Need opinion: What voltage do you run your DCC at?

[DigitalGriffin]

Subject ask it all. I'm trying to find definative guidelines for DCC voltage and I really can't find any. I thinking of going Lenz, and I am trying to decide on the power supplies.

I'm in the planning stages of building a yard, and I'll be running 4 HO engines in any given block, and a couple of DCC stationary decoders for turnouts.

[Anonymous]

most of what i read on lenz is that it recommends up to a 15 volt 5 amp transformer. Some of the internet model railroad sites offer such a unit.

[NZRMac]

I'm using the Lenz compact (atlas commander) and have a 15v ac transformer for the supply (out of old washing machine) it works fine puts about 19v ac on the track. I also used 4 high speed diodes to drop the voltage slightly as I'm usuing a soundtraxx decoder in a diesel, they suggest no more than 16 v on the track but it runs fine on mine.

Ken.

[rrinker]

Good thing you're using those diodes. The 19.8 volts the Lenx system puts out to the track is TOO MUCH for HO and N scale, Soundtraxx or not. I do not understand why they do that, but it's within the NMRA spec so they get the football. (hmm, no 'sarcastic' smiley? oh well...)
Other brands tend to run around 14.5-15 volts on the rail in the HO setting, if they have a setting, or that voltage period. O and Large Scale can handle 20 volts no problem, N and Z should be lower - some Marklin Z scale motors are made for 10v, not 12v.
Input voltage depends on the DCC manufacturer, but usually should be not much higher than the desired output voltage. Any excess is simply dissipated as heat in the booster, so even if the listed maximum is, say 22 volts and you are running 15v on the track, don't do it. A 15-16v transformer will be more than adequate.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

Hi Griffin,

I am using 15 volts 3 amp for my “set one” with the (old) loose LV100 power station.
For my second power supply a LV101 I also use 15 volts 3 amp.
In their new power station, the LV102 they recommend a 15 volts 5 amp transformer. (on the Dutch side)
Think the information you’re looking for is here,

www.lenz.com/products/powerstations/index.htm

Lenz recommends for the LV101 their own TR100 and for the new LV102 their TR150

Hope this information will help you.


Randy,

Did you know the output voltage of the Lenz system is adjustable from 11,5 volts till 22volts.
Default Lenz is set for an output of 16 volt. Your can check it on the link I gave to Griffin, if you like.
I used several different brands of decoders, and although I blew up some it wasn’t by the output voltage of the Lenz system. But more of my engineering capabilities like proper wringing and metal parts inside the loco. [:I][:I](yep, learning it the hard way, [:D])
Have to admit so far I only used European brands, since I am switching from my Dutch railways to American. (Hope to start the bench work for my American lay-out this spring)
But I can’t imagine the American brands would have weaker decoders. Brands I used on the standard default of 16 volts, are apart of Lenz itself, Roco, Ulenbrock, Viessman and Zimo.
Never had any problems with them, though

Kind regards
Cor

[NZRMac]

The Lenz Compact I'm using isn't adjustable it's just the baby in the range of Lenz, all the other models are adjustable I think.
I've had no trouble with the soundtraxx so far!!

Ken.

[rrinker]

16v is fine - it's the higher voltage of the Compact that is a problem. US decoders aren't mor fragile, it's just that 12v has been basically the standard here even before the NMRA established it as such, once people got away from using 6v car batteries for power.
The full-blown Lenz systems using 16v as the default is right in line with other brands. It's just sort of odd that the Atlas Commander/Lenz Compact use such a high voltage with no ability to adjust it - as far as I know, the only such system currently on the market. Luckily,a few high-speed diodes can fix the problem, as NZRMac has found.
Soundtraxx decoders are the only ones that caustion about over 16v, the other brands can generally handle 20-22 volts without a problem (other than your loco top speed being a bit high). I'm guessing it's because of the complexity of the sound chip - much as the newer more complex CPU chips use lower voltages, to allow the internal 'circuits' to be made smaller - higher voltage would break down thinner insulation. (before some other EE jumps all over me - I know this is highly simplified, but the point here is not to fully educate people on the internal design of microprocessors, likely the members who are the target of this message don't care one way or the other)
However, none of this really applies to the original poster's question - what is important is not to use a 22v power supply when you are going to set the track voltage to 15v, the excess is going to merely be turned into heat in the booster.

--Randy

[ClinchValleySD40]

I have mine (NCE) set at 13.5 volts. Works great.