Hello everyone
Long time lurker, first question here.
I finally decide get rid of dynamis on my ho layout. Ordered a nce starter which like but as soon as connect I realise power is not sufficent. I consider get a 5A smart booster will be enough. Also I would like to have wireless because I am used to use from dynamis. If I get all updates (160 for smart booster, 120 for wireless base and 180 for wireless cab) it became whopping 600 usd. While digging around for smart booster realesed I can get wireless 10 amp sys for 600. (nce 524007) It is little bit unlogical pay once 600 but I can get same price a 10 amp sys vs 5 amp with upgrade path. I dont need a second cab for now and already have a power supply for 524007. concerns about NOT to buy 524007 ?
Thank you in advance
You can get your current cab upgraded for $106, but I get the sense that you might not be from here, so postage could be more than for a US transaction.
$600 is a deal in the US for the 10 amp system. The extra amps aren't going to hurt anything, but if things ran OK with the Dynamis, you probably aren't going to need them.
to the forum. A more focused title, like NCE Wireless upgrade 10 amps vs 5 might get a better response. You can edit the title from your first post. However you are on probabation for your first few posts, so it will be a while before we hear from you.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
10 amp systems are a false economy with smaller scales that do not need such power. And very few do - if the layotu is that big, a pair of 5 amp boosters distributed around the layout space are better than a single 10 amp booster with long wire runs to feed the whole layout.
To that cost for the 10 amp system you need to add a power supply, which aren;t all that common (5 amp supplies a VERY common - many modern systems use what is effectively a laptop power supply). And VERY important - circuit breakers. 10 amps to the track will MELT you stuff in the event of a short. Except in larger scales, where a single loco draws 4 amps and sometimes more, 10 amps to the track is complete overkill.
If you are growing that much, then getting a Power Pro system is a better upgrade path than getting the SB5. But get the 5 amp system, NOT the 10 amp one. How many trains do you see running at one time? 5 amps is good for 10 or more HO locos, even sound ones.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
There are times that Randy and I disagree, but this time I totally agree with his assessment. 10 amps in HO is outright unncecessary and is, in fact, dangerous. You will need to install many circuit breakers to protect your layout, or run the risk of a total track meltdown if there is a short, and the higher possibility of many destroyed decoders.
I dumped the Dynamis system many years ago and invested in NCE. I started small with the Powercab, and it ran up to 5 locomotives for me without problems. When I went to more than 5, I installed the SB5 booster for a small outlay of cash. That allowed me to run far more locos. Then I upgraded 1 of my 2 Powercabs to wireless and bought the antenna, again, for a small outlay of cash, and I did not pay the prices you stated, far less. Shop around onlined and at train shows. Worked great. I recently upgraded my second Powercab to wireless and am very happy with my current setup.
The nice part was, I did not need to shell out a ton of money in the beginning, the system grew with my needs and the outlay of cash was distributed over a longer period of time. I did not buy a large system that I did not need for years, and when I did need more, I just added to it.
I am reaching the point where I need more than 5 amps due to the expansion of my layout, and I recently bought a DB5 booster. Didn't need it until now, but now that I do, I can get it for a very reasonable cost.
I also build a small Christmas layout that is only up during the Christmas holidays, and I can use one of the Powercabs on it without a booster, without the wireless antenna or any other equipment or modifications. I just plug the Powercab into the Christmas layout and it works as a 2 amp wire type cab. No mods, no changes of programming, all CV's work and everything runs fine. And when I take it back to my larger layout, I press 1 button and it's wireless again. That's nice having that kind of convienence.
See, the thing is, it only costs a few dollars, if that, to equip the booster portion with heavier components that can switch 10 amps instead of 5. So a 10 amp system tends to sell for only slightly more than a 5 amp system. But then when you add the cost of a power supply, and the absolutely required additional circuit breakers (not that you don't need circuit breakers for a 5 amp system - you should use them there as well, but you need MORE with the 10 amp system), it adds up quickly.
The sensible solution here is to determine your true needs. If it will be using more cabs than can be supported by the SB5, then get the standard 5 amp radio system as an upgrade (and send your PowerCab in for radio upgrade - they can indeed also fit the radio board in the PowerCab - to use it as a PowerCab is still needs to be plugged in, but once you have a dedicated command station, the PowerCab becomes just another ProCab - so you will then have 2 radio cabs, the one that came with the set plus your converted PowerCab). If you do not forsee needing more simultaneous operators than the SB5 can handle - the SB5 and getting the radio equipment is the more economical upgrade. Compare by the MSRP, but remember NCE has a minimum advertised pricing policy so you need to actually add items to your cart for many sellers to see how much they ACTUALLY are charging. You can, for example, get the PowerCab for under $140. Same seller has similar discounts on the other systems and accessories. Plus the SB5 comes with a power supply, so that price includes everything you need to switch over - the PowerPro 5 amp system does NOT have a power supply, you need to add that.