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Cutting track power with PSX Circuit Breakers

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  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Pittsburgh, PA
  • 208 posts
Cutting track power with PSX Circuit Breakers
Posted by preceng on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 12:59 PM

I posted this question on Tony's Trains, but have not had a response.

Paul Chandler wrote an article in MRR Magazine about Power Districts. In it he describes his use of a remote reset and manual power off to tracks switch panel he uses. His article is based on the older Power Shield unit. He uses two SPST toggles. The power off to track toggle is located in series with the power out to track wires, along with an LED w/resistor indicator light. The switch allows power to the track to be tutned off frmaintenance, etc.

The new PSX boards have built in socket for remote LED's for power into the unit,and outbound to the track. It would seem to be easier, with the new PSX boards, to place a SPST switch on the inbound wires that power the board, and use the board's remote LED connections to power the indictor LED (w/o need for the extra resistor). My question is ... what am I missing? Is there an issue with cutting power to the board in this manner? Rather than leaving the board hot, and cutting it outbound to the track bus?

Thanks

Allan B.
  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 2:50 PM

 What you say should work fine. Unless there are some issues that are not disclosed inteh documentation with turning off the input to the PSX.

 My issue with the original article si why the high power toggles int he output? The original PS has a pair of pads on the board to connect a toggle which would turn on and off the output manually. I think they also had pads to connect LEDs to indicate the status as well. I fail to see the need for another LEDs plus the toggles capable of handling full track current. Seems to me the whole thing would haev been easier, plus no heavy track power wiring would have been needed on the control panel, if the connections of the PS made for the purpose were used. PSX unfortunately eliminates this track power override connection.

                         --Randy 

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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