NCE Wireless Power Pro Programing track

[Rodeoboy38]

Happy Holidays everyone,

I am wiring up my NCE DCC Power Pro and it has a separate programing track output and was wondering if it can be wired to an isolated runout of track for programing as well as a circuit breaker to be wired to the same runout for normal use?

Will it allow for the runout to flipflop from normal use to programing use without issue?

Thanks and again Happy Holidays!

Rodeoboy38

[BigDaddy]

You should read this:

https://dccwiki.com/Programming_Track

[Rodeoboy38]

Hey thanks for that link.  Thats the information I was looking for.

 

Happy Holidays!

Rodeoboy38

[jjdamnit]

Hello All,

The output of the NCE Programming Track does not have enough power to move a locomotive. This is done in case of miswired decoder installation. The programming track doesn't provide full track power.

On pg. 50 of the NCE Power Pro Manual states:

"Please Note: The programming track does not supply enough power to run your locomotive. It has enough power to program the decoder but not enough to cause damage to a miswired decoder or run a motor. You can only run trains on the main track. We recommend that you always try out a newly installed decoder on the Program Track first. If you can 'read' a decoder on the Program Track you can reasonably expect that it is wired correctly and working properly."

On pg. 78-79 there is a diagram showing the uses of a DPDT (Dual Pole, Dual Throw) toggle switch on an isolated section of track to switch between Track Power (normal operation) and Programming Track Power.

The idea is when the switch is thrown to the track power this isolated section acts as part of the mainline, or fused section using an EB1.

When the switch is thrown to the opposite pole then this isolated track section is powered from the Programming Track output of the command station/booster.

As has been noted, this section when switched to Programming Track Power cannot move the locomotive.

To move the locomotive after programming the switch is thrown to Track Power.

Another option would be to set up a stand-alone programming track completely separate from the rest of the trackage on the pike.

You will still need to remove the locomotive(s) from the main track to the programming track. You won't be able to run the locomotive(s) on and off the programming track.

NCE does offer an Auto SW for use with the Power Cab system that does not have a programming track option. I used this with my previous Bachmann Dynamis System which did not have a programming track option.

I could run the locomotive onto the isolated programming track and through the Programming Track option of the Dynamis system and the Auto SW program the locomotive(s) then after programming, run them back onto the main.

When I switched over to the NCE Power Pro system the Auto SW could not provide this function.

The programming track function of the booster does not provide a breaker function to the isolated track section, other than the overload protection built into the command station/booster.

NCE makes two (2) circuit breakers:

• One is the AR10 which is an auto-reversing unit with a built-in circuit breaker.
• The other is the EB1 which is a single, stand-alone, circuit breaker. 

Both these units are wired between the command station/booster and the isolated track section(s).

For further explanation of the use of the EB1 and the AR10 versus other auto-reversing units check out this thread...EB1 is not resetting

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Hope this helps.