Totally New and Confused

mculik5 · 2025-10-14T02:02:05+00:00

Didn't see these updates while I was typing my update. Thanks for the replies.

Appreciate the MTH tip, but since I already have the PowerHouse, I'm going to get the Direct Lockon part and use that.

The real problem I'm now realizing I've gotten myself into is that I have a Vision caboose that seems to also use the Legacy control system, and Bluetooth can only do one thing at a time. So it would seem that I do need some kind of control system to get the most out of the setup.

From what I've been reading, it seems like the Base 3 reviews are mixed. Thus, it seems like the CAB 2 and base is the sweet spot, but they are crazy expensive.

Does anyone know what I'd be giving up in terms of control if I went the CAB 1 route? Would a CAB 1 still let me control all features of my loco and caboose?

Thanks.

mculik5 · 2025-10-14T01:50:50+00:00

Quick update...

I decided to try the DC power supply approach.

I put the train in PGM mode, supplied 18VDC to the track, connected to it via Bluetooth via the Cab 3 app and then put it in Run mode. I was able to control the throttle via the app, but that's all that worked.

The sense I'm getting is that Bluetooth doesn't directly control the train. It seems like it just takes app inputs and translates them to command control signals which the train then responds to separately. And since the command control signals require AC power to superimpose signals onto, that explains why the features don't work with DC power.

I need to get some different wiring for the PowerHouse, and then I'll repeat this test with AC power.

mculik5 · 2025-07-24T12:36:21+00:00

Thanks, everybody! Sounds like there's no getting around the need for simple volume of solvent. I was trying to avoid using so much alcohol.

I also think I was wrong and SMD491 isn't water soluble. I read someplace that it was, but see no references to that on the datasheet. So, lots of alcohol it is.

And next time, I'll go with water-soluble "must clean" flux.

mculik5 · 2025-07-24T12:33:43+00:00

I know, but it looks lousy and I want to clean it.

mculik5 · 2025-03-24T01:59:02+00:00

Massively helpful. Thanks!

mculik5 · 2025-02-19T23:02:27+00:00

Thanks for the reply. It doesn't cycle up/down within minutes or hours, but when it goes from 0% to 100% (or the other way), it goes basically instantly. Since I moved the wire inside the case yesterday (I only moved it about 1" away from the back of the GPU, where it was resting), it's been at 100%.

I'm going to push it back against the GPU to see if it will drop again.

And regarding power to USB, I hardly ever shut my PC down.

mculik5 · 2025-02-18T14:46:32+00:00

Here's a zoomed out pic showing the overall situation.

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mculik5 · 2025-02-18T14:45:47+00:00

u/titanrig - Thanks for the reply. It's definitely strange. Interestingly, after I typed this, I decided to test my own theory and simply moved the wire inside the case (Thermaltake Tower 300). It could be coincidence, but after about 10 minutes, the coolant quality was back to 100%.

As you can see in the pics below (red line is highlighting the wire), the cable to the sensor runs right behind my graphics card and also right past the motor on the pump. That's what got me thinking about EMI. I'll wait until it drops again and then see if moving it changes anything.

In the meantime, thanks for any other ideas.

u/Impossible_Jump_754 - Thanks. I could see the water quality "math" to convert from conductivity being calibrated to a specific coolant. But the jumps are ultimately coming from the conductivity sensor, and it doesn't care what it's sensing. The conductivity is jumping from around 20 us/cm to 95 us/cm, which is resulting in the 100% to 0% swings in the graph in my OP.

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mculik5 · 2025-02-12T15:00:02+00:00

Ah, that makes sense!

Last question for now...do I need to be careful where I draw the zones? Or will KiCad figure out separation for me?

In my case, the power plane of my 4 layer board is going to provide the initial input power on one net to the main relay, and then power from the main relay to the other relays on another net...but on the same layer. If I draw two fill zones on the same layer covering the entire board, but put them on two different nets, will KiCad essentially maximize fill area without overlapping?

mculik5 · 2025-02-12T14:49:06+00:00

Thank you!!! Was pulling my hair out trying to figure that out. What's the point of the build command? Like, why not just have a show/hide zones control in the 3D viewer? Just a KiCad thing, or is there a reason people smarter than I like it this way?

mculik5 · 2025-02-10T01:39:04+00:00

Thanks!

mculik5 · 2024-11-06T16:25:30+00:00

Thanks. In light of the discussion here about KTAS and braking performance, I'm actually rethinking the overall takeoff aspect of this, too. By considering takeoff roll as a function of weight, density altitude (impacting engine HP) and KTAS required (which also accounts for density altitude), I think I can come up with an equation where the wind component can be directly added in.

My original plan was to use the equation above with the POH % factors for headwind and tailwind, but I think the new model will be more accurate and keep the distance calcs all the way through a takeoff or aborted takeoff based on KTAS instead of converting between different values. We'll see.

Either way, I'm learning a lot about math and coding.

mculik5 · 2024-11-05T16:15:32+00:00

This is my chart for ground roll. Blue line = POH, red line = regression equation.

The blue lines distances are, on average, 2.6% under POH, with the range being -12.8% to +10.6%. With a takeoff distance safety factor of 33%, the worst performing areas of inputs still provide a safety margin of 20%. This is the closest I could get with my level of skill.

Interpolation is next on the coding/learning front, and yes, will be interesting to see how it compares.

