System2 user guide

Panel Controller

Build a control panel that is simple to wire, easy to understand and straightforward to change as your layout grows.

This manual also covers the System2 MiniPanel. The setup screens and V-Port principles are the same; on the MiniPanel, follow the instructions for the physical connections available on your board.

User guide · Revision 116 controls in16 indications out

Before you begin

A panel you can build one connection at a time

The Panel Controller reads switches, buttons and sensors, then drives LEDs on your mimic panel. Each connection is given a V-Port number so it can exchange messages with the rest of your System2 layout.

Use this guide at the workbench. Connect one switch and one indication first, check that they behave as expected, then repeat the same pattern.

Section 1

Meet the Panel Controller

The board sits behind your mimic panel. Its lower sockets read up to 16 controls; its upper sockets drive up to 16 pairs of LEDs. You can start small and add the rest when you are ready.

Cartoonified Panel Controller board, showing the output headers along the top and input headers along the bottom
Outputs run along the top edge; inputs run along the bottom edge.

Inputs

Connect a push button, toggle switch, point-position contact or occupancy sensor. Each input reports its state using the V-Port you choose.

Outputs

Connect a two-colour indication cable or individual LEDs. Each output listens to its own V-Port and changes the panel indication.

Layout connection

Use CAN for the System2 wired network, or use MQTT over Wi-Fi. When you choose MQTT, Native and JMRI are the two supported message formats.

What is a V-Port?It is simply the number carried in a System2 message. Give related devices the same number when you want them to respond to one another.

Section 2

Connect one switch and one indication

The sockets are easiest to understand as vertical groups. The drawing below shows the first input and output; the remaining sockets follow the same pattern across the board.

Technical illustration showing a three-wire LED cable connecting to one output group and a two-wire switch cable connecting to one input pair
One LED cable connects to one three-pin output group. One switch cable connects to one two-pin input pair.
Output socket — three pinsNORM feeds the first LED, LEDS is the common connection, and COMP feeds the second LED. Use one vertical group for each indication cable.
Input socket — two pinsSIG is the input and GND is the return. Use one vertical pair for each switch or contact.
  1. Switch off the Panel Controller before fitting or moving a plug.
  2. Fit the switch lead to input 1, using the first vertical SIG/GND pair.
  3. Fit the LED lead to output 1, using the first vertical NORM/LEDS/COMP group.
  4. Check that every plug covers only its own group and is not shifted sideways by one pin.
  5. Power the board and test this channel before wiring the next one.
Keep external voltage away from the input sockets.The inputs are for dry contacts and supported sensors. If you are unsure about a third-party sensor, check its output type before connecting it.

Section 3

Join the board’s Wi-Fi

A new or reset board creates its own setup network. Use a phone, tablet or computer to give it the details of your layout Wi-Fi.

1

Power the board

Wait for its setup network to appear.

→
2

Connect

Join the Panel Controller setup network.

→
3

Open setup

If the page does not open, browse to 192.168.4.1.

→
4

Choose Wi-Fi

Select your layout network, enter its password and save.

Make the board easy to find again.Give it a clear name and location, such as panel-station and Station control panel. MegaConsole will then show which board you are opening.

If the board cannot join the saved network, enable HotSpot AutoStart so its setup network returns automatically. Use Share, Revoke and Erase only when you deliberately want to manage stored Wi-Fi credentials.

Section 4

Take a tour of the control page

This compact reconstruction shows the complete page: live activity, all 16 inputs and outputs, network choices, saving tools and the status log. Your installed firmware may use slightly different colours or labels.

Controls

Bring your panel into System2

Read 16 switches, buttons, contacts or sensors. Choose a useful V-Port, input type and latch time for each one.

Indications

Show what is happening

Drive 16 pairs of LEDs. Invert an output when the two colours appear the wrong way round.

Faster setup

Number a complete board quickly

EasyConfig fills a sensible block of input and output V-Ports. The +, − and . suffixes fill the rows below.

Network

Use CAN or MQTT

CAN is the wired System2 network. MQTT runs over Wi-Fi; choose Native or JMRI to match the topic and message format used by the rest of your layout.

Section 5

Bring your first panel control to life

Start with the switch and indication you wired in Section 2. A single working channel gives you a known-good pattern for the rest of the panel.

  1. Open the board in MegaConsole and expand Port Configuration.
  2. On input 1, enter the V-Port that represents the control. Choose the input type that matches the hardware.
  3. On output 1, enter the V-Port that represents the indication you want to show.
  4. Select Save Changes. Wait for the board to confirm that it is ready.
  5. Operate the switch and watch both the panel LEDs and the activity charts.
  6. If the LED colours are reversed, use Invert on the output. If the switch reads backwards, use Invert on the input.
Change one thing at a time.Save after a small group of changes and test it while you still know exactly what moved. Always switch off before changing plugs.

Section 6

Choose what each connection does

Most panels only need three choices: the V-Port, the kind of control connected to an input, and whether its action needs to be reversed.

Inputs: what the panel is telling the layout

Input Ports🎨 Colours ▸
Phys PortV-PortLatch (ms)Input TypeInvert
1101100Toggle Switch
2102400Push to make btn
3201800Points Pos Sensor

Phys Port is the numbered socket on the board. V-Port is the message number. Latch filters contact movement and keeps a short button press visible long enough to be handled. Invert swaps on and off.

Outputs: what the panel should show

Output Ports
Phys PortV-PortInvert
1201
2202
3203

An output listens for messages on its V-Port. Use the feedback V-Port when the indication must show the position reported by the layout, rather than merely repeating the last button press.

