Keep Alive/Stay Alive, whatever capacitors?

[Jeff1952]

Guys, just a quick question for the electronically challenged...Who manufactures  DCC sound-equipped diesels with the "keep-it-going" capacitors already factory installed?  Thanks!

[DigitalGriffin]

Standard DCC decoders do not come with a super "keep alive" capacitor as this adds significantly to the cost.

Sound decoders come with a small capacitance which is enough to keep the decoder from resetting for a few milliseconds.

If you want more than that you'll have to buy a super cap separate and wire it in.  Some decoders are easier than others in this regard.

 

 

[gmpullman]

DigitalGriffin

Standard DCC decoders do not come with a super "keep alive" capacitor as this adds significantly to the cost.

Actually, the TCS KAT series has built-in keep alive as does their replacement board types.

https://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Products/Decoders/HO-Scale/KAT-Series/KAT-Series.htm

 

ESU and Soundtraxx has separate packages that can be added to the decoders and Digitrax does as well. Some of these simply plug in and others have to be soldered to pads on the board.

http://www.digitrax.com/products/mobile-decoders/

If it says Works With Power Xtender it has the plug.

Soundtraxx has the CurrentKeeper and it also simply plugs into the decoder.

As far as I am aware, there are no "off-the-shelf" locomotives with stay alive already installed.

The relatively small cap on many sound decoders are for the sound portion only and do not help with motor interruptions.

Hope that helps, Ed

[richg1998]

Some decoders come with an attached capacitor. That is for sound only as mentioned. Putting another cap or stay alive across that cap will not help running.

Stay alive has to connect to the plus and minus from the full wave bridge output on the decoder if not familiar with the process.

http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/mainnorth/alive.htm

Rich

[Jeff1952]

Thanks for the info guys. Pretty much what I had expected, just hoped there was a "short-cut" for those of us who don't want to get under the hood, so to speak. I'm sure if I wait long enough, some manufacturer will offer that option down the road.

[DigitalGriffin]

gmpullman

Actually, the TCS KAT series has built-in keep alive as does their replacement board types.
https://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Products/Decoders/HO-Scale/KAT-Series/KAT-Series.htm

Now that I didn't know.  Thank you for the correction.

gmpullman

ESU and Soundtraxx has separate packages that can be added to the decoders and Digitrax does as well. Some of these simply plug in and others have to be soldered to pads on the board.

This I did know.  Like I said, "Some are easier than others to add a super cap too"

[ba&prr]

As far as I am aware, there are no "off-the-shelf" locomotives with stay alive already installed.

Yes there is:http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/product-p/910-10004.htm

This was reviewed in MR recently.  Joe

 

[gmpullman]

ba&prr

Yes there is:

 

Thanks, Joe

That is exactly why I use the modifier as far as I am aware.

Now I am aware even farther!

You have to cut me some slack on a model that has just been released, though 

 

Ed

[Jeff1952]

Just watched the MR review of the Plymouth ML-8 Switcher, so thanks for the heads up. Walthers has them for $150, DCC version, with the Current Keeper. No sound, but no pausing, skipping or stopping due to turnout or dirty track isssues. Hopefully Walthers will make this available on some of their larger locomotives. I can't be the only one who would be willing to pay the extra for smooth running, problem-free engines.

[richhotrain]

I don't have a keep alive capability on any of my decoders, and it is incredible how often the sound and lights can be lost for any variety of reasons including momentary shorts, dirty track, loss of power from inadequate feeders, whatever.

Rich

[rrinker]

 I'm quite the oppsoite, I don't have any keep alives and I'm amazed at how solid they all are. Nary a light flicker on my previous layout, and the frogs of my Atlas turnouts were not powered. On the club layout there is plenty of headlight flicker crossing the connector tracks between modules, but the only locos I ever had sound dropout problems with are my MTH FAs. My QSI Atlas Trainmaster will flicker the lights but the sound doesn;t stop and restart.

I regularly run a Loksound equipped steam loco around my layout on step 1 or 2, just creeping along, and it never stops.

 Clean your track. And wheels. And never rely on unsoldered rail joiners for power supply. Don't smoke in the train room - that includes people AND locomotives. Don't put stuff on your track that remains wet to 'clean' it, all it does is attract dust. If you must run a track cleaning car that wets the rails - use 2. One to wipe the liquid on the rails and one right behind with a dry pad to pick up the liquid and the now loose dirt. The only track cleaning I ever did was wiping paint off the tops of the rails after painting the sides. Run trains - frequently. And only run metal wheelsets. THat's how I keep my track clean.

                               --Randy

 

[richhotrain]

rrinker

I'm quite the oppsoite, I don't have any keep alives and I'm amazed at how solid they all are. Nary a light flicker on my previous layout, and the frogs of my Atlas turnouts were not powered. 

Clean your track. And wheels. And never rely on unsoldered rail joiners for power supply.  

I don't have any powered frogs either, mostly Atlas Custom Line turnouts and a few Peco Insulfrogs, and my decoders don't lose their lighting or sound functions on the unpowered frogs. That's because the power pickups are in more than one spot on the locos. The problem does occur on dirty track, momentary shorts, and power loss due to inadequate feeders.

Rich