DCC Power Supplies

[ngartshore350]

Hi Guys,

 I purchased a DCC power supply and having never seen one before as I am just dipping my toe into DCC. I thought they might be special as in supply a very clean AC supply. Being the signal is being transmitter over this AC supply I thought there might be some filtering.

Is there filtering in the power supplies and has anybody used a UPS to supply their DCC system as they filter the AC supply very well?

Thought you could use a very small one as you really aren't using it to keep a PC running after the mains has failed just as a filter.

 Just a thought?!

Regards,

 Nigel

[jrbernier]

Nigel,

  I do not think there is anything 'special' about the power supplies.  I built a 'kit' from either Loys Toys or Litchfield Station and there really was nothing special about the circuitry in it.  I later purchased a pair of Digitrax 5 amp big 'wall warts' for my command station and booster.  The 'homemade' one was donated to a friend.  I got the power supplies in a 'deal' when a LHS was going out of business - just too good of an offer at the time.

  I do have a APC 350 watt UPS for my DCC and the computer that is plugged into the Loconet.  The PS12's that power the UP5/UR91 and PM42 are not protected by the UPS.  My DCS100 is a really old one and has been in constant use since the late 90's.

Jim

[betamax]

Are you sure it is a power supply and not a command station?

Digtrax, for example, can use an AC or a DC power supply for the command station/booster. It has the necessary circuitry to produce DC at the levels it wants, regardless of the input (just follow their recommendations for voltage).

For the most part, the power supply can be a simple AC setup, a nice regulated DC setup, or a cheap wall wart with AC or DC output.

A UPS isn't really a power supply, it is just there to step in should the main supply fail or dip. It isn't exactly the cleanest AC either, having been created electronically from a battery.

[mfm37]

 There's nothing fancy about a power supply for a DCC booster. I built my first supply with a kit from Springhaven Shops. The kit consisted of a transformer, 6 foot 120AC cord, a few feet of 16 ga zip cord, an inline fues, and  some wire nuts. I supplied the piece of 1 x 6 to mount it on. The later Loys Toys supplies I assembled were about the same except they have an enclosure and some indicator LED's.

All of the filtering that's needed is in the booster.Give it the right voltage at enough amps and it does the rest. If you want to add a  UPS, it can only help. Most have some surge protection built in. Won't hurt to protect your equipment.

Martin Myers

[rrinker]

 I don't bother with a UPS for my DCC stuff, seemed a bit of overkill. I have one on my computer though. EVERYTHING electronic has a surge protector though - my DCC stuff, my TV, etc. We have very reliable power, few outages or brownouts, so a good quality (the no-name Wally World ones are NOT good - and the Monster Cable ones aren't really either - Monster is the most overpriced junk foisted on the audiophile world EVER) surge protector is pretty much all I need.

                                      --Randy

 

[ngartshore350]

Hi Guys,Thanks for your responses. The supply is a NCE standard supply. Being an Electrical Engineer I know there are many ways to create a supply but I wasn't sure how susceptible the DCC signals were to a noisy supply.I work in industrial situations where large drives and VVVF drives cause the supply to be noisy. A UPS really helps tidy up the supply. Seems there is nothing special from everyone’s responses! Again thanks for your responses.Regards,Nige