Hi!
During the course of testing my under construction HO layout, I have had a number of "short" occurances with a Digitrax Super Chief with DT400 controllers.
In some of these situations, all I have to do is rerail the loco/car and I'm back in operation. In other situations, I end up having to totally shut down and repower the track before things get moving again. I suspect there is a better/faster/simpler way to recover, but I haven't been able to figure it out. Yes, I actually consulted the Super Chief manual, but couldn't locate an answer.
So my question is, what is the proper/preferred way to recover from a short situation?
As always, I thank you!!!
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
The best way is to clear the short circuit. The booster will reset on its own. If it is not restoring power, contact Digitrax. There are no adjustments or options for restoring track power.
Martin Myers
You don't need me corroborating Martin's typically excellent and accurate advice on these DCC topics, but if you wouldn't mind another voice lending support, count me in. My DB150 will stay 'out' until I rectify the short situation, pauses maybe 3 or 4 seconds, and then restores power on its own. Any other behaviour needs to be checked out by consulting Digitrax.
-Crandell
I've never had to do anything except eliminate the short. The system resets itself.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Hi, and thanks for the info.....
I am almost positive the Digitrax is operating as it should.
As I think back, the only times when I ended up powering down (and up again) were with BLI Paragon locos (w/sound) that caused the short. Maybe what happens is that particular kind of loco has to be "re-booted" for want of a better word.
Thanks,
No, I don't think the BLI Paragon locomotives are any different than other brands -- once the short is gone, the system should come back on without having to remove locomotives from the track. If it doesn't, then you still have a short somewhere.
Something you might want to try -- on a large HO Scale layout with NCE Power Pro boosters, I rigged up a simple circuit of a 1 Amp diode bridge rectifier, 1 KOhm resistor, and 3mm green LED. The LED is mounted between the rails and the inputs to the diode bridge are connected to the rail. I installed these in several locations around the layout. If there's a short, we simply watch the LEDs. If one of them is not lit, that track is the one with the short. When the NCE booster resets the LED comes back on. If the LED just flashes briefly, there is still a short.
mobilman44Hi, and thanks for the info..... I am almost positive the Digitrax is operating as it should. As I think back, the only times when I ended up powering down (and up again) were with BLI Paragon locos (w/sound) that caused the short. Maybe what happens is that particular kind of loco has to be "re-booted" for want of a better word. Thanks, Mobilman44
How many locos with sound do you have on the layout? Many sound decoders have huge inrush requirements when powering up.
You may be overpowering the booster's ability to recover, especially if your layout isn't broken down into power districts.
Steve
You might want to set OpSw18 to closed to get 1/2 second short circuit shuitdown time instead of the default 1/8th second. It can be very helpful with older sound locomotives that had higher inrush currents. If you are going to use some type of short circuit protection in your power districtis, check the timer values on them too.
Engineer Jeff NS Nut Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/
Ahhhh, the plot thickens!
In this test phase, I've got everything wired into one "block". The finished layout will be in 8 blocks, with a second 5 amp booster. And, there are typically about 5 BLI (dcc/sound) locos sitting on the finished staging tracks. I suspect I should put down my track hammer and put in the two PSX-4s and the second booster.
I suspect that will resolve - or at least pinpoint future "short problems".
May I again thank you all for your help, guidance, advice, and experience - for without it, I would definitely NOT be playing with DCC.
ENJOY,
cacole Something you might want to try -- on a large HO Scale layout with NCE Power Pro boosters, I rigged up a simple circuit of a 1 Amp diode bridge rectifier, 1 KOhm resistor, and 3mm green LED. The LED is mounted between the rails and the inputs to the diode bridge are connected to the rail. I installed these in several locations around the layout. If there's a short, we simply watch the LEDs. If one of them is not lit, that track is the one with the short. When the NCE booster resets the LED comes back on. If the LED just flashes briefly, there is still a short.
Cacole--could you please illustrate your circuit? I'd like to duplicate it but I don't understand electronics and need some hand-holding. To prove my point--I'm not sure if this is temporary with, say, alligator clips for connection to the rails or hard wired permanently somehow. If my question doesn't make sense, I've just proved my point twice!
Thanks.
Rick Krall
Rick,
Simply put, a diode bridge rectifier (All Electronics Catalog Nr. FWB-15) has four wires marked as +, -, and ~. which is AC input The AC input wires are connected (soldered) to the track through short pieces of wire. The - wire is connected to the LED negative terminal, and the rectifier's + wire is connected through the 1 KOhm resistor to the LED positive lead. The rectifier and resistor are under the layout.
fkrall cacole Something you might want to try -- on a large HO Scale layout with NCE Power Pro boosters, I rigged up a simple circuit of a 1 Amp diode bridge rectifier, 1 KOhm resistor, and 3mm green LED. The LED is mounted between the rails and the inputs to the diode bridge are connected to the rail. I installed these in several locations around the layout. If there's a short, we simply watch the LEDs. If one of them is not lit, that track is the one with the short. When the NCE booster resets the LED comes back on. If the LED just flashes briefly, there is still a short. Cacole--could you please illustrate your circuit? I'd like to duplicate it but I don't understand electronics and need some hand-holding. To prove my point--I'm not sure if this is temporary with, say, alligator clips for connection to the rails or hard wired permanently somehow. If my question doesn't make sense, I've just proved my point twice! Thanks. Rick Krall
For those using Digitrax systems and UP5s you can wire the track indicators to separate blocks/power districts. Then if you lose power to a district you will see the indication. I also wire the PSX LED indicators to my control panels so I can tell when a breaker trips immediately.
jbinkley60fkrall cacole Something you might want to try -- on a large HO Scale layout with NCE Power Pro boosters, I rigged up a simple circuit of a 1 Amp diode bridge rectifier, 1 KOhm resistor, and 3mm green LED. The LED is mounted between the rails and the inputs to the diode bridge are connected to the rail. I installed these in several locations around the layout. If there's a short, we simply watch the LEDs. If one of them is not lit, that track is the one with the short. When the NCE booster resets the LED comes back on. If the LED just flashes briefly, there is still a short. Cacole--could you please illustrate your circuit? I'd like to duplicate it but I don't understand electronics and need some hand-holding. To prove my point--I'm not sure if this is temporary with, say, alligator clips for connection to the rails or hard wired permanently somehow. If my question doesn't make sense, I've just proved my point twice! Thanks. Rick Krall For those using Digitrax systems and UP5s you can wire the track indicators to separate blocks/power districts. Then if you lose power to a district you will see the indication. I also wire the PSX LED indicators to my control panels so I can tell when a breaker trips immediately.
Got it. Great instructions, cacole; thanks. And I just checked the instructions for the PSX1 I'm getting Tuesday per Jeff, so I'm all set either way.
Also if you use a 2-lead bi-color LED, all you need is the resistor, no bridge rectifier. Hook the LED and resistor in series, and connect the combination across the track power. When power is on, the LED will be on, when power is off (or there's a short), the LED will be off.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.