A Surface Mount upgrade for the Train Detector

[@56NeilWatson]

I have built this kit and some DT2s. It never occurred to me to wrap and fit the transformers the way you have. DOH. So much easier

[@DongitsModelRailway]

They are still fiddly this way too, but it does make for a neater install when done.

[@MalcolmCrabbe]

I must admit I find the process of laying out and routing tracks on a PCB very absorbing. I've used DipTrace to produce some nice multi-layer boards which were made by PCBway and the quality is very good. Was there any reason for having the KiKad logo on all the boards ? - As for cost, that's down to quantity. Start doing production runs of 100 or 1000's and the cost per board falls dramatically. Once tested and proven, with the small changes you mention incorporated I'm sure you could start to retail them as a side line. There must be a few large layout builders, both private and club layouts that might be in the same predicament you found yourself in, and could use these. Who knows you could become the next megapoint controls 🙂

[@DongitsModelRailway]

Is there a reason to have the logo on the board? Not really TBH.
Yes, the price per board is really very dependent on quantity, but five is a magic number. Try ordering six and see what happens to the price! You don't get back down to the same price per board until you get to around 50 ish, which is quite a serious production run.
As to becoming the next 'megapoint controls' -- I think it would be rather cheeky to take what is essentially a MERG design with tweaks and turn it into a commercial product.

[@lodgegatewood]

@@DongitsModelRailway I was in the process of trying to work out how best to create loads of detectors for my planned new layout and happened to revisit this video. The boards you have created are exactly what I was trying to achieve. If PCBWay do a "KDP" type service then I definitely think you should consider putting up the boards. People could then order what they needed and you'd get a commission. You wouldn't then need to worry about ordering several hundred that then don't sell, or having to box and ship kits.
I'm also trying to find an ABC module that has a bypass relay that I can control from an Arduino. All the ones out there seem to require an off-board switch or relay, which is just a pain. I see you have something similar to what I'm looking for and it also seems to be a custom design. Perhaps you could make that available at the same time 😉

[@DongitsModelRailway]

@@lodgegatewood PCBWay do have a service where I can upload the files and people can order production runs directly, yes. The ABC board I'm definitely going to publish, I just need to clean it up a bit first. The DTC board is a bit more challenging to publish as it's not really an original design -- the circuit diagram is very MERG with a few changes, and therefore there is upstream intellectual property to consider.

[@nordvesterdalmodelrailroad]

@@DongitsModelRailway It would be super neat if you could publish your boards :) In particular SMD versions.

[@WirenwoodModelRailway]

Interesting video - I use those MERG kits myself but have poor eyesight and find the soldering a bit difficult at times. Are PCBWay able to make the boards you ordered available to others to buy?

[@DongitsModelRailway]

I'm working on making them available that way. Note that you'd need to source your own current transformers and screw terminals, and they will likely turn out more expensive than the MERG kit once that is done.

[@WirenwoodModelRailway]

@@DongitsModelRailway Thank you - that would be extremely helpful, I'll keep an eye out. As I'm not great - eye condition means shaky hands - with the soldering, I don't have a 100% success rate with them, so if there was less chance of producing failures it would probably be more economical for me.

[@itsmyview2024]

Hi, did you ever get this resolved, I would like to have ago with these boards, the terminal blocks on the merg units are iritating@@DongitsModelRailway Thanks