Piko Digital System

[JJ33]

I have 183ft down of main line track and recently upgraded from a MRC Control Master 20 to a Piko Digital System, I run large USA and Aristo-Craft engines (SD70's, 45's, 40-2's) and can not run 3 of them at the same time as I draw to many amps. What controller (system) what be able to run 3 large engines, I'm half way completed on my RR and will have over 400ft of track down when I'm done. You can see the Jazmin Valley RR on YouTube at "Jose Silva G Scale" and any suggestions or recommendations would be appreciated. 

Thanks,

JJ  

[kstrong]

When you say "Piko Digital," are you running DCC?

Later,

K

[JJ33]

Yes, using QSI cards.

JJ

[kstrong]

First question - are you running all of these locos in one consist? If so--to paraphrase a line from Jaws--you're gonna need a bigger booster. The good news is that you can get 10-amp boosters which will have the current capacity for your locos. The bad news is that while the DCC communication protocol between command station and booster is standard, the wiring is not, so hooking a 10-amp booster from any of the manufacturers who make 10-amp (or larger) boosters is not exactly plug-and-play. You'd use the wires coming from the "data bus" connection, but which wire is which, I couldn't tell you. The Piko technical guys should be able to help you out. Alas, Piko only makes a 5-amp booster.

If you're running the locos separately, the 5-amp booster will work. You'd just have to divide your railroad up into "power districts" where each booster feeds a specific district. The idea would be to keep the trains spaced such that the locos never occupy the same power district at the same time, so they don't exceed the current draw of the booster. On railroads with multiple loops, most folks assign each loop as its own district. Otherwise, you'd just divide the railroad up like pieces of a pie. Again, this will only help if you run the locos individually, not as a consist.

The expensive option would be to ditch the Piko system for a system that puts out 10 amps or more. NCE, Zimo, Lenz, ESU, Massoth... all of these guys (and probably others I'm forgetting off the top of my head) make 10-amp systems.

Later,

K

[piercedan]

It has been in the works for several years and now Zimo is close on a dual output 8 and 12 amp unit that can have the outputs tied together for 20 amps of DCC power.

I hope it is this year that it happens.

[JJ33]

Yes I want to run all 3 engines together in a consist. A follow club member has recommended the Bridgewerks Magnum 20SRM with 20 amps of output so I would have more than enough power to run my RR. I did some test the other day, I can run two engines SD45's at full power drawing 3.9 amps for 69 seconds than it shuts off, 18 minutes at half power 2.2 amps. I can run my Great Trains F40PH for 3 hours at half power 1.4 amps. I want a wireless system and the Bridgwerks has it.

Thanks for the reply,

JJ