Dcc Queston

[bunker45]

I am beginning wiring my layout for the Digitrax super chief.  What special things am I going to need besides the chief and power pack?

 I will have a turntable.  Do I need a reversing console? (not sure of the correct term)

 Do you recommend circuit breakers?  If so What kind? 

 thanks

Chuck

Also, what kind of amperage do Atlas Gold series engines and Broadway Limited engines use while runnning

[DigitalGriffin]

Amperage on Atlas and BLI varies depending on the model.  It's typically not > .5 amps on free running engines.

If you are considering a turntable or have reverse loops you might want to look at a DCC auto reverser.  Digitrax offers one ?several?.  But Tony's Solid State PR Rev modules are considered among the best.

You might want to consider an additional panel connector for your controller if you layout is larger than 4'x8'.

Enjoy

Don

 

 

[Phoebe Vet]

Check the turntable manual.  Many turntables handle the reversing internally.  If the only place the powered units will be turning back on the same track is the turntable, you will not need to worry about polarity.  You only need auto reversing if the track turns back on itself.

As far as what else you need, it depends on what you want to be able to do from your throttle and whether or not you want detection, signalling and/or switch auto routes.  It is a modular system so you can get as much or as little as you like.

[selector]

Check out Joe Fugate's elegant and very inexpensive solution for managing shorts.  Instead of more expensive circuit breakers, you can hard-wire 12 volt automobile tail light bulbs in series into the sub-bus or to the feeders.  When you get a short, the bulb limits the current and will thus light up.   As it does so, it also indicates which area has the short, thus cutting down on head scratching.  If you do a search on "short management", or "tail light bulb", it should come up.

[gderem]

Check out Joe Fugate's elegant and very inexpensive solution for managing shorts.  Instead of more expensive circuit breakers, you can hard-wire 12 volt automobile tail light bulbs in series into the sub-bus or to the feeders.  When you get a short, the bulb limits the current and will thus light up.   As it does so, it also indicates which area has the short, thus cutting down on head scratching.  If you do a search on "short management", or "tail light bulb", it should come up.

Here is Joe's brief video explanation and example of how it works.

Joe Fugate short protection 

 

 

[selector]

Thanks for providing that link, gderem.

[bunker45]

Very interesting.  I think this may be a solution for now, or maybe permenant. 

 I was planning on isolating different power districts.  The only concern is when I run consists of engines.  I think I may wire the 2 bulbs together to start like he suggests on the post.  Any one have experience running consists and using the bulbs?

[Vail and Southwestern RR]

Very interesting.  I think this may be a solution for now, or maybe permenant. 

 I was planning on isolating different power districts.  The only concern is when I run consists of engines.  I think I may wire the 2 bulbs together to start like he suggests on the post.  Any one have experience running consists and using the bulbs?

Almost all of Joe's trains are running consists.  A free running loco uses well under a half, probably less than a quarter of an Amp.  The number used for sizing are stall current.  I'm thinking it is unlikely you stall your consists very often.  If you do, there's probably another problem going on.

 

[MisterBeasley]

A true Power District uses a separate booster, and it is electrically isolated from other Power Districts on a layout.  You really only need this if you are running a lot of engines at once, enough to exceed the power limits of the system's original booster.  That's quite a few engines, generally more than most home-layout modellers will have running together.

Some modellers divide their layouts up into electricaly-isolated regions, and protect each with a circuit breaker, although they're still on the same booster.  This helps in troubleshooting, and allows one part of the layout to keep running even if there's a short elsewhere.  These are not true Power Districts, though.

As was mentioned, some turntables have automatic reversing circuitry in them, and some do not.  Atlas turntables do have this, but I don't know about any of the others.  If you're on a budget, you can substitute a double-pole, double-throw (DPDT) toggle switch for an automatic reversing unit.  You just have to remember to throw it manually at the appropriate points.