DCC circuit breakers

[wdcrvr]

I am building an HO DCC layout.  I think I would like to break the layout up into about 4 or 5 sections with seperate circuit breakers to avoid having the entire layout go down if a problem occurs.  I would like suggestions/recommendations for circuit breakers to use.

thanks

wdcrvr

[Hamltnblue]

If it's 4 or 5 sections the Digitrax PM42 should do the trick. It does 4 sectoins on 1 board. 

[hdtvnut]

If you have locos with sound decoders, spend a little more and get PSX breakers from DCC Specialties. The others available don't do a good job with sound decoders, but the PSX's are designed to handle the current inrush problem common with them. I have them, and have equiped two clubs with them successfully. Hal

[MisterBeasley]

I also use PSX circuit breakers.  I have the 4-circuit-on-one-board variant.  It seems to work very well.  Most of my engines have sound.

I also use the older models of PSX auto-reversers.  These auto-reversers are also circuit breakers, so you don't need to provide separate breaker protection for auto-reverse areas.

[gandydancer19]

I choose to go with the NCE EB-1 circuit breakers.  They can handle sound locomotives and are cheaper in price than the PSX that everyone seems to rave about.

Our club also choose to go with the NCE breakers for the same reasons.

What you should do is look at the prices, then download the manuals for both breakers, PSX and NCE EB-1's, read them, and then choose the one that would work for your budget and DCC system.

[hdtvnut]

I respectfully disagree with you, having done an investigation of the EB-3 with BLI/QSI engines years back. The high capacitance these decoders present to the breaker causes high inrush current, and make it oscillate on/off with two or more engines in that block, depending on the exact circumstances. This can be improved by adding shunt resistance such as a car tail-light, but doing so partly negates the purpose of the breaker, which is to keep the average current, thus power, very low during a short condition. The PSX has a smart circuit that allows a high inrush, without resetting, long enough for the capacitors to charge. I can have at least six QSI-decoder-type engines on a PSX, and it will reset properly after a short. The EB-3/PM42 can't do this without a shunt, and the shunt means higher current and power at the short. If you don't operate multiple sound engines with keep-alive capacitors within a block, go for the cheap stuff, but don't tell me there's no difference. Hal

[CNR378]

A properly setup PM42 will reset after a short. We use PM42s at my club and have no issues with them.

Peter

[gandydancer19]

hdtvnut

I respectfully disagree with you, having done an investigation of the EB-3 with BLI/QSI engines years back. The high capacitance these decoders present to the breaker causes high inrush current, and make it oscillate on/off with two or more engines in that block, depending on the exact circumstances. This can be improved by adding shunt resistance such as a car tail-light, but doing so partly negates the purpose of the breaker, which is to keep the average current, thus power, very low during a short condition. The PSX has a smart circuit that allows a high inrush, without resetting, long enough for the capacitors to charge. I can have at least six QSI-decoder-type engines on a PSX, and it will reset properly after a short. The EB-3/PM42 can't do this without a shunt, and the shunt means higher current and power at the short. If you don't operate multiple sound engines with keep-alive capacitors within a block, go for the cheap stuff, but don't tell me there's no difference. Hal

Who said anything about EB-3's?

I know the EB-3 will not handle sound locomotives.

I recommended the EB-1.  Maybe you should pay more attention to what you are reading.