I want to thank the guys that posted and helped me with my Bench work and Wiring post. Helped me alot and made decisions on what to use and how to build it.
Now my next question is do I or should I use circuit breakers on my layout? My layout is 11'x18' and was going to wire it as 1 division. After thinking about it and reading some articles I should probably do it as 2 divisions instead of 1. I was planning on wiring up my main bus line into 2 different runs with the controller in the middle. The 2 runs will be 30' ea with 1 going right and the other going left, obviously.
Now my question is if I use circuit breakers which one should I get with a division layout, and how would it be wired up? I think I am thinking way to much on DCC because it is driving me batty not knowing everything about it because I am not very knowledgeable with electricity, only enough to be dangerous.
Thanks
Brad
You have to think of what is compatable with the DCC system you have. What is the current output of your command station? Don't get a circuit breaker that cannot be adjusted to trip below the current of the command stations built in circuit breaker. You'll be wasting your money. My club has a Digitrax Super Chief 8 amp system and we have four power districts protected by a PM42 circuit breaker and is working very well. The PM42's default current level is 3 amps. I don't know if it can ve adjusted down. How mant trains will you be running at one time and are they on separate tracks. To set up two power districts you will have to run two DCC busses.
Sorry should have stated that I will be using the MRC Prodigy Advanced 2 Squared, which is rated at 3.5 amps. I will probably only be running mostly 2 engines at a time in a consist form, maybe 3 like that, but definitely not more than 4. I wanted to possibly have to divisions in case I have a short and it might be easier to detect that way.
I was looking at DCC's Specialist PSX DCC Circuit Breaker for the 2 division setup but if I dont need it then I wont worry about it anymore. But if I do would I be able to use the one above with the one power supply that came with the Prodigy mentioned above without having to purchase another booster?
You don't have to install the circuit breakers right away. If you insulate the districts from each other on the track level, and maintain separate track power buses underneath, you can wire them both up to the DCC system without breakers, and then, if you feel you need them later on, add the breakers with minimal work.
I've got the 4-breaker version of the PSX board, along with 2 of the older PS-REV autoreversers, the predecessor of the current PSX-AR units. These have functioned flawlessly on my layout for quite some time now.
You're right about the fault-isolation value of multiple districts and breakers. Between the breakers and reversers, I've got 5 districts plus one more for expansion. It's easy to tell when things go wrong.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Brad,
You want the CB to trip before your command station does. With your 3.5 amp system, you want the CB to trip fast before the command station can shut down. What is the configurable limits of the PSX CB you are looking at?
Our club has Digitrax DCS200(8 amp booster). The DCS200 is set for a long delay on the overload. The PM42 CB's are set for 7.5 amps and fast trip. This way the guy who derails in the yard and shorts out the power district does not affect the rest of the layout. We have three 8 amp boosters, and 16 PM42's(61 power districts) on our HO club railroad. At least one per session, sombody trips a PM42, but the rest of the layout still operates.
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
This is kinda what I thought. I will be running a main bus line under the layout. It will come out of the controller then T going left and right. I am doing this because if I just have it wired inline I will be going over 60' with my main bus instead of having 2 30' runs. In another thread, guys thought that going the 2 30' runs with 12 gauge wire would be the way to go for me and have ample of power.
With the PSX 2 I believe the trip level of this can be changed from 1.27 to 17.8 amps. It really doesnt say how fast it might be compared to the controller breaker, but it just says Fast and will reset itself after 2 seconds. I am not for sure if this is the info you were looking for.