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.
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.
DCC and American Wired Steam Locos
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DCC and American Wired Steam Locos
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Re: DCC and American Wired Steam Locos
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?
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Re: DCC and American Wired Steam Locos
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
See Ground Wire on the diagram here
https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/200590789-Booster-Diagrams
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Re: DCC and American Wired Steam Locos
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
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Re: DCC and American Wired Steam Locos
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.
Robin
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.
Robin
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