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dcc and circuit breakers

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  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Sunday, March 17, 2013 3:49 PM

PM42's can turnb on or off each section via command through Loconet, they also report the status of each section via Loconet. Only ones that come out of the box that can do that.

 Tony's likes to list all of their products, the PSX's, Hare, Wabbit, etc as having feedback. Well, they KINDA do - if you hook them to inputs on eg a DS64 for Loconet, an AIU for NCE, etc.

 For turnouts, the DS64 will report position on Loconet even if you use the local input buttons to change the turnout. What this means is that signals, or a dispatcher panel in something like JMRI will always show the proper settings no matter how the turnout was thrown - via throttle or via fascia buttons or via distacher control.

       --Randy        


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    October 2005
  • From: Detroit, Michigan
  • 2,284 posts
Posted by Soo Line fan on Sunday, March 17, 2013 10:32 AM

MisterBeasley

Tony's Trains / DCC Specialties puts their manuals online for you:

http://dccspecialties.com/products/pdf/man_psx1.pdf

Not a fan of DCC but that is pretty impressive technology.

Jim

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Sunday, March 17, 2013 9:49 AM

Tony's Trains / DCC Specialties puts their manuals online for you:

http://dccspecialties.com/products/pdf/man_psx1.pdf

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    December 2012
  • From: Rockford, IL
  • 29 posts
Posted by jrs182p on Sunday, March 17, 2013 8:53 AM

I plan to use the PSX breakers in my layout.  Do you have any idea of the required LED spec for an external LED option?   Also how does one decide of the value of current protection with these?

Thanks

John...

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Friday, March 15, 2013 2:25 PM

gandydancer19
Then how come it has a LocoNet connection???????

From the description on the Digitrax site, it's smarter than the average circuit breaker.  I've got the breakers from Tony's Trains, and they can be configured and queried by your DCC throttle.  The Tony's Trains breakers, for example, can be individually adjusted for trip current.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Eastern Shore Virginia
  • 3,290 posts
Posted by gandydancer19 on Friday, March 15, 2013 2:03 PM

retsignalmtr

Power Management is just a fancy word(s) for circuit breaker.

Then how come it has a LocoNet connection???????

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.

  • Member since
    October 2005
  • From: Detroit, Michigan
  • 2,284 posts
Posted by Soo Line fan on Thursday, March 14, 2013 9:27 AM

Power management can mean to limit or control unneeded electric consumption. On PCs, it refers to shutting down devices to save battery or wall power.

On automotive, an example is to run a pump or fan at a 50% duty cycle to save power until demand is higher.

Of course a short circuit is also an unnecessary power drain...............

Jim

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Westchester NY
  • 1,747 posts
Posted by retsignalmtr on Thursday, March 14, 2013 8:08 AM

Power Management is just a fancy word(s) for circuit breaker.

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Eastern Shore Virginia
  • 3,290 posts
Posted by gandydancer19 on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 1:48 PM

Actually, Digitrax says the PM 42 is a Power Management device and not just a Circuit Breaker. 

There is a difference between them.

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.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Westchester NY
  • 1,747 posts
Posted by retsignalmtr on Monday, March 11, 2013 3:00 PM

Digitrax PM42 does.

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Eastern Shore Virginia
  • 3,290 posts
Posted by gandydancer19 on Monday, March 11, 2013 2:06 PM

If you have a 5 amp DCC system, you can use the NCE EB-1 breakers.   They are less expensive and do the job for sound and non sound locos. 

However, if you have a low current starter DCC system, you will need to use the more expensive PSX breakers so you can adjust for a lower trip current than the EB-1 has.

I have never heard of a DCC circuit breaker requiring a second power supply to function.

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.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Westchester NY
  • 1,747 posts
Posted by retsignalmtr on Saturday, March 9, 2013 8:25 PM

The circuit breakers can go close to the area it will protect, but if you put it at the command station it will protect all the wiring for the district. I like the DCC specialties PSX series breakers as they don't need an external power supply to function. The breakers come in single units or in multiples of up to four on one board. It is not recommended that the power busses be connected in a loop, but a T should be OK.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 3,312 posts
Posted by locoi1sa on Saturday, March 9, 2013 6:11 PM

You can put them anywhere you like to. Usually near the district it powers to cut down on wiring. And you can T the buss from the command station/ booster. A good many layouts are wired that way.

http://www.wiringfordcc.com/track.htm

      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!

  • Member since
    June 2010
  • 1 posts
dcc and circuit breakers
Posted by prslnj on Saturday, March 9, 2013 5:14 PM

on my dcc pike should cir breakers be placed centrally near command station or close to their respective

electrical district.  also i've heard dcc doesn't like T circuits so should i instead daisy chain the breakers ?

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