Login
or
Register
Subscriber & Member Login
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Login
Register
Home
»
Model Railroader
»
Forums
»
Electronics and DCC
»
Cheaper DCC
Edit post
Edit your reply below.
Post Body
Enter your post below.
<p>[quote user="LAX1DUDE"]If anyone can give me some pointers to what types of capacitors to use or where to buy 60 amp MOSFETs, leave a comment.[/quote]</p> <p>I would start with Mouser or Digikey.</p> <p>My suggestion: Finish the re-motoring project. See what your actual current draw of locomotives ends up being, then move to making or buying a booster. That way you dont end up spending a bunch of money building or buying extra stuff you dont need. <span style="text-decoration:line-through;">Northwest short line is a good place to find just about any type of motor you might imagine. They even have truck mounted motors that are DCC ready.</span> Im guessing you already have your motors.</p> <p> </p> <p>[quote user="LAX1DUDE"] I mean "I've only been messing with DCC for 2 months, and I'm already having ideas like this. I'm not even old enough to have been around in a time where you needed knowledge of this field of electronics if you wanted to build things! I can't be the first to try something like this![/quote]</p> <p>You are not the first. And you will likely not be the last.</p> <p>[quote user="LAX1DUDE"]There has to be a reason building your own boosters this way isn't 'the way' if you want to make a large layout".[/quote] </p> <p>I'll put it this way. When I first got into DCC 3 years ago, I had a very similar thought process (bigger is better). I went to my Local Hobby Shop to buy a NCE 10amp system. The owner would not sell me one because I was going to use it for HO scale. He said I might one day need an extra 5 amp booster, but a single 5 amps would do just fine and keep me from cooking locomotives. </p> <p>I suspect that it might also be a term called liability. If you buy an off the shelf system and use it in accordance with the manufacturers instructions, you are typically not liable if damage occurs to your property or others property. If you build something yourself, or a company makes a product that is inherently dangerous, you or that company could be held liable for the results. </p> <p>What are those results? Maybe nothing, you could have years of trouble free operation. Worst case scenario? You could start a fire. Notice I did not say will. </p> <p> [quote user="LAX1DUDE"]Is it just me, or am I having 'the great awakening' everyone is anticipating?[/quote]</p> <p>I dont personally think so. There are several DCC manufacturers that make DCC systems with maximum voltages and amperages set for your safety. </p> <p>MTH makes a (slightly more than) 400 Watt transformer for O scale. Its on board circuit breakers are rated @ 12A. It has two of them. 0-22VAC. This is a UL listed product. </p> <p> </p>
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag
Update Reply
Subscriber & Member Login
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Login
Register
Users Online
Jackflash
see all »
Search the Community
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter
See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter
and get model railroad news in your inbox!
Sign up