DCC and American Wired Steam Locos

Discuss your experiences with systems, decoders, installations, wiring, control and any general hints & tips you have found.
User avatar
barrowroad
Posts: 365
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 5:28 pm

DCC and American Wired Steam Locos

Postby barrowroad » Sun Nov 28, 2021 3:18 pm

I have a DJH Crab which is wired on the American system - Loco positive pickup and tender negative - the coupling between being insulated.

The model is sound fitted with an Econami [Soundtrax] decoder, speaker and stay alive hard wired to a Portescap motor as per this photo.

IMG_20211128_144417814.jpg


My layout uses NCE equipment. The scenic section is powered by a NCE 5amp command unit whilst the storage sidings are powered by a NCE 5amp booster. There is therefore two baseboard joints on the circular track that are the change over point between the two power supplies. The voltage between the two parts is balanced at 13.4v.

My problem with this loco is that whilst it runs fine - everything normal, sound operating etc in either half of the layout - when it crosses the two baseboard joints it stops. This is when the coupling between loco and tender is above the joint ie when the loco is on one power supply and the tender is in the other.

I initially thought it was the two power supply voltages were unbalanced but they are both 13.4v.
Next I thought it might not have a 'stay alive' but it has one.

Has anyone have any thoughts on how I can rectify the problem.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

User avatar
jim s-w
Posts: 2186
Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 5:56 pm

Re: DCC and American Wired Steam Locos

Postby jim s-w » Sun Nov 28, 2021 3:27 pm

we has a similar arrangement of Calcutta Sidings where the fiddleyard and layout were electrically separate from each other. We sometimes found when the 2 systems did their chatting to each other on set up that they would arrange themselves to be powered the other way around to each other. Not sure what the solution to this was perhaps Phil or Tim can advise?
Jim Smith-Wright

http://www.p4newstreet.com

Over thinking often leads to under doing!

User avatar
grovenor-2685
Forum Team
Posts: 3918
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2008 8:02 pm

Re: DCC and American Wired Steam Locos

Postby grovenor-2685 » Sun Nov 28, 2021 3:39 pm

The boosters should have a common 0V connection that you can link together to avoid this problem.
See Ground Wire on the diagram here
https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/200590789-Booster-Diagrams
Regards
Keith
Grovenor Sidings

User avatar
Simon_S
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Aug 06, 2008 7:32 am

Re: DCC and American Wired Steam Locos

Postby Simon_S » Mon Nov 29, 2021 10:56 am

grovenor-2685 wrote:The boosters should have a common 0V connection that you can link together to avoid this problem.
See Ground Wire on the diagram here
https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/200590789-Booster-Diagrams

That's what was needed to solve the problem on Calcutta Sidings' Digitrax system too :thumb

User avatar
barrowroad
Posts: 365
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 5:28 pm

Re: DCC and American Wired Steam Locos

Postby barrowroad » Mon Nov 29, 2021 2:27 pm

Jim, Keith and Simon,

Thanks for the information. I've just linked the command and booster casings with a length of 7/0.2 wire and this solved my problem with the Crab loco. :thumb
Robin


Return to “DCC”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: ClaudeBot and 0 guests