merry Christmas
Simon, I am trying to fit my first Cobalt Digital ip point motor on my DCC layout. As DCC layout is always powered ,ie, tracks, points including frogs. The two arms of the "V" are always on opposite polarity. So, where should I solder the Green wire?. If I solder the Green wire at the "V", will I not short-circuit the whole layout?
Excellent review Simon! I bought some of these at the Newark show last year after talking to the guy from DCC concepts who was over here demonstrating their wares. Have worried now and then if I made the right choice, as not installed them yet, but this video definitely eases any concerns I might have had. From what I can see, their items seem to be expensive but great quality and clever. Thanks for a nicely explained review as always! :) - Sim
BurtonOnHumber Thanks Sim, they are a quality bit of kit, worth the expense in my opinion.
I think £21 is a fair price given how it only costs a smidgin more than buying a regular Peco motor & a train tech single decoder but it's all self contained. I think it's a great product. Now I need a layout to get them for now lol
Hi Simon
For once I'm ahead of you :) I have 16 of these on my layout and I don't regret fitting them.
So far after about 6 months no problems at all. I use a control board so have extra wires to my push to make switches. I've also fitted frog juices not really needed but it's belts and braces ;) Next on the list is some leds to show which way the points are set. Only got about half of them on my DCC controller I like presses buttons ;)
Mike
Reefy1952 Hi Mike, glad to hear there are no problems with the cobalts after a longer test than mine! They are great and worth the cost I think. I can see how a control board and real switches is appealing, a lot of DCC controllers make it too fiddly to control points but I'm liking the way the z21 does it so far.
Simons Shed Hello.. great revue, but please what is the difference between the Cobalt H-DCP-CBID and the other one?
Paul Garwood
One is Digital without any extra boards the other needs a DCC Decoder.
Simon ,I was onto NCE who recommeded to buy a DB5 booster and EB1 one's to operat the point motors so I have, will I need a second bus bar just for the points or just link the DB5 into sb3a.Points work well when programed so I got some more.Hope you can help.
Simon, I see that there is now an updated "IP" version of this. I'm, struggling to see what the difference is though? Could it be that there is no longer any need to remove the spring?
Ken Toogood Hmmm hadn't seen those, looks like they have added some electronics so that it can cope with a wider range of input voltages, thats the only difference I can see.
also you can add manual operation toggle switches/buttons as well as dcc at the same time
Simon I'm new to dcc, your cobalt wiring diagram ref. the green wire to the point vee is that green wire soldered to the track there and does it matter which side it's soldered to thanks Jack
Jack Brown You need to solder it to the "V" bit of the point, not the left or right, its the middle bit on the end of point with the 2 tracks, there is a "V" shape in the middle, anywhere on the V should be fine.
Jack Brown sorry, I can see you are talking about the Vee now...no, it doesn't matter which side of the Vee its soldered to.
That's great Simon I know what to do now many thanks Jack.
So they have a built in decoder? i would use these pads too they dampen the sound, can you make 2 of these point operate together with a 2 point setup?
Yes the Digital ones have a built in decoder (they also do an analogue version I believe) You could just set 2 to the same DCC address and operate a 2 point setup, yes. Or some DCC controllers allow you to link multiple points up in a 'route' so pressing 1 button operates 2 (or more) points. The latest version is called Cobalt IP Digital which have a few improvements over these,
Brill i need to buy about 8 of these for my n gauge 5ftx2ft6 setup, they look ace and an ideal solution
Could you tell me the dimensions of this motor please, thanks
Simon Have you any plans to wire up a panel with leads showing witch way points are turned.With the Dcc Concepts Digital, as I'm changing over to them.
Sounds like a good idea for a video (even if I just show how to do it with 1 point motor and a couple of LEDs rather than a whole panel) but not sure when I'll be able to get around to doing it. I'd also need to figure how to do it first!
Simon I am constructing an HO layout in Australia and am looking at using cobalt digital point motors. Has your experience been positive your comments would be appreciated regards David
Hi Simon, I just wondered how you would be able to use these on Fleischmann points?
Not sure as I haven't used the fleischmann points, sorry!
+Paul Garwood Fleischmann points have dead, non-powered, frogs. And a spring that is easy to remove. I see no reason why they shouldn't work like a charm.
Very illuminating - thanks for posting.
A quick question if I may - is there any problem in wiring two of these motors to operate together (such as for a crossover)?
Regards, Alasdair
Hi Alasdair, I had that same question regarding interlocking two points to complete a switch from one track to another when they should be both set at the same time and sent an email to Rand Cooley at DCC Concepts and he responded with a very comprehensive how-to (also gives you the ability to interlock it to a signal), as I'm not going to be using my ones via a DCC controller but will utilise the DCC variant as it helps greatly with the wiring, frog polarity etc. You can contact Rand at randc@dccconcepts.com and he will provide you with all the information necessary - I found them fantastic to deal with.
highlandersixtysix
Hi - thanks very much for information - Rand's email address noted.
Kind regards, Alasdair
highlandersixtysix Thanks for the info, hopefully that will answer Alasdair's question as I have no idea! I suppose if I were doing it with these "digital" Cobalts I would just link them together in the DCC controller so 1 button fired them both.
Simon I thought you produced a Vid in which you stated that the "Spring" should be removed!
TheAudiostud Its best to remove the spring from the point itself, especially if you are using the Cobalt to switch polarity of the track. Its about 13:30 in the video where I take the spring out from the point.
Great review ,,,, very good explanations all the way through,,,, brilliant wiring mock up very very clear
Brilliant review many thanks.
So,How is the reliability.?
Both still working fine!
Useful info Simon. Thanks.
No one ever shows how you align the throw bar to the hole in the point from underneath. Drives me mad.
Good how to video Simon a bit dear though---Tony :- )
TheZimma Thanks Tony, they are expensive, glad I don't have dozens of points on this layout as it would be quite a shock to the wallet!
These point motors are hit and miss.Some are noisy,some are quiet.Some work,some don't.
I would never buy these motors again. I have had nothing but problems. They often need to h ave their address reset and I have to check optically if the points have changed as I cannot trust them. To power the signals is very complicated compared to Tortoise motors. I honestly feel that I have wasted $Au600. The spring clips that do not require soldering are a pain. They are too close together and if you don’t have the wire perfectly stripped you just have to bump it or have a stray strand and it will short circuit or pull out. I would prefer to have a solid solder fit.
I wish I had not bought them.
Very good,But you should never use point motors,,unless they are hard to reach,Better to do them by hand,,,Also ,it is better to use analog,,It is easy to put a switch off 12v,,on your side board by your points,And they are also cheaper .And decoders do not last forever,,.,ie,,If you have 20 points on a layout,,You still have to check,,that each point has worked correctly..Before use..If you come to rely on the point motor working all the time,,and you have a failure,,You can do a lot of damage,,I try to discourage people from using point motors,,