PH-PRO 5amp or Power Cab 2 Amp starter?

[Denver]

cowjock

Bit the bullet a couple of days ago and ordered the NCE Ph-Pro 5amp radio starter set with a few other things. I figured I'd do it once and done. Thanks for all the info. Cowjock

 

Very good decision. I see I got DC and DCC reversed in my quote! But I guess you got the message.

Dennis

[richhotrain]

cowjock

Bit the bullet a couple of days ago and ordered the NCE Ph-Pro 5amp radio starter set with a few other things. I figured I'd do it once and done. Thanks for all the info. Cowjock

 

Good decision.  You will be pleased.   

Rich

 

[cowjock]

Bit the bullet a couple of days ago and ordered the NCE Ph-Pro 5amp radio starter set with a few other things. I figured I'd do it once and done. Thanks for all the info. Cowjock

[Denver]

cowjock

Hi All,

   I'm at a impass at which of these to buy.  I'm starting a new layout and don't want to end up "upgrading" in the near future.  From what I've been reading the 2amp system comes up short on power.  I've always been of the mind set extra available power never hurts.Oh, yeah forgot to mention Nscale is my flavor for the next few years. More than likely I'll be running consists too.  I got my feet wet in DCC with a Prodigy explore about a month ago and just not satisfied with it. Any comments would be appreciated. 

Bill

 

I have a 37' x 12' N Scale layout and went straight from DCC to a PH-Pro 5 amp wireless system. I could not see why I would bother to convert to DC and stay tethered to the layout with lots of curly coil wires. Yes it was expensive but I will probably never need to upgrade as according to NCE I can run 20 N Scale locomotives without the need for a second booster. Just plug the transformer and the radio transmitter into the booster and it works straight out of the box, unlike some other products. Other than connecting to the main Bus wires and the program track, there is no wiring necessary at all.

 

Dennis

[CraigN]

At the time I started my new layout, finances were tight and I went with the NCE Power Cab. I later purchased the Power House Pro system box without the cables or Pro Cab. The Power Cab turns into a Pro Cab when connected to the PH Pro system box. And the cables I got with the Power Cab.

That's what worked for me , I was able to get what I needed a little at a time at an affordable way.

[cowjock]

cowman

What's your connection with the critters?

I to "was" a dairy farmer, like you say 28/8 started taking a toll .  I survived the down turn of 2009.  In Sept of 2013,  I sold off the milking cows, another bad year for milk  $14/100, just  had to cut my losses some where  the cows had to go.  5 generations, it was truely a sad day when I shipped the cow's.  For a lot of reasons I sold the farm, everything went house barn...., in 2015.  I found a farmette just down the road , it's just not the same, I have one steer. My wife of 30 years is happier than a pig in sh-- now, she wanted me to get out before I killed myself.

Bill

[cowman]

cowjock

I'm guessing there's a story behind your alterego, cowman?

There is!  When I joined the forums I was a dairy farmer.  When price of milk was so low in 2009, I was using my school bus driving income to supplement the farm.  Was old enough so that working 25/8 was getting to be a little much.  Retired from the dairy, now have a little beef herd (8 cows).  Sell some yearlings at state beef producers sale, some by the half and a half at the local farmers market in the summer.

What's your connection with the critters?

Have fun,

Richard

[Anonymous]

I started out with a PH-pro 5amp system, and later bought a Power Cab for programming at the work bench.  If I had to do it over I would go the other way around. (Power CAB then the SB5).  That having been said, I new I would need the full 5amps almost immediately hence my decision. 

[cowjock]

Thanks to everybody who replied to my post, all good information.

Bill

[cowjock]

Richard(cowman),

Thanks for the info, I've been doing some more research and have a bunch more to do. There's a trainshow coming up in middle of Jan. about 10 min from me.  I'm hoping there's  a NCE dealer there I can talk to. 

I'm guessing there's a story behind your alterego, cowman?

Bill(cowjock)

 

[cowman]

Bill, (cowjock)

I'm sure you are aware that it's not the size of the layout, but the number of locos and other things you're operating.  I purchased the NCE Power Cab for my small layout (4'x6') and I love it.  However, you say you will be running consists.  If you plan to run more than 3 locos with sound, I'd suggest adding the SB5 booster.  I was running 4 sound locos and had a problem.  (Read the instructions Richard)  It is less expensive to go this route than the next step up, but,  if your layout will be large enough to think about walk around controls (which I'm not familiar with), I'd suggest more study of the available systems.  My plan is to only grow to a 7'x14' around the room, so won't go radio control. 

I purchased my set up through Tony's Train Exchange.  They were very helpful in selecting a system when I told them what I planned to do.  I didn't think I'd  be running so many sound locos at one time, my fault.

Have fun,

Richard (cowman)

[richhotrain]

cowjock

How much time do you get out for the batteries in the hand held transmitter?  Is it days or weeks?  I really like the idea of no tether. 

