I can run 4 sound locos on my Powercab with no problems. I also have 2 lit cabooses and a dual frog juicer dawing current from the PowerCab. The builtin ampmeter says that is about half an amp with 3 of them pulling trains (but I only run short trains) and the fourth just making noises. As others have said, check the current being used. Do you use DCC power for turnouts and or have lit passenger cars? That adds to the current being output by the PowerCab.
Alan Jones in Sunny Queensland (Oz)
This past summer we had a similar experience with the club layout. We were using a 5 amp Digitrax Command Station (don't ask me which one) and we thought that would be plenty of power for the foreseeable future. Then we had an operating session where there were 8 or 9 locomotives all being run at the same time. Guess what? The system started to act up. Turns out that we needed a booster sooner than we thought. After installing a 5 amp booster everything is running fine.
The booster was easy to install because we wired the layout in two separate sections so the Command Station now powers one half and the booster powers the other half. However, in the OP's situation I suspect that the booster should be powering the whole layout.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critter joe323 I think I overloaded my powercab with 4 sound locomotives last night. Is 3 the limit? The question is moot. If things quit then you overloaded the system. If you want to run four sound locomotives on a regular basis then you will need to have the 5 amp booster. Dave
joe323 I think I overloaded my powercab with 4 sound locomotives last night. Is 3 the limit?
The question is moot. If things quit then you overloaded the system. If you want to run four sound locomotives on a regular basis then you will need to have the 5 amp booster.
Rich
Alton Junction
joe323I think I overloaded my powercab with 4 sound locomotives last night. Is 3 the limit?
Again, it depends on how much current each one of your locomotives draws. Like Randy, I have locomotives that draw only 0.2-0.3A while running and even less while idle.
0.5A is generally a safe guesstimate for sound decoders. If you think you'll be exceeding 2A on a regular basis then an NCE SB5 booster is one alternative for raising the overall output to 5A.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Yesm three is suppose to be the limit. A couple of years ago I purchased a couple of new locos and double headed them. That made that I had four sound locos running at once. Kapput!
Called NCE, were very nice, explained my error and were quick with the repairs when I sent it in. It was done in much less time than they had predicted at what I felt was a reasonable price.
Probably could run four non sound, but I wouldn't do it for long.
Good luck,
Richard
As a reference, I measured anout 13.6 VAC right at the oupput of the panel and used that as a bench mark. I never ran more than three sound locos. That was all I could handlr. I do not remember total current. Three Tsunami Mico with 750 max current at half trottle. One time a loco was the layger decoder and still did not trip.
Two 750ma and one 1900 ma. Handlaid track. I never max out locos.
Ric5
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.
joe323Eratic behavior some locomotives behaving some not.
Your answer got lost in the quote. I wonder if that could be more voltage drop off than an overloaded Powercab.
To display "Track Power", Hit the program key, then the '6' key. Page 59 of the manual.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
I have run three HO sound locos.
The Power Cab will show you how much current is being drawn.
Simple enough to figure out. Run each loco alone. Read current Do the math.
richhotrain Eratic behavior some locomotives behaving some not. joe323 I think I overloaded my powercab with 4 sound locomotives last night. Is 3 the limit? What happened to make you think that you "overloaded" the Power Cab? Rich
Eratic behavior some locomotives behaving some not.
I think I overloaded my powercab with 4 sound locomotives last night. Is 3 the limit?
What happened to make you think that you "overloaded" the Power Cab?
Joe Staten Island West
Is there anything else using your DCC power other than locomotives? I have some old passenger cars with incandescent and florescent bulbs, and those consume extra power, far more than modern LED cars. Some people make the mistake of powering structure lights or streetlights off track power, too.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
The limit is how much current is being drawn. You can throw out things like 3 or 4 'typical' HO locos, but what's a 'typical' loco? And are they running alone, or pulling a heavy long train? I have small switchers that draw 1/4 amp or less, with 1.5 amps available, I could theoretically run 6 of them. An older BB loco that draws 1/2 to 3/4 of an amp, only 2 or 3 of those.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Yes. I think it is suggested that you run only 2, so three is doing well.
Assuming these are factory equipped sound locos with modern low amp draw mechanisms.
- Douglas
What happened to make you think that? There is a way to get the Powercab display to show amps. Newer Powercabs have slightly larger wall warts than older ones