Questions on DCC

[Anonymous]

I have some questions on DCC
(1) i have read that if you leave a engine with DCC on the track that there is power going through will it burn up the decoder or the motor, i also read where one person had block control so that this would not happen is this necessary.

(2)i also read where if a DCC equiped engine could melt down if it shorts out on the frog of a switch. is this true

(3) on reverse loops to you have to buy a reverse loop module so that the polarity stays correct

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by docholiday500

I have some questions on DCC
(1) i have read that if you leave a engine with DCC on the track that there is power going through will it burn up the decoder or the motor, i also read where one person had block control so that this would not happen is this necessary.

I have seen many people say this type of thing about a DC loco on a DCC track, but I have not seen anyone PROVE it !

As far as a decodered loco on DCC track, I have not ever heard that one. Nor do I think it is true. DCC tracks always have power - if this were the case, all my DCC locos would be dead by now!

QUOTE:

(2)i also read where if a DCC equiped engine could melt down if it shorts out on the frog of a switch. is this true

DCC systems are rigged to shut off power in the event of a short. Don't worry about it.

QUOTE:

(3) on reverse loops to you have to buy a reverse loop module so that the polarity stays correct

A reverse module is the way to go and is one of the great advantages of DCC, IMHO - hassle free reverse loops! Handling this in DC is harder!

[nfmisso]

Read this: http://www.dcctrains.com/tonystips/dccprimer/index.htm

[cacole]

A DC locomotive sitting on a DCC track will sometimes buzz because of the high frequency square wave DCC signal running through the motor. The headlight and/or backup light will stay on all the time, too. It would probably take a few hours for the buzzing of the motor to cause any significant heat generation, but it could conceivably shorten the life of the motor, not to mention the annoyance of hearing it constantly buzzing.

I read a comment by someone who claimed that the DCC signal could cause the permanent magnets in an old open-frame motor to become demagnetized, thus ruining the motor; however, I consider this unproven speculation.

[dehusman]

1. No. As long as you leave the throttle off (stopped).

2. Possibly. I have seen 2 LL P2K E units and an Athearn GP7 melt on a DC layout equipped with a signal circuit on it. The GP7 actually got hot enough that truck parts went through Code 100 flex track and 2" of foam to the floor. But it would take a while. The engine above derailed and sat there probably a couple hours before it went China Syndrome. With DCC if it shorted it would shut down the block or system and you would know you had a problem.

3. Yes. Or use a DPDT toggle switch just like you would with a DC system.

Dave H.

[dano99a]

QUOTE:
(1) i have read that if you leave a engine with DCC on the track that there is power going through will it burn up the decoder or the motor, i also read where one person had block control so that this would not happen is this necessary.

It sounds like what your describing is something that happens to a DCC equiped engine on a DC track that does not have the decoder set to analog or just doesn't have a setting for it. Most decoders (like the digitrax decoders) have a built-in auto switch so that if you put it on a DC track it will work just fine, or if you put it on a DCC track it will still work fine.

Now I've heard of NON-DCC equipped engines burning up on a DCC track because of the constant high voltage but I have never seen it myself.

As for the block thing, that's sounds more like a DC layout than DCC. You can still have blocks that you can shut off but, with DCC there is no need for them accept for signals and traffic detection then the blocks come in handy.

QUOTE:
(2)i also read where if a DCC equiped engine could melt down if it shorts out on the frog of a switch. is this true

Never seen it, but I know that with a digitrax command station it will shut off/reset everytime there is a short and an engine can't burn up if there's no power going to it.

QUOTE:
(3) on reverse loops to you have to buy a reverse loop module so that the polarity stays correct

With my experiece through recent experiments, I'd say "yup" but as stated above you could do it with a DPDT switch. But the nice thing about the reverse loop module is that it automates the switching part for you so you don't really have to do much once you got it workin right.

hope this clears things up for you a bit.
Happy modeling

[:)]