Hi
I am building a N scale layout which will be powered by NCE's power cab. I would like to control my Kato tunouts #6s and double crossover with dcc. I have purchased NCE switch kats to control the turnouts and crossover. Has any one connected their turnouts using switch kats? Can you walk me through the wiring? Is the power cab at 2 amp strong enough to throw the crossover or do I need to connect the nce's smart booster?
Don't use your DCC system's power to throw the turnouts. Find a separate power supply. I use an old computer power supply with a 12 Volt DC output to power the switch motors.
You can wire the inputs of the DCC stationary decoder to your DCC power bus, but the actual switch motors should be powered from a totally separate supply to avoid causing voltage spikes that can destroy your NCE system.
cacoleDon't use your DCC system's power to throw the turnouts.
The instructions for wiring the switch Kat are shown here: http://www.ncedcc.com/images/stories/manuals/switch_kat.pdf
and appear to be simple: Two wires to the track and two wires to the switch.
The instructions do not appear to allow the use of a separate power supply for this device (I guess I really mean the turnouts).
EDIT: But if there is a way to do this without the use of relays, etc, I'd be interested in know how to make this happen.
I use NCE Switch Its for my little test railroad and am happy with them. However, in your case $19.95 list per turnout seems to be on the steep side. But that's my opinion.
Tam Valley just came out with a nifty small booster that is designed to power the accessories you run on DCC, independent of the booster that drives the rails. It's fairly simplistic and I'm not sure I'd want to use it to power track (for one thing there's a rathe rlong delay after loss of DCC signal til when it power off, or at least that's how the description reads), but for the intended use pof powering stationary decoders it looks more than capable. This way, you aren't suckign up train amps to run turnouts AND if a train stops because of a short running against a turnout, you'll still have power to throw it the other way and clear the short. If your stationary decoder is powered by the same track power, it would be dead just like the train from the short.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Hi,
I want to thank all of you for your terrific replies here on this board and also to those that responded privately. All of you have provided great insight.
Several members suggested having a separate power source for the turnouts.I was thinking the same thing. and using my MRC t2400 power pack/throttle which has an area for accessories. BTW I am using 2400 to test my new layout in DC first.
One member brought out an excellent point that i was completely unaware of which related to switch kats and kato doulble crossovers, - I did not know that the switch kats could not power the double cross overs.
Thanks for all your suggestions
Phil