I was searching for power distribution boards and stuff suitable for model railways and came across this site, linkie below.
Ive no affiliation with the site but there seems to be some reasonably priced items that can be self built or bought ready made. Although there is a documentation page, only 2 items relevant to model railways seem to have documentation available at the moment.
https://www.rkeducation.co.uk/electroni ... -112-c.asp
Power distribution, relays & things
Re: Power distribution, relays & things
I have looked at these relay modules for use in creating a DCC and Manual Switch operated solenoid points system. I already have a huge relay panel using 12v car relays but wanted to downsize the thing using these relay modules.
The problem is there are so many variants you can fall foul of. I have three different types and still not got the exact right one for the job. The data-sheets can be vague and some product listings even vaguer.
Solid state relay (SSR) panels usually only switch AC loads requiring a passing zero voltage to reset the relay when the activate signal is removed.
You can get AC-DC load switching SSRs but at greater expense.
Mechanical relay modules are more popular and cheap and most can be powered either from a PSU or from an external signalling device such as an Arduino or Ras-pi. Operating voltages can vary for any particular module design and some modules can use the PSU to power the signal side of the module or not using jumpers. Signal input to operate the relays can be high or low logic and biased positive or negative - and so it goes.
More info about using them for firing solenoid points DCC and CDU with manual switching in a write up I did here...
http://www.halton96th.org.uk/relay-module.html
The problem is there are so many variants you can fall foul of. I have three different types and still not got the exact right one for the job. The data-sheets can be vague and some product listings even vaguer.
Solid state relay (SSR) panels usually only switch AC loads requiring a passing zero voltage to reset the relay when the activate signal is removed.
You can get AC-DC load switching SSRs but at greater expense.
Mechanical relay modules are more popular and cheap and most can be powered either from a PSU or from an external signalling device such as an Arduino or Ras-pi. Operating voltages can vary for any particular module design and some modules can use the PSU to power the signal side of the module or not using jumpers. Signal input to operate the relays can be high or low logic and biased positive or negative - and so it goes.
More info about using them for firing solenoid points DCC and CDU with manual switching in a write up I did here...
http://www.halton96th.org.uk/relay-module.html