DCC - Electrical

Re-charge time for keep alive caps?

   Hi all, Anyone know the re-charge time required for the common keep alive type products? In a case where a sound equipped engine runs along a yard ladder using a bit of the cap power at each dead frog would the cap be able to re-charge between each turnout to keep doing it's job?  I'm trying to figure out how much dead rail time a cap equipped engine can tolerate compared to it's live rail time. I'd like to eliminate frog wiring and just use switch stands and ground throws on my new layout......DaveB

Alco_nut's picture

Intermitent short

I have a newer Shinohara double crossover with tortoise machines. One of the switches trips the PSX-1as it throws reverse but once fully thrown it goes away. It does not trip when thrown normal. I am thinking is a problem with the contacts in the tortoise. Anyone have any ideas?

LPS L1's picture

Loksound in a Bachmann 44 tonner - Success!

[Edited 10/28/16]

I recently purchased a Loksound micro loaded with the dual caterpillar sound set, along with a TCS KA 4 for installation in a Bachmann 44 ton locomotive.

After considerable hassle, the decoder and Keep - Alive work together satisfactorily.

I most certainly will not be installing more Loksound decoders in my roster

-Skoti

IAISfan's picture

Ditch light LED resistance in Loksound Select Directs?

I'm installing my first-ever LEDs, and my first-ever ditch lights (surface-mount 0402s), using Big Al Mayo's Monster LEDs.  These first 5 installs are using Loksound Select 4 Aux decoders, but I hope to use the built-in resistance on Loksound Select Direct decoders in the rest of the fleet, so I'd like them all to be similar in brightness.

Chris Adams's picture

Watch Out for Rabbit Holes!

One of the reasons model railroading is the World's Greatest Hobby is that it's actually a number of different hobbies, all working together toward one grand goal. The only problem is that's it's All Too Easy to go too far down the path of one particular aspect of the hobby. Before you know it - you're down a Rabbit Hole.

traintalk's picture

Tortoise wiring

I was reading some other posts about wiring and I was wondering if anyone else uses Bullet Splices to connect wiring.

I wire up my Tortoise switch machine at my work bench and crimp on the female Bullet Splice. I then install the Tortoise under my layout. I drop down the wires from the track and frog, crimp on the male Bullet Splice, and simply plug the two together.

I then use my tester to make sure the crimp has a good electrical connection. No soldering under the layout, simply crimp, plug and play.

Iphone Speakers for Steam Engines - Question

I know some people prefer the iPhone speakers to use in steam engines for DCC sound.

Is there any version of the speakers which are better than others. Such as the speaker for an

iPhone 4S vs iPhone 6S. And where is a good place to buy them.

Also what are you using for a speaker enclosure.

Is there anything I need to know about wiring them?

NCE PowerCab Help

Folks;

I have 2 NCE PowerCab systems.  I am thinking of purchasing an NCE SB-5 unit to give me a bit more amperage.

  Here is the meat of the matter, Can I use the PowerCab panel mount and run each one to each of the SB5 connectors, thus giving me 4 connections for throttles.  I know that by using the coiled 4 wire cord, it will turn the throttle into a standard PRO CAB.  I guess i do not want to spend the extra 35-45 $ for 2 UTP panels if the units that came with the PowerCab will work just fine.

 

 

Manual install decoder in N scale problem

Hi guys I have run into an issue when installing the decoders in the small N scale locos.  You see I have no problems soldering the motor wires on but when it comes to attaching the wires to the sides of the loco (aka red and black wires) I can't seem to get the solder to stick.  Sometimes it does an others it don't.  How do you guys do this?  I saw a youtube of a guy installing a screw but that was on HO and not N so I am really puzzled.

barr_ceo's picture

A "critical listen"... sound and model trains at a show

This past weekend, I attended a train show. It's that time of year again, and this was one of the early ones in our area.

It's been some time since I've had the opportunity to really get into a show and see everything I wanted to. This time, there were fewer quality vendors than in the past, so I determined to spend some time really examining the layouts.


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