Hardware

LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC

The LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC — the ultimate switching decoder for all loads that work with DC! This switching decoder is able to deliver DC and can be fed with either AC or DC.

Thanks to its simple configuration in the LoDi-ProgrammerFX, installing the switching decoder is child's play.

Features of the LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC

A DC decoder for the SC bus, for connection to the LoDi-Shift-Commander.
Eight channels are available, each with 1 ampere; the total of the connected channels must not exceed 2 A.
You can connect all common motor turnout drives, solenoid drives, lamps or LEDs to the LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC.
The LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC is equally suitable for other loads that require DC, such as motors and geared motors, and is particularly suited to LEDs.
Every output is separately protected against overload.
Easily configured with the LoDi-ProgrammerFX.

1. The LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC and its connections

The LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC is a switching decoder connected to the LoDi-Shift-Commander. It can be run on the slow and on the fast bus.

LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC — The LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC and its connections

About the connections on the LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC

(1) Here you can connect loads such as turnouts, lamps and so on; you will find more on this in the wiring examples.
(2) The AC/DC model railway transformer is connected here. IMPORTANT!!! Please only use authorised model railway transformers.
(3) The SC bus from the LoDi-Shift-Commander is connected at the SC-OUT and SC-IN sockets. More on this in the section on connecting to the SC bus.

2. LEDs on the LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC

The LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC has two LEDs to help you recognise the state of the device and understand faults more quickly.

LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC — LEDs on the LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC

(1) This LED lights when you connect the transformer voltage to the AC/DC socket
(2) The bus LED lights as soon as the SC bus coming from the LoDi-Shift-Commander is plugged in and that unit is powered.

3. Connecting the LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC to the SC bus

The LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC is connected to the SC bus coming from the LoDi-Shift-Commander.

You can see this in the first wiring picture here.

In this picture you see the LoDi-Shift-Commander together with the decoder connected to it, here the

LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC.

The decoder is connected to SC bus Out 1.

96 outputs are available here.

On the LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC you can use the connections as your layout requires. It does not matter whether you connect a LoDi-Operator 4-WD-AC or a LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC first.

The LoDi-Shift-Commander is able to detect the connected decoders.

You can then programme the assignment with our tool, the LoDi-ProgrammerFX.

The bus has to be terminated at the last operator.

That means you always have to plug the terminating plug, called the bus terminator, into the last module.

In this example you now see how the operators can be chained one after another.

It is important to take care to connect the network cables correctly.

That is, from In to Out, as you can see in the picture.

The last example picture shows SC bus 1 and 2 taken to their limits. The order of the modules is entirely irrelevant here.

Only with the LoDi-Light-Controller should you take care that it is connected to bus 2.

What matters is that you integrate a new LoDi-SC-Booster into the system after every 16th module.

The bus length, or rather the number of modules, is very easy to calculate.

On bus 1 you have 96 channels available.

Here you could connect 12 LoDi-Operators 4-WD-DC or AC, for instance, since each module needs 8 channels.

On the slow bus you have 384 channels available. That would be 48 LoDi-Operator 4-WD-AC or DC units, LoDi-Light-Controller 4-C-LED or LoDi-Operator 16-SD-FL units.

As you can see, our system lets you work very flexibly.

4. Connecting the LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC to the model railway transformer

The LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC has 4 terminals.

Both do not have to be connected to the transformer; they serve to pass the power on.

You can start the cable at one decoder and keep passing it on to the next.

After 15 decoders a new power feed should be provided.

This makes wiring the system easier.

CAREFUL: do not choose cable below 0.75 mm².

Please watch the polarity of the power supply!

LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC — Connecting the LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC to the model railway transformer

5. Connecting the LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC to turnouts

For switching solenoid accessories we recommend the LoDi-Operator 4-WD-AC. Not because the 4-WD-DC could not do it, but because solenoid coils are better driven with AC than with DC. Roco make an under-table drive that can fall back when driven with AC. For those drives in particular we therefore recommend falling back on the LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC.

LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC — Connecting the LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC to turnouts

6. Connecting the LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC to other loads

Various loads such as lamps, LEDs, small and medium motors as well as solenoid coils can be connected to the LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC.

For switching we use 0.25 mm² cable. Black is used for the shared return, while purple serves to switch the channels.

This specific example shows street lighting connected. Individual lamps are connected to outputs 1, 2 and 3. On output 4 a street light with three lamps run in parallel is installed.

LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC — Connecting the LoDi-Operator 4-WD-DC to other loads

In the LoDi-ProgrammerFX we have now installed 4 lamps on the first 4 channels that can be dimmed.

Next we install a small DC motor on output 5. We can drive it in 15 steps with the appropriate object, in this case "Lamp Brightness". That lets the output voltage be set in 15 steps.

On output 6 we install a lamp that is to act as candlelight.