I use snubbers on my layout. I don't really know if I needed them, but I added them some years ago. About two years ago, I encountered one snubber under my layout that became very hot, and I was advised (on the Wiring for DCC forum) to replace it.
Rich
Alton Junction
No, I've not ever used a stubber. If I remember my research correctly they prevented "ringing" of the DCC signal on really long buses. Seems the ringing also went away when there was a load on the track. As I don't really care about the DCC signal if there is not a loco (load) on the track, it didn't seem important.
As I'm in the camp of not invent problems where they don't exist, I didn't pursue the snubbers any further.
Actually it is very easy. A 0.1 ufd 50 volt ceramic cap and 100 ohm 1/2 watt resistor. It will not hurt your system.
Look at the below link also.
http://www.wiringfordcc.com/track_2.htm#a47
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
If your system is operating ok, why bother?
I looked at the DCC signal with a Scope on mine and the waveforms were ok and all the locos operated just fine.
I have read up on the theory and a few with big layouts seemed to need snubbers.
Some were concerned about the spike levels on the DCC waveform damaging a decoder.
I just finished reading (again) the article in the May 2015 issue on page 62 dealing with the use of a "snubber" wired in series between the bus wires. The snubber consists of a resistor and capacitor. Has anyone tried this set up on their dcc systems?? My system is an old mrc prodigy system (rotary dial throttle) and I was curious if it would be safe to try on an older system?