Can someone tell me which they would buy and why?
Bob D As long as you surface as many times as you dive you`ll be alive to read these posts.
I wouldn't buy either. I would get NCE EB-1 circuit breakers. Four EB-1's would be much cheaper than either of the others and would work just as well for basic DCC circuit protection. The PSX has too many bells and whistles on it that many people never use and is WAY over priced.
I did forget to mention that the EB-1 circuit breakers are not for low current or beginner DCC systems.
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.
You are comparing 2 different animals. Zoneshare has an auto reverse section and is not programmable for low output systems under 4 amps. PSX -4 does not have a reverse section but is totally programmable for low power systems such as a Power Cab all the way up to a mega system 10 amp or more for big trains. For a reliable breaker the less expensive PSX OG will handle most systems.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
The ZoneShare DOES have adjustable trip current. Like the Digitrax AR-1 autoreverser, it's continuously variable, not just deiscreete steps. Price-wise it works out to be about the same as 4x of the NCE EB-1's. If NCE actually makes them any more - their web site is an complete and utter mess and the link for the EB1 tries to take you to some random other site. The PSX units work great, but they are much harder to configure than others and have a lot of extra features that aren;t generally needed. The EB1 or OG-CB are plenty adequate for a solid state breaker, and I've had no issues whatsoever eith a PM42, but unless you use Digitrax, you won;t be able to program a PM42. Contray to common misconception, the relays are plenmty fast enough, are rated for a ridiculous amount of cycles, and my PM42 has no issues with multiple sound locos restarting - one of the touted features added to the PSX that increased the price over the old PS was recovery with inrush current from sound decoders - well, my PM42 handles it just fine.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinkerPrice-wise it works out to be about the same as 4x of the NCE EB-1's. If NCE actually makes them any more - their web site is an complete and utter mess and the link for the EB1 tries to take you to some random other site
Just in case anyone might be interested in these:http://www.ncedcc.com/component/virtuemart/?page=shop.product_details&flypage=garden_flypage.tpl&product_id=62&category_id=16
After spending a few minutes looking at their web page, I see what happened. I believe the odd name at the beginning of the link on the home page that SHOULD take you to the above link is the name of their web designer, so that person goofed and didn;t change the domain name on the link when putting it into production. And there's an extra folder layer on all the product link icons on the left side of the page you get when going to the above to view the EB1 - and on some of the other product category pages, causing all the red x's.
Ooops.
Hi Sub-
What is the application? Is it a large layout with many sound locomotives, or, is it a small switcher with just a couple of sound locomotives? The PSX is the way to go for large power applications. While there is programming you may have to do, depending upon your operating environment, it is straight forward and takes a minute or two.
Erik Fiske
I couldn't fix your brakes, so I made your horn louder
The PSX is a VERY nice unit, but only guards against excess out current flow. If you have a short, or voltage differential between power districts, you could have a large inrush current. This can damage some units in the long run.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
Hi Don-
I have to respectfully disagree with your assessment. The PSX specifically addresses the increased inrush loads (currents) which occur due to large capacitors used for sound systems. This load appears as a system short circuit until the capacitors are charged. The logic in the new PSXs determines if the load is a true short or just an inrush overload.
The X series of Power Shields provide an intelligent circuit breaker that can analyze and determine the difference between a real short circuit and the capacitors in a cluster of sound equipped locomotives. This advance system solves the false overload problems that occurr in DCC Boosters and other circuit breakers that see the sound locomotive capacitors as a short circuit. Added to this is the adjustable short circuit range from 1.27 amps to 17 amps.