Hi All,
Please excuse the dumb question, I am new to NCE & DCC
Background:
Haven't jumped over yet but intending to take baby steps. I have a Heljan Terminal that requires 14-16VAC, I used a power supply I had but was concerned about the noise of the power supply. Local Hobby shop had a deal for a 3B3a with power supply so bought it.
My intensions:
I have read some literature off NCE's site and said I need a Power Cab. My intensions is for a wireless system in the future. Do I need a power cab and/or did I buy the wrong thing to start out?! So literature discusses a "command station" is this the power cab, is there anther option?
Thanks for your time and patience, little confused at the moment!
Regards,
Nigel
The Power Cab is a complete beginners' DCC system -- command station and booster all in one, that comes with its own power supply brick.
Hi Nigel.
The 3B3a has been getting good reviews in recent threads here. It is intended for the power cab system as an upgrade and adds track current and capability. I'm not sure but it might work with a radio cab through the radio base station. I don't know if anyone has tried this yet but my understanding is that the power cab basically becomes a procab.
But consider this. If you take the 3b3a back, you can have the full functioned PhproR setup for just over a hundred bucks more list than if you go to radio with what you have.
The list price of the PHpror is 699.
That gives you th full system. your current path is
The Radio Procab 249.00 list
Radio Base Station 159.00
Sb3A 159 list
Total 567.00 list.
So once again if you're going the radio route I'd take what you have back and step up.
Springfield PA
The NCE PowerCab, http://www.ncedcc.com/component/virtuemart/?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=3&category_id=1 is a good DCC system that comes with the PowerCab handset, power supply (wallwort type transformer), and attachment items that allow you to connect to your railroad.
The 3B3A, http://www.ncedcc.com/component/virtuemart/?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=97&category_id=1 is an expansion booster for the PowerCab that allows for more handsets and increases the available power to run the railroad. I believe that it requires it's own power supply.
I'm not sure what you were intending to use the 3B3A for. What is the Heljan Terminal you need the power for? And is the power requirement for control purposes, or for lighting and things of that nature?
He's in Australia so on a different time table than most of us, like 12 hrs different than the US.
http://dir.groups.yahoo.com/group/NCE-DCC/?v=1&t=directory&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=dir&slk=3
Try here. These guys know the NCE systems very well.
73
Bruce in the Peg
I'm not all that certain about this, but I don't think the Power Cab can be converted to wireless. Your best bet for going wireless would be the Power Pro.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
Hi Guys,
Thanks for the help! Posted question last night (our time) and I'm at work at the moment, Monday here already!
I'll have a look at home tonight.
Nigel,
Normally, one would get a DCC system first - i.e. a command station/booster combo and a separate throttle. However, that doesn't mean you can't go ahead and purchase a separate NCE throttle for your newly acquired Smart Booster (or SB3a).
Simply put, the NCE Power Cab is a command station/booster/throttle all rolled-up-into-one. It is a 1.7A stand alone DCC system that run from 4 - 6 locomotives at a time; depending on the current draw of your locomotives.
The updated Smart Booster is basically a stand alone command station/power booster but has no way of controlling a locomotive. You need to plug an NCE throttle into it to do that.
When you plug a Power Cab into the SB3a it does several things:
1. Overrides the command station in the Power Cab and turns it into a regular throttle - e.g. a Pro Cab
2. Increases the overall output of a Power Cab from 1.7A to 5A
3. Increases the number of locomotives you can recall (be pushing the RECALL button) from 2 up to 6
4. Increases additional cab slots from 2 1 to 4 3, total 4 total
Nigel, you can either go with a Power Cab as a throttle, or one of the less expensive CAB-04 or CAB-05 throttles. (There is also the new CAB-06 throttles but they aren't due out for another month or two.) The CAB-06 throttles are similar to the -04 and -05 throttles but have an LED readout for identifying what loco address you are controlling.
The one advantage of getting a Power Cab is that you WILL need one to program your locomotives with. Unlike NCE's 5A Power Pro DCC system, the SB3a does not come with a programming track connector port on the back. So, you'll need a Power Cab and PCP panel (included with the Power Cab) to program locomotives in Programming Mode. This must be done apart from your SB3a.
Also, since the Power Cab is therefore a very portable "all-in-one" system, this means that you can program any locomotives from your work bench or even over at a friend's house. All you need is the PCP panel plugged into a short piece of track and you are ready to go.
To answer your wireless question: According to the diagram on pg. 6 of the SB3a manual, a RB02 Radio Base station (for broadcasting a wireless signal) can be connected to a UTP panel, which is connected to the Cab Bus on the faceplate of an SB3a. All you would then need is either a Power Cab or ProCab wireless throttle, or a CAB-04pr/er or CAB-05r wireless throttle.
Lastly, should you decide to go with another DCC system other than NCE, the SB3a can be programmed to operate in "booster only" mode and you have an additional 5A booster.
Nigel, hope that helps...
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Hey Guys,
Thanks for all your help it is becoming clearer now! I think I know what I need.
Again thanks for your help.
Let us know what you finally decide and how your install goes.
Thanks, will do!
Maxman, sorry didn't answer your question. Terminal Link Below:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/322-89001
ngartshore350 Terminal Link Below: http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/322-89001
Terminal Link Below:
Ah, I see. That item is digitally controlled as per your link. So, as others stated above, you will need some sort of controller to operate it. Either one of the NCE systems, one of the Digitrax systems, or one of the other available systems. The device you purchased is a boster to expand the NCE PowerCab system.