I noticed an ad in the April MR for the MRC Tech-6 DC/DCC Hybrid. Does anyone know about this and how it really works. From what I have read putting a DC loco on a DCC layout is a no-no, it will fry its motor.
Really it's liek having a toggle to flip the layout between DC and DCC power, so it's one or the other, never both at the same time. Except in this case, the 'switch' is within the power supply itself. Otherwise there's no real magic going on, it's a DC power pack plus a simple DCC system in one case. The DC mode is most likely PWM, which is why some DCC locos don't work with it in DC mode. But why wuld you, when DCC mode is a button push away and you gain access to all teh features of the DCC loco, not just what it might automatically do when running on DC.
Only put DC locos on the rails when in the DC mode. Only put DCC locos on the rails when using DCC mode. Never mix the two.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
What if it is a dc/dcc hybrid loco? Like most sold today
azrailWhat if it is a dc/dcc hybrid loco?
Those should run if they receive input from a traditional DC power pack or a DCC system set to their address.
It stands to reason they could work with the MRC Tech 6 in either mode.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
The handheld doesn't add any more power, it just adds the ability to simultaneously send DCC commandst to up to 6 locos. What some DCC systems call "recall"
There appears to be no way to add additional power to the Tech 6, since you can't just add a DCC booster, that wouldn't do anything in DC mode. N scale, non-sound, you can probably easily run 6 on a 2 amp system. HO, probably not, unless your fleet of 6 locos are all Stewart Baldwin switchers with the Canon motors like mine - when running free, not stalled, they draw under 100mA.
Thought I find it hard to believe two BLI locos draw more than 2 amps - assuming MRC isn't overrating the system like they do many of their power packs.
Ain't no way that little plastic box is handling 8 amps without melting. The old unit was a bigger box with no local controls on it, it ALWAYS used the handheld.
I would say they probably discontinued it because it was suckign sales from their full blown DCC system. Or not selling because it was priced closer to their full DCC system. The only extra is had was the ability to run DC, and there were limitations to the DCC functionality, so it was pretty much a dead end. You couldn't add a DCC booster to it as your layout grew, is just one thing.
Only reference I could find with a picture of the 6 amp version - MRC has virtually erased it from their web site, not even an instruction manual to be found.
Tech 6 Sound Controller 6.0 Throttle (6 Amps) Model Railroad Electrical Accessory #1201 by MRC (1201) (hobbylinc.com)
(take that "in stock" with a grain of salt - but maybe they have one gathering dust on their shelf.)
Bigger base box with no controls, and a huge beefy power brick that looks liek it might even have a fan in it. Not at all like the current 2 amp version. And the price - yeah, there are many full DCC systems selling for that, or less, including MRC's own.
Yes, similar to the cost of a D.C.C system but remember what the goal is here, the ability to run D.C and D.C.C.
LastspikemikeFrom the document it is apparent that the extra power came from the wall wart which could be upgraded to 8 amps for a modest extra charge. This at least implies that the base unit could handle 2, 6 or 8 amps depending on which wall wart you plugged it into.
From the document it seems, to me, apparent that you could upgrade your "wall wart" (for the $39) OR you could upgrade your base station to 8 amps for $29. They didn't say what you'd get for that $29, or how the 'upgrade' would be done, but I'd bet it involved at least the same size box as the 6A version; presumably you'd send the box you had back to them and they'd either change out components or send you a 'new' one (with the beefier components or whatever) from stock.
I was interested to see reference to a #0001212 wireless handheld that would let you operate two separate controllers. The PDF document lastspikemike referenced appears to be the only reference I can find across the entire Internet for that MRC item number. Does anyone have better detail, or a different item or model number for Tech 6 wireless command?
The $29 upgrade they are talking about is upgrading the 6 amp model to 8 amps (and since it mentions it comes with a 10 amp power supply - that seems plausible). One does wonder why they shipped a device designed for 6 amps (or probably designed for 8 amps) with a 10 amp power supply, but MRC often does things that boggle the mind.
Yes, it mentions a wireless option that appears to have never seen the light of day. Again, my speculation is that the 6 amp version with a walkaround handheld was already cannibalizing sales of Prodigy DCC systems and adding wireless to the Tech 6 would make things even worse, hence no wireless and the 6 amp version being totally dropped.