Other than a slight voltage mismatch, that will work fine. The Zephyr track voltage is fixed at slightly higher than the DV150 ont he N scale setting and lower than the DB150 on HO. Your best bet is to set the DB150 on the N scale setting.
If you have any stationary decoders for turnouts then I'd instead suggest doing what I did, and use the Zephyr's output to run the so they are independent of the track power.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Yes that would work. However it is not hard to create 2 districts with the Z powering one. Double gap the rails and have a seperate power bus. I dont recall it being any hassle at all.
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
I had intended to run two power districts, one with theDCS 50 Zephyr as command station and the other with the DB150 acting as a booster.
One of the model railroaders at the local club advised me to use the Zephry as the command station and to only run wires to the program track. Hence, I can read and right CV's on the program track
He said that the DB150 would be connected to the layout track and that two power districts were not necessary.
This would make it easier to wire the layout with just one set of booster wiring.
Any comments?
Everyone should. Abd if you add more boosters - keep the ground chain going.
Only reason I don;t have this is because my Zephyr is not connected to the track, just my DB150. A common setup for larger clubs is a DCS100 command station, not connected to the track, just a standalone command station, driving multiple DB150's that actually power the track. At the very least, all teh DB150's should have a heavy ground run between them. First show with DCC, we had problems when locos went between sections controlled by one DB150 into the next - because no one had runt he ground wires. The use of such is documented on the DIgitrax site - luckily I had my smartphone to look it up because no one believed me that thsi shoudl eb done. Once installed - problem free.
Does anyone using a booster with a Zephry use a seperate gound wire between the two units besides the Loconet cable?
There are two ways to make the DB150 a booster, but the REALIABLE one is a jumper wire between COnfig A and Ground.
And speaking of jumper wires, you should also run a fairly heavy wire between the Zephyr's GROUND terminal and the DB150's GROUND, if both will be powering track. This is a common reference connection between both units' booster portions, and without it, such reference will be via the ground in th thin Loconet cable. I skipped this step because the output of my Zephyr goes only to the stationary decoders which are completely isolated fromt he track power. But I DO have a heavy ground between the DB150 and the PM42 - for the same reason. This is the reference the PM42 uses for short detection and, if configured, autoreversing.
Daisy chain the loconet cables between the z and the db plus to any other devices like a UP5 panel . The DT can plug in anywhere since it communicates via the loconet. Make sure to read up on the correct way to make the db a booster. You do not want 2 systems as the command station.
simon1966 You now have my systen, Make 2 power districts, a 2,5A district from the Z and a 5A district from the DB150 Uae the Z as the conmand station. Run the DB as a booster, The DT402 willl have full functionality you lose none of its functions when the Z is the command. By keeping the Z as the command station you keep your program track and can read/write CV;s if you use the DB as the command you will not be ablee to reaad CV. Slots will increase to 22 from 10.
You now have my systen, Make 2 power districts, a 2,5A district from the Z and a 5A district from the DB150
Uae the Z as the conmand station. Run the DB as a booster, The DT402 willl have full functionality you lose none of its functions when the Z is the command. By keeping the Z as the command station you keep your program track and can read/write CV;s if you use the DB as the command you will not be ablee to reaad CV. Slots will increase to 22 from 10.
I thought there was a good reason why I wanted the DB150 as a booster. I certainly would prefer the read and write capabilities.
I like the idea of the two districts as the one district with the roundhouse and turntable will have more locomotives on site than the other district so I will use the DB150 for it with the 5 amps.
Does it matter which unit the DT402 plugs into?
Mine as well, my DB150 is configured as booster. My Zephyr is the command station. The Zephyr track output drives my stationary decoders (Tam Valley Singlet servo drivers), all track power comes fromt he DB150, via a PM42.
I've had a DT400 since about 3 months after getting my Zephyr, and have always used it as my primary throttle. A couple of years ago I got a DT402 to get to the extra functions (99% of which are useless anyway...unless you like your loco to moo). I also picked up a DT100 cheap on eBay - when I can rememebr how to select long addresses on it, it makes a pretty good train runnign throttle. But I alwyas forget and try to change direction by clicking the encoder - not gonna happen on a DT100.
My layotu couldn't handle 12 runnign trains at once, so I don;t see the limit ont he Zephyr as a problem. Best laid plans and all, but my next layout I intend to be a rather large one, so the 22 loco limit of the DB150 would probably be an issue, so I plan on someday getting a DCS100 to be the command station on that 'final' layout. For now, the Zephyr handles things just fine, and I still get a read/write program track out of the deal (using the DB150 as command station would mean write-only).
You now have my systen, Make 2 power districts, a 2,5A district from the Z and a 5A district from theDB150
I would use the DT402. DB150 and the DT402 (that is basicly the Super Empire Builder, minus the control panel). My understanding is the DT402 will give you more functions over the Zephyr and the DT402 is actually two throttles in one.. You can control two different trains at the same time with it.
I have been using a Digitrax Zephyr DCS50 to power my layout running DCC.
I recently bought a Digitrax DB150 Control/Booster unit with power supply and a DT402 Throttle unit and a Digitrax universal connection unit to tie it all together.
It was my original intention to use the DB150 as a booster and to continue to use the Zephyr as my main control unit and to use the DT402 as an additional throttle.
Now I am uncertain if that is the right choice.
Would I be better off using the DT150 in Control mode with the DT402 as my main controller and the Zephyr DCS50 as an additional throttle?
Which would give me better control of reading/writing CV's in DCC decoders?
Any pro's or con's to know about?