Pentroller

Discussions of the prototypes and how to model them. Show us how you do it.
phil ryder
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Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:58 pm

Pentroller

Postby phil ryder » Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:48 pm

I have a couple of loco's that will only run smoothly when a Pentroller is used with them, the Pen has now gone back to it's owner so i was wondering if there is a very kind member out there who maybe has a spare one that they would consider selling to me ?

martin goodall
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Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2009 6:20 pm

Re: Pentroller

Postby martin goodall » Mon Apr 29, 2013 7:37 pm

As I mentioned in another thread, the modern equivalent to the Pentroller is Malcolm Smith's "PicTroller" - which is even better than the Pentroller, IMHO.

If your locos like the Pentroller, they will like the "PicTroller" even better.

I think you would be better advised to buy a brand new "PicTroller" than a second-hand Pentroller.

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Horsetan
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Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:24 am

Re: Pentroller

Postby Horsetan » Tue Apr 30, 2013 9:20 am

I have a spare Pentroller but I think the internals have short-circuited and nobody can repair it.
That would be an ecumenical matter.

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Tim V
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Re: Pentroller

Postby Tim V » Tue Apr 30, 2013 3:18 pm

DCC of course gives you programmable control of your models - far far superior to anything a Pentroller/Pictroller will deliver.
Tim V
(Not all railways in Somerset went to Dorset)

JFS
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Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 3:47 pm

Re: Pentroller

Postby JFS » Tue Apr 30, 2013 6:28 pm

martin goodall wrote:If your locos like the Pentroller, they will like the "PicTroller" even better.


To all those who do have a fully working Pentroller - let me fully endorse Martin's comments and I hereby offer to swap your Pentroller for a brand new PicTroller - I will even pay return postage!!! And it is fully compatible - just plug-in and go

but please don't read the next bit...

For this who don't possess a Pentroller of course all this is academic - but...
What you say is not true for me Martin I'm afraid. Although personally I think that the Pictroller is by far and away the best DC controller currently available, and I would heartily endorse it to anyone, I don't find it to be anywhere near as good as my Pentroller. I am running a wide range of motive power from RTR Bachman / Hornby to 1219 Portescaps. In all cases, the slow speed performance with the Pentroller is more stable, constant and reliable. A very significant issue with the Pictroller is that with Portescaps, the initial sensing pulse causes a very noticable "kick" before the loco moves off.

Of course I don't preclude the possibility that I happen to have a good example of the one and a not so good example of the other!!!

One thing which puzzles me a bit is that since the PicTroller is software driven, one would have thought that it might be possible to "tweak" some parameters to fine tune it but I have seen nothing to that effect.

Now just before Brother Venton gets too carried away into DCC (well he already has been in truth) :D
I would say I did not find DCC to give smoother control than my Pentroller, and the PicTroller offers a fully programmable control interface.

Cheers,

Howard

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Horsetan
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Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:24 am

Re: Pentroller

Postby Horsetan » Tue Apr 30, 2013 7:54 pm

Tim V wrote:DCC of course gives you programmable control of your models - far far superior to anything a Pentroller/Pictroller will deliver.



Yes, but we don't all have money to burn on those bloody little decoder chips.
That would be an ecumenical matter.

phil ryder
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:58 pm

Re: Pentroller

Postby phil ryder » Tue Apr 30, 2013 8:57 pm

Thanks for the reply's, i have a Pictroller and i have to agree with Howard regarding the performance compared to the Pentroller, i've had mixed results... :( :(

phil ryder
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:58 pm

Re: Pentroller

Postby phil ryder » Tue Apr 30, 2013 9:03 pm

Horsetan wrote:I have a spare Pentroller but I think the internals have short-circuited and nobody can repair it.

Could you please let me know how much you want for the damaged one. cheers...

martin goodall
Posts: 1425
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2009 6:20 pm

Re: Pentroller

Postby martin goodall » Wed May 01, 2013 10:38 am

JFS wrote: A very significant issue with the Pictroller is that with Portescaps, the initial sensing pulse causes a very noticable "kick" before the loco moves off.


I confess that I have not tried the PicTroller with any Portescaps. (All my Portescaps have seized up solid, and need their gearboxes cleaning out and re-lubricating, or maybe just replacing altogether - a different issue previously discussed on another thread).

I can genuinely say, though, that with modern 'can' motors (such as Mashima, plus the Buhlers, etc, fitted by Bachmann et al) I have found the hand-held PicTroller to be excellent, giving very smooth and reliable control.


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