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Cobalt

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Alpha manual - Table of Contents

3, 4, 5          Introducing Cobalt Alpha Box, Cobalt Alpha Central, Cobalt Alpha & Cobalt Alpha Power: (Overview, connection details)
6                  The “Unique control panel creator” option: Cobalt Alpha, plus Alpha-Switch etc. (With guide to connections and features)

7                  Operating instructions for Alpha products. What the switches, buttons and other things do and when to use them!

    Especially for DC users who do not want to use DCC to drive their trains.

8                  Diagram 1    – General overview of ALPHA installations for DC users. Digital for DC!. Making wiring easier for DC users

    Especially for DCC users who have entry-level DCC-Starter sets.

9                  Diagram 2    – Alpha + Alpha Box – adding an ALPHA digital accessory bus AND connecting multiple ALPHA products

10, 11          Diagram 3 &4  Alpha + Alpha Box – Overview - Simple system upgrade or full system expansion for ANY brand!

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Diagram 5   – Alpha + Alpha Box – Detailed connection diagram for users of Bachmann EZ command DCC.

13                Diagram 6    – Alpha + Alpha Box – Detailed connection diagram for users of Hornby Select, Elite or E-Link DCC.

14                Diagram 7   – Alpha + Alpha Box – Detailed connection diagram for users of  Gaugemaster (MRC) Prodigy Express.

    Especially for DCC users who have full-feature DCC starter sets or larger DCC systems.

15                Diagram 8    – Alpha + Alpha Box – Add ALPHA Accessory control, protection and more power to NCE Power Cab.

16                Diagram 9    – Alpha + Alpha Box – Add ALPHA Accessory control, protection and more power to NCE Power Pro.

17                Diagram 10  – Alpha + Alpha Box – Add ALPHA Accessory control, protection and full power to LENZ systems.

18                Diagram 11  – Alpha + Alpha Box – Add ALPHA Accessory control, protection and full power to DIGITRAX systems.

19                Diagram 12  - Alpha + Alpha Box – Add ALPHA Accessory control, protection and full power to ESU EcOS.

20                Diagram 13  - Alpha + Alpha Box – Add ALPHA Accessory control, protection and full power to ROCO MAUS systems.

21                Diagram 14  - Alpha + Alpha Box –  Add ALPHA Accessory control, protection and full power to Z21 systems.

22                Diagram 15  - Alpha + Alpha Box – Add ALPHA Accessory control, protection and full power to GM Prodigy systems.

23                Diagram 16  - Marrying tradition and Digital – using Alpha with Cobalt-S Levers.

    Additional information.

24, 25          Tutorial        - Building a control panel with ALPHA Switch.  (Full photo-story, step by step)

26 to 29       Range info  - Essential Alpha Accessory items.   (Brand Interface adapters, Accessories, Control & Power devices)

30 to 32       Notes pages plus warranty and contact Information. 

The Cobalt

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 Alpha Range

Cobalt

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Alpha - the core of the range: 

Cobalt

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Alpha evolved from a desire to make the wiring of layouts easier 

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control panel design and creation, greatly reduces the complexity of layout wiring and most importantly, allows both DC & 

DCC users to simplify control panel creation and easily add a digital accessory control bus. 

By the

 way - while we have created Alpha

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Switch as a companion product to make control panel creation quicker and 

simpler, traditional modellers do not have to change to use it! Cobalt

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 Alpha accepts ANY form of momentary switching as 

its control input, from Cobalt-S levers to push-button switches, “Stud & probe” ...and even diode matrix connections!

Cobalt

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 Switch and Accessories:

  These  are  the  key  to  elegant  yet  very  quick,  easy  to  create,  almost  totally                          

“soldering-free” control panels with unprecedented wiring simplicity. We are certain that every modeller can install Alpha

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Switch as its all “plug and Play” - the wiring equivalent of building with Lego! Once you’ve created your panel the rest is easy

too, as  adding the Cobalt 

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 Alpha control unit then reduces the need for “panel to layout” wiring to a single plug-in cable!

Cobalt

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Box:

Created to provide a versatile and almost totally “DCC brand independent” link between control panel, 

control system and operations, the super-versatile Cobalt 

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 Box is the real key to seamless integration of the entire range.

Cobalt

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 Box is many things and it does all of them well: It is the perfect power source for a DC modellers “Digital Accessory 

power bus” and the perfect interface between Cobalt 

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 Alpha and any DCC Digital Accessory power bus. 

It is a carefully crafted, conservatively rated 5-amp power booster with an on-off switch (most don’t have one!) and it has  

sophisticated overload protection that gives both visual and audible warning of overload or short circuit. 
In concert with Cobalt 

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 Alpha, the Cobalt 

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 Box is able to add high power and digital accessory control abilities to even 

the most basic of starter-sets and also enhances the system power and control versatility of full DCC systems of all brands. 
Used alone Cobalt 

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 Box is a versatile upgrade for every brand of DCC system -adding full 5amp power and system growth 

potential to basic low power “Train-set” systems, intermediate “Starter sets” or state of the art DCC-digital control systems.

Cobalt

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Power:

This is a high quality 5 amp regulated DC power supply with overload protection. As you know, a 

power supply that is properly matched to the systems it supplies is essential for achieving the best possible performance with 

digital devices, so while design-matched to Cobalt 

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 Alpha and 

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 Box, it’s also a great choice for any 5 amp DCCsystem!

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Need information or help?