Pick the input type that matches the hardware

StatelessSends an event without keeping an on/off position.
Push to makeFor a momentary button that closes while pressed.
Toggle switchFor a switch that stays in either position.
Occupancy sensorFor a detector that reports clear or occupied.
Point-position sensorFor contacts that report the actual point position.

Number a complete board in one go

EasyConfig (V-Port address)Board 3 ▾Apply

Choose a board number and EasyConfig fills a matching block of 16 input V-Ports and 16 output V-Ports. Review the result, then save it. For a smaller edit, add + to count upwards, − to count downwards or . to repeat the same V-Port in the rows below.

Set up a point switch and its panel indication

Control

Set input 1 to V-Port 101 and choose Toggle Switch. Operating the panel switch now sends the point command.

Position indication

Set output 1 to V-Port 201, the feedback number reported by the point-position sensor or accessory controller. The LEDs then follow the reported position.

Command and feedback may use different V-Ports.That is useful when you want the panel to show what the point actually did. If your layout uses one shared state number, use that same V-Port at both ends.

Section 7

Examples for your layout

These are common starting points. Keep a short list of the V-Ports you choose so the same number means the same thing everywhere.

A point and route indication

A toggle switch sends the point command. Two panel LEDs listen to the point feedback, so the diagram changes after the position is reported.

Check: move the switch both ways and confirm the point and indication agree.

A momentary route button

Choose Push to make and give the button the route V-Port. Use separate output V-Ports for route set, occupied or unavailable indications.

Check: one press should produce one clean action.

Block occupancy on the panel

Choose Occupancy sensor for a local detector, or let the output listen to the detector V-Port from elsewhere on the layout.

Check: place and remove a vehicle, then watch the indication follow.

Section 8

How messages move around the layout

A V-Port lets a control and an indication find one another. The route taken depends on whether your layout uses the wired CAN network or MQTT over Wi-Fi.

Wired System2 network — CAN

Panel switchV-Port 101 out
CAN networkcarries the message
Accessory boardV-Port 101 in

Wi-Fi network — MQTT

Panel ControllerNative or JMRI format
MQTT brokerpasses messages on
Layout software or boardsubscribes to the V-Port
MQTT is the protocol.Native and JMRI select the message convention used over MQTT. Choose the one already used by your layout software and other boards. The broker address is normally a local name or IP address and the usual port is 1883.

Async QoS is usually suitable for continuously reported panel states and keeps traffic light. Choose Sync when your setup specifically needs acknowledgement and you accept the extra delay.

Section 9

Keep your settings safe with MegaConsole

MegaConsole gives you one place to find System2 boards, open their control pages and keep copies of their settings. It becomes especially useful once several boards are fitted around the layout.

After the panel is working

  • Give the board a clear name and location.
  • Select Backup and store the file with your layout records.
  • Write the board name and date into the filename.

Before a larger change

  • Take a fresh backup first.
  • Change and test one small group of ports.
  • Use Restore if you need to return to the saved setup.
Reset and reboot are different.Reboot restarts the board without clearing its setup. Reset to Defaults replaces configured values, so make a backup before using it.

Section 10

Fault finding

What you seeWhat to check
The switch does nothingCheck the plug is on one vertical SIG/GND pair, then check the input V-Port and input type. Watch the activity chart while operating it.
The wrong action happensCompare the V-Port with your layout list. If on and off are simply reversed, use Input Invert.
The LEDs do not lightCheck the three-pin plug is on one NORM/LEDS/COMP group. Confirm the output V-Port is receiving a message.
The LED colours are swappedUse Output Invert. There is normally no need to rewire the plug.
The board disappears from Wi-FiCheck signal strength, router access and the saved network name. Enable HotSpot AutoStart before moving the board to a weak-signal position.
CAN devices do not respondCheck CAN wiring, termination and board ID. Use Locate Board to make sure you are editing the intended controller.
MQTT messages do not arriveCheck the broker address and port, then confirm that Native or JMRI matches the rest of your system.
Changes vanish after a restartSelect Save Changes and wait for the ready message before removing power.
A quick way to narrow it downTest input 1 and output 1 on their own. If that pair works, compare its plug position and settings with the channel that does not.

Section 11

Other System2 boards

The Panel Controller is one part of the System2 range. These boards can share V-Port messages to operate points, signals, relays and layout accessories.

Cartoonified Panel Controller
Panel Controller16 panel inputs and 16 indication outputs.
Cartoonified Mini Panel Controller
Mini PanelA compact panel controller for smaller projects.
Cartoonified 32-input board
Input-32Add more switches, contacts and sensors.
Cartoonified 32-output board
Output-32Add more panel and accessory outputs.
Cartoonified Servo-8 controller
Servo-8Operate points and moving layout features.
Cartoonified solenoid controller
Solenoid ControllerDrive twin-coil point motors.
Cartoonified stall motor controller
Stall Motor ControllerDrive slow-motion point motors.
Cartoonified Relay-8 controller
Relay-8Switch isolated accessory circuits.

Section 12

Quick reference

Connections

Inputs: 16 vertical SIG/GND pairs.

Outputs: 16 vertical NORM/LEDS/COMP groups.

Network: CAN, or MQTT over Wi-Fi.

Useful ranges and defaults

V-Ports: 1–60000.

CAN ID: automatic or manual 1–2047.

MQTT port: normally 1883.

Wi-Fi boot delay: 0–15 seconds.

Fast editing

+ counts upwards through the rows below.

− counts downwards.

. repeats the same value.

Before removing power

Select Save Changes and wait for the board to report that it is ready.

Take a backup after completing or changing the panel.