I have installed a PSX-2 circuit breaker on my NCE power cab dcc layout. The intention was to seperate my branchline from the main into 2 circuits. I cut gaps on the track at the beginning of the branch to seperate the districts. My main line is hooked to the first breaker and my branch to the second.
From the power cab I ran power to the PSX and from it ran a buss line to each district. All works fine except....
when I have a short on the branch the whole system shuts down....I thought the circuit breaker would allow the two districts to operate independently of one another during a short?????
What did I miss or was I mistaken in the purpose of the psx-2?
Thanks,
Bart
Did you adjust the PSX trip current to be lower than your NCE system output ? If not, the NCE will trip with the PSX.
Engineer Jeff NS Nut Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/
Ah... the directions thing. No I just hooked it up and thought I was done. I will go back and check that out.
Thanks for the heads up!
Yup, the power cab is rated at about 2 amps. The trip current should be at about half of that to account for any loco's running on both sides of the block. In most cases the power cab is used on layouts smaller than needed for breakers. It kind of limits you on the amount of loco's that can run in an isolated area.
Springfield PA
Can you expound on the limitations alittle more. If I follow this... by lower the trip current below the power cab output... I could limit the number of loco's that could operate in each district. As I mentioned, one district is a branch where I expect to operate at most two loco's and the other is a mainline loop with staging and a yard/ junction with the branch.
Plans are for mostly lonewolf operation but I like to have one train running around the mainline as I work the yard making up trains for the branchline runs and returns. This can put three loco's or so operating in the main district.
Goal was not to shut down the mainline loop and staging area if I short out on the branch...
TravelinJohnnie Can you expound on the limitations alittle more. If I follow this... by lower the trip current below the power cab output... I could limit the number of loco's that could operate in each district. As I mentioned, one district is a branch where I expect to operate at most two loco's and the other is a mainline loop with staging and a yard/ junction with the branch. Plans are for mostly lonewolf operation but I like to have one train running around the mainline as I work the yard making up trains for the branchline runs and returns. This can put three loco's or so operating in the main district. Goal was not to shut down the mainline loop and staging area if I short out on the branch... Bart
Look at page 7 of the manual. The goal is to set the PSX-AR trip current at the first setting just below your system/booster output. Yes, it may drop teh total current a bit for that section but you want the circuit breaker to trip before the booster. That then protects just that section and oesn't cause the booster to trip, which will shutdown the entire layout.
On page 7 of the manual it says:
Low Pow er Systems:
For the Digitrax Zephyr, 01 or 02 (maybe) are OK. The NCE Power Cab and Bachmann EZ should use a value of 01. Both systems benefit by the activation of the weak system boost jumper, see CV 53. Most 5 amp boosters should be happy with 03 or 04. The default current is 3.81Amps
Caution continuous operations at a value higher than CV49=08, (10.2 amps) without the addition of heat sinks to the output transistors may overheat or damage the PSX’s!
CV53
Thanks Jeff,
I found the directions this morning and had just looked at that page.
I will program the CV 49 to 01.
Does this need to be done to each breaker indepenedently?
TravelinJohnnie Thanks Jeff, Does this need to be done to each breaker indepenedently?
Yes