 Visit www.dccconcepts.com/manuals-advice  OR   email [email protected]

Summary of Contents for Cobalt alpha

Page 1: ...HOOHUV DQG WKH RYHUDOO OSKD KDV TXLFNO JURZQ WR LQFOXGH D ZLGH JURXS RI SURGXFWV WKDW VLPSOL HV control panel design and creation greatly reduces the complexity of layout wiring and most importantly a...

Page 2: ...switch On input side Cobalt DBox Input Connections are left to right Track power input OK 0 05 to 5 amps track power Main DCC system connection RJ12 type DCCsystem control Cab bus connection RJ12 type...

Page 3: ...k it to an an intelligent Cobalt D box 5A Intelligent power booster andANY modeller DC or DCC can have an active digital accessory power bus up and running in no time at all Each Cobalt DCentral contr...

Page 4: ...ous decoders and other items It just makes good sense to use a top quality properly regulated DC power supply Cobalt D 3RZHU LV D WRS TXDOLW VPRRWKO OWHUHG DQG ZHOO UHJXODWHG DPS RXWSXW SRZHU VXSSO WK...

Page 5: ...a D Switch D Circuit board it is just as easy as assembling LEGO really you cannot get it wrong Step 5 Using DCCconcepts DCD RGB 3 wire ribbon cable connect each output of the Alpha DSwitch D to the i...

Page 6: ...pha D Central to the ALPHA input of your Alpha D box using the RJ12 curly cord that we supply If you are an NCE user you can just connect it directly to the NCE cab bus as both products use standard R...

Page 7: ...al and your control panel will be ready to use the moment you unpack it and connect it to your layout with no added complication at all STEP 2 Connect the Cobalt D Alpha or Cobalt D Alpha Central unit...

Page 8: ...ble supplied with each Alpha Unit Use 1 2 or more Cobalt D Central or Cobalt D Central it s up to you This diagram uses the NCE PowerCab which can connect directly as it uses the conventional RS485 co...

Page 9: ...start set Z21or a Gaugemaster Prodigy Express but now want Accessory control OR if you just want more power from your DCC system and perhaps like the idea of a separated Cobalt DAlpha based Accessory...

Page 10: ...ower districts using Alpha DBox Subject to the use of the correct adapter leads see page 26 27 this will work with ANY DCC SYSTEM ATALL ANY Brand of DCC SYSTEM that has both TRACK POWER and COMMAND BU...

Page 11: ...we can easily add full digital Accessory control by using Cobalt DAlpha or Cobalt DCentral Giving your DCC system much greater abilities Here is how to do it connection by connection PS This is a ZER...

Page 12: ...m with Cobalt D Alpha or Alpha D Central Upgrading Hornby Elite Select E Link Select and E link are often found in Digital Train sets and the Elite has been adopted by many Hornby oriented modellers h...

Page 13: ...o do it connection by connection PS This is a ZERO waste upgrade too because if you change brand later your Cobalt DBox Cobalt DAlpha or Cobalt DCentral will all still work perfectly with it Also conn...

Page 14: ...t soon outgrows the average modellers needs for layout power as its true output power ability is really only 1 5 amps continuous We COULD simply connect the PowerCab panel to the system as per the Pro...

Page 15: ...ry popular however it too can be added to and increased in potential if combined with Cobalt DBox for added power and Cobalt DAlpha or Cobalt DCentral for control panel sophistication As with PowerCab...

Page 16: ...ort of versatility with ALPHA products as NCE as the LENZ bus is actually very similar Therefore subject to the use of the correct LENZ adapter leads you can either use LENZ LA152 adapter plates ORAlp...

Page 17: ...X adapter leads There really is NO limit to the system growth that is possible with Alpha DBox as long as you utilise our DIGITRAX adapter leads too see page 26 27 Connect TRACK power Connect DCC BUS...

Page 18: ...ect bus linking is not possible however Alpha Dbix can still be linked via the 6 wire RJ2 bus for transmission ofAlpha DCentral or Cobalt DAlpha Commands and of course Power District structures adding...

Page 19: ...connect via X bus and so actually have the same sort of versatility with ALPHA products as Lenz as the LENZ ROCO bus are actually very similar Use the correct adapter leads and there really is NO lim...

Page 20: ...d protection This simple diagram shows how to add an accessory power bus or multiple power districts to ROCO using Alpha DBox ROCO users can connect via X bus and so actually have the same sort of ver...

Page 21: ...h these products Please see page 26 27 Using the adapters makes it easy Connect TRACK power Connect DCC BUS Switch TRACK PRODIGY Base Unit ADAPTER P26 27 PRODIGY HANDSET ADAPTER See P26 27 Alpha DPowe...

Page 22: ...e momentary contact sets so you still have 2x free SPDT switches available for your panel LEDs or Interlocking INTERLOCKING LEVER OPERATIONS It is easier than it sounds To interlock two levers just li...

Page 23: ...sers will be delighted to replace their DW FRUG ZLWK WKLV FDEOH DV LW LV 5 PRUH FRQYHQLHQW Please Use ONLY this cord or its equivalent to connect between multiple Cobalt Dbox units Universal RJ 12 Lay...

Page 24: ...able related damage that will NOT be covered by warranty Please note The images used on this page are representative only and the items that you receive may look a little different CobaltDAlpha and Co...

Page 25: ...from track output terminals Bus extensions may need adapters How does it connect If you have a DC or AC powered layout you need NO change to controllers or locos at all but you will need to add a DCC...

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