I am using dcc system do I need circuit breakers for track power and if so what size and how many. I have installed the wire for the track that's how far I am until I know if I should use breakers.
thanks for your help.
george
Whether or not you need breakers other than what is already built into your DCC system depends on the size of your layout and the complexity of your track plan.
Without knowing this, it's difficult for anyone to give good advice.
If you run by yourself - probably not!
If you have a group in for an OPERATIONS! Session - and you get tired of the Layout shutting down all of the trains when someone runs a turnout
Then you might be needing Circuit Breakers!
BOB H - Clarion, PA
Even if you are the sole operator you should have an easily adjustable circuit protection device independant of the command station. You may rarely need the full power of the system, but you should protect your system and equipment from a short that does not shut down the command station. So if the cammand station can put out five amps you should set the external breaker to whatever level that will keep your trains running.
First of all, your DCC system has a circuit breaker built in. So, you are protected, but only at the maximum output level of your system. In most cases, though, this should be "adequate" for a small layout.
But, adequate may not be optimum. I've separated my layout with 4 circuit breakers, and two reverser sections which are also circuit breakers themselves. When a short occurs, I can much more easily figure out where it is because things are divided up 6 ways.
As has been mentioned, some circuit breakers allow you to set the trip current to better suit your layout. I have a 5-amp DCC system, but I might want to set different sections of my layout at 4, 3 or even 2 amps to give them better protection.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
All of the replies are excellent and to the point, so I am not really adding much with this reply.
But, as already has been said, ............
It depends upon the size and complexity of your layout.
All DCC systems have a booster, typically 3, 5, or 10 amps, that will provide basic protection for your layout and locos.
Circuit breakers are useful to divide that basic protection into separate power districts, making it easier to locate shorts and to keep the rest of the layout up and running when a short occurs in a particular power district.
If you decide to utilize circuit breakers, you are going to need to add a system of sub bus wiring. And, you are going to have to gap the rails to isolate one power district from another.
Rich
Alton Junction
When you experiance a meltdown due to a derailment causing a short circuit that does not trip the command stations circuit breaker (it does happen) you will see that you need auxilliary circuit protection. My clubs N gauge layout uses a Digitrax Empire Builder with PSX circuit breakers set to 1.27 amps. I can run six locos at that setting with current to spare.
Yup, LION runs 15A to his DC layout. Him uses 1/2W resistors to slow trains as they approach and leave the stations. A dead short on a track protected by resistors will not trip the breakers but will set the resistors on fire.
Him kneads Circuit Breakers.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
retsignalmtr When you experiance a meltdown due to a derailment causing a short circuit that does not trip the command stations circuit breaker (it does happen) you will see that you need auxilliary circuit protection. My clubs N gauge layout uses a Digitrax Empire Builder with PSX circuit breakers set to 1.27 amps. I can run six locos at that setting with current to spare.
YES - and anyone standing there looking at his train not moving and just keep turning up the power - should have the thing go up in flames!
I never understood this thing SOME operators do by NOT watching their engines as they cross turnouts or other track arrangements and just stand there looking wondering why the train stopped moving?
And then complain that the engine burned up.
Why do we continually have to build our layouts for the lowest common denominator!
OH! Wait a minute - we have to as NO ONE Wants to THINK anymore - We want the MFG to do all of that for us and still stand around and complain when it doesn't work because of Operator Dumbness - or lack of paying attention!
YES - I have lots od Circuit Breakers on my layout just because of that problem - Lack of Operator Attention.
I originally ran my complete layout (Over 2000 feet of track at the time) with one 8 amp Booster!
I could run 50 engines at one time and did so for years.
BUT we knew when someone was not paying attention as the whole Layout would go down when they ran a turnout.
We all knew who it was and just Yelled his name and suddenly the layout would come back up!
REALLY!
In my case my meltdown was caused by not watching my locos while I had to go answer my telephone in another room. I was doing scenic work and had the train running continiously for 20 minutes without problems and left it running unattented for five minutes. When I returned I did not even notice that it had stopped until I smelled melting plastic. I had to replace the truck on the loco (frame, gears, wheels) and the Peco insulfrog switch. The five amp system didn't shut down. I now have circuit protection set to 1.27amps.