 

Call me anal, but I actually track battery life by marking replacement dates on the back of the ProCab, Over the past 5 years, I have replace the batteries in my two ProCabs, on average, every 311 days. So, that means about once every 10 to 11 months.  Each ProCab takes four AAA batteries.

Rich

[Water Level Route]

Ummm. Months and months. Now obviously your usage may be different from mine, but I honestly think I got a year out of the first set of batteries running a couple of hours each week. Still on my second set. 

[cowjock]

How much time do you get out for the batteries in the hand held transmitter?  Is it days or weeks?  I really like the idea of no tether. 

[Water Level Route]

I too was less than satisfied with my first foray into DCC (an MRC command 2000 YEARS ago).  Once I got past the initial excitement of DCC, the limitations of the system took its toll.  Being a tethered system, I never got past a very uneasy feeling every time I unplugged to move to the next spot I could plug back in, meanwhile having no control over a moving train.  I vowed then and there my next DCC system would be full featured and wireless if I could swing it. No more starter sets and upgrades for me, thank you.  A relatively recent change of address afforded me the opportunity to actively get back into model railroading and one of my first purchases was the PH-Pro wireless system.  Like Rich said "euphoria"!  Extremely pleased I went that route to start with.  Depending on your layout footprint, the higher initial cost of the wireless system is partially offset by the need for multiple throttle ports and cables connecting them on the wired system.  If your finances allow, and you have a need/desire to walk around your layout while operating, I whole heartedly endorse going all in right off the bat.

[richhotrain]

cowjock

 

 

richhotrain

Better yet, start out with the PH-Pro 5 amp wireless and it will seem as if you died and went to heaven.

 

 

Rich,

   I've been tied to a control panel for years, can't even imagine being able to walk around. I take that back, I started my garden railroad(g scale) last summer using CVP's airwire system with on board battery.

    Do you run wireless?

Bill

 

I do. I started out with the PH-Pro 5 amp system and later added the base station and antenna to go wireless. At the time, I had two tethered ProCabs, so I sent them in, one at a time, to NCE to be converted to wireless. I still have the UTP panels in place and use one or moe of them on occasion, but I cannot adequately describe my euphoria when I was finally able to walk around the layout without having to plug or unplug the ProCab(s).

Rich

[hon30critter]

Hi Bill:

My advice would be to buy the Power Cab and an SB5 booster. The combination will be cheaper than the 5 amp PH-Pro system but you are still getting 5 amps to operate with. The biggest plus is that you can use your Power Cab as a fully featured DCC command system on your workbench for working on individual locomotives, and you can use your Power Cab as a ProCab throttle with the booster on the layout.

There are people on the forums with a much more thorough understanding of the NCE line of products who might see some short comings to my plan so before you jump in, see what others have to say.

Dave

[cowjock]

richhotrain

Better yet, start out with the PH-Pro 5 amp wireless and it will seem as if you died and went to heaven.

Rich,

   I've been tied to a control panel for years, can't even imagine being able to walk around. I take that back, I started my garden railroad(g scale) last summer using CVP's airwire system with on board battery.

    Do you run wireless?

Bill

[cowjock]

Thanks Tom,

tstage

Generally speaking, newer locomotives tend to draw ~0.25A each while older ones may draw as much as 0.5A or >. That should answer your question as to whether the 2A Power Cab or the 5A PH Pro is what you need.

  I will probably using Atlas turnouts with their snap switch machines. I'd like to run them off of the stationary decoders so I can do routing. I'm not quite sure if the 2 amp system is heavy enough that train operation will be not affected if 3,4,5 or more switches are thrown at the same time.  DCC is really new to me, been running DC for the last 40+ years so I'm playing catchup.

 

Bill

 

[richhotrain]

Bill, buy the PH-Pro 5 amp and you will never even think about upgrading in the future, near or far.  Better yet, start out with the PH-Pro 5 amp wireless and it will seem as if you died and went to heaven.

Rich

[tstage]

Bill,

The first couple of questions to ask is:

1. How many N-scale locomotives will you be running in a consist?
2. How may consists or locomotives will you be running simultaneously?

If you know how much current each of your locomotives draws then you can do the math.

Generally speaking, newer locomotives tend to draw ~0.25A each while older ones may draw as much as 0.5A or >.  That should answer your question as to whether the 2A Power Cab or the 5A PH Pro is what you need.

FWIW, the Power Cab can be "upgraded" using the Smart Booster (SB5) for about $130, plus power supply.  The advantage of the Power Cab is that you can use it at either your bench or your layout to program locomotives.  When connected to the SB5, the Power Cab automatically reverts to a ProCab.

Things to think about and ponder...

Tom

[cowjock]

Hi All,

   I'm at a impass at which of these to buy.  I'm starting a new layout and don't want to end up "upgrading" in the near future.  From what I've been reading the 2amp system comes up short on power.  I've always been of the mind set extra available power never hurts.Oh, yeah forgot to mention Nscale is my flavor for the next few years. More than likely I'll be running consists too.  I got my feet wet in DCC with a Prodigy explore about a month ago and just not satisfied with it. Any comments would be appreciated. 

Bill