I have a Digitrax zephyr and want to run consists and single locos at the same time. All of my locos have sound. can I add a 5amp booster and wire both the zephyr and the booster to the same track section and get 8 amps or will the signal from the booster and the signal from the zephyr interfere with each other?
Absolutely not!
Even if it did work, when the booster goes out of phase with the Zephyr it will immediately destroy the Zephyr and itself.
You can use an external booster with the Zephyr, but you must split the layout into booster districts.
Don't bother with an 8A booster either, get a smaller one such as 5A. Eight amps is just a big arc welder waiting to melt trucks if a derailment occurs. They are meant for large scale locomotives which demand more current.
Again, two boosters cannot be connected to the same segment of track.
what about disconnecting the Zephr from the layout and just using the booster?
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
gregc what about disconnecting the Zephr from the layout and just using the booster?
Still need a throttle of some sort. The Zephyr makes a poor throttle if you plan to control more than 1 locomotive.
Hello All,
With DCC there are two components:
The Signal Packets are generated from the Throttle.
Power is generated by the "Booster."
These two are combined by the "Command Station" into a DCC signal and sent to the rails to power and control the locomotive(s) or "Accessories"- -turnout motors, signals, etc.
You can only have one "Command Station" but you can have multiple throttles and boosters.
The Zypher has the throttle, booster, and command station built into the same case.
On the back of the Zypher, there are the track outputs; A & B, and Loco Net outputs.
To add more power to your pike you will need a Booster "only" like the DB210.
From the Zypher remove the wires between the track outputs and the unit.
Connect the Zypher to the DB210 with a Loco Net cable.
Then connect the DB210 to the track from the Rail A and Rail B outputs.
Now the Zypher is the throttle and command station only and not the power booster.
The Zypher is rated at 3.0 Amps.
If you wanted to use the power from the Zypher and the booster you would need to make two SEPARATE power districts; one from the Zypher and one from the booster.
The power districts would need both rails gapped or isolated using plastic-insulated rail joiners.
The booster would then need to be set to 3.O Amps!
This would defeat the purpose of adding a booster because you are seeking increased amperage, not separate power districts.
Using the Zypher as only a throttle, via Loco Net, you can set the booster to 5 or 8 Amps to get the increased "power" you are seeking.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"