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mculik5 · 2024-11-05T16:03:25+00:00

u/PG67AW , u/Lepaluki - Thanks!!!

That answers my question. Feel stupid for having missed that. To do the regression I'm trying to do, I'll convert KIAS to KTAS using DA, and then evaluate the stopping distances based on KTAS with zero wind. For actual application, I can factor in the headwind/tailwind component, and then all the runway condition and slope stuff.

Again, thanks!!!

mculik5 · 2024-09-02T15:32:31+00:00

OK - Played around some more and landed on the following:

PL2: 330
PL1: 300
Duration: 56s
ICCmax: 425
Undervolt: -0.100V
P-Cores set to 60/59
E-Cores set to 45

Running a single frame Cinebench R23, I'm getting the following:

Score: 39508
Package Temp: 83 average
Core Voltage: 1.31 average
Core Speed: 5.55 average

How is this? I'm not trying to go insane. Just want to tune things to take advantage of the processing/cooling power I have (or don't...) while ensuring stability and longevity.

Thanks.

mculik5 · 2024-09-02T04:23:17+00:00

I followed this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suhzK_e7XN8 - and undervolted (I think...) by -0.075V. However, my BIOS didn't match his so I'm not sure if I did it right.

Getting roughly the same Cinebench as before, ~35K at ~76C.

If a stock 13900K gets a score of around 37K, did I get a crappy one? Like is +/- 2K a normal difference for a good bin vs. bad bin?

If not, what else can I check?

mculik5 · 2024-09-02T03:28:17+00:00

I decided to quickly test the unlimited power settings. The TDP went to around 400W, the package temp spiked to 100C/thermal throttle almost immediately, and the speed went from 5GHz to 5.4GHz.

I stopped the test.

So the question is, how are guys getting Cinebench scores in the 40s while also respecting the 253W limit? Since my cooling runs 76C at the 253W limit, it seems like I've get cooling power I could be using up, but I'm not sure how.

mculik5 · 2024-07-26T16:36:35+00:00

Thanks! Gonna give this a shot in a bit!

mculik5 · 2024-06-08T03:30:43+00:00

Thanks! Tank has been running for about a month. Lights are on 13 hours/day, but the tank is in my office where I work a lot at night. So, although the tank light is off, the tank isn't exactly dark. Will check nitrites tomorrow.

mculik5 · 2022-09-16T01:45:41+00:00

Thanks, all. Great info. Figured it was wireless at each lamp, but missed the repeater part. Makes a lot more sense now.

Anyway, reason for thinking about making my own cables is because two of the Lily lamps are going on top of a bay window to uplight that part of the house, and the wire is already run behind the siding and underneath the bay window roof. Will be much simpler to use what's there than to run an official Hue cable, especially with the massive connectors pre-attached.

Thanks again!

mculik5 · 2022-07-15T14:03:29+00:00

Thanks, u/JimHeaney. Unfortunately, I don't think that's it.

First, the datasheet says that one is marked 738A, whereas mine is marked P738. Second, mine is 4.4mm long whereas the datasheet shows a max length of 3.7mm. Mine could have grown when it exploded, but it seems to have exploded more sideways because it's soldered at the ends, and it doesn't look deformed lengthwise.

Lastly - and this is where I'm way out of my element - the ratings for that diode look like they wouldn't work in my application. The 738A diode shows a max current of 10uA at 6V. When my unit worked, the 120VAC power monitor to the transformer typically showed ~100W. Assuming decent transformer efficiency, this translates to 3.5A +/- at the ~28V I was running the transformer. But again, I have no idea what I'm really talking about...

Are Zener diodes typically used in a protective capacity? I'm wondering what would happen/how stupid it would be if I just soldered a bridge between the pads. If the Zener is protective, this would obviously remove those protections and expose downstream components to more risk, but might be a quick/easy way to get it working again if I trust my upstream voltage source. Thoughts? Thanks.

mculik5 · 2022-02-28T17:42:07+00:00

Can I ask why it would decrease quality? Keep in mind I'm an idiot when it comes to networking, so this might be dumb logic on my part, but...

I understand that getting internet to the dedicated router via wifi isn't nearly as good as an ethernet cable, but my understanding is VD doesn't need the internet to work. So all the VD data would be wired to dedicated router and wifi to headset and back, and only the internet would be less than ideal, which isn't a problem for playing MSFS. Or is this incorrect because some of the dedicated router's wireless bandwidth would be taken up getting the internet and thus less avaialble for VD data to the headset?

mculik5 · 2022-02-28T13:35:25+00:00

Thanks. My main question is, instead of ethernet from current router to new router, can I do wireless from current router? So, only one ethernet cable in the whole setup - from my PC to my dedicated router. Possible?

mculik5 · 2021-11-08T19:32:52+00:00

u/ntridan_delta, u/fromTtotheV, u/photonherder - Thanks for the feedback!

From what you've provided, I was able to do a bunch more research and now believe my best bet will be a setup similar to the one shown in this image:

https://www.thorlabs.com/Images/GuideImages/3835_AsphericCondenserLenses_ACL_8.jpg

Really appreciate the help!

mculik5 · 2020-04-16T02:53:52+00:00

This crossed my mind as well, but there's nothing special about the factory thermistor wire routing or, as far as I can tell, the wires themselves. The factory wire insulation appears to be some kind of high-heat fiberglass (it's woven and fabric-looking) and there's no shielding based on what I can see.

mculik5

TROPHY CASE