Converting from DCC to RailPro

[yvesmary]

My two-level layout is about 20 X 25 ft square powered by an NCE DCC system.

I have a command station and 3 boosters placed side by side in the middle of the lower level. So I have four isolated sections.

Can I switch those with the PWR-56 (a total of 4) where they are now or do I need to space the PWR-56's around the layout?

I was thinking of 4 PWR-56's more for reliable power than for the repeater aspect of it.

Thanks,
Yves

[Alan]

Yep, you can put the PWR-56s in the same place as the boosters.

[nodcc4me]

Yves, you probably already know this, but you don't necessarily have to convert your power supplies to RP. Your engines will run just fine on the NCE power, and your friends with DCC will still be able to run concurrently with you on your layout.

[yvesmary]

Hi all,

What's making me cross the line is that I fried my NCE command station. I'd been spiking down track and had a metal track gage on there. I forgot about it when I turned the power on and before I could shut it off she was smoking nicely.

It would be too expensive to ship it back to the States and have it repaired. Rather than buy a new command station I might as well go totally with RailPro.

Regards,
Yves in Alberta

[G8B4Life]

Ouch,

I feel for you there Yves, frying your command station must have been hard to witness. The fact that it didn't detect the short and shut down is a matter for concern though, if the command station didn't detect the short the chances are that a PWR-56 might not detect a short either leaving you open to frying that as well. What size are your dropper and bus wires?

Seeing as your not inclined to use the PWR-56 for the repeater function (indeed I don't know how well that would work with several placed together in the same spot) and they will all be in the one location another option would be to get a beefy 15v regulated power supply instead and run your 4 sections from that one supply through 4 separate quick action breakers.

A power supply like this would be good (I have one and it is good) http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/390974735803 . The breakers are another story, one that I have not looked into.

- Tim

[Alan]

I agree with Tim. Unless your room is very large the repeater functionality isn't really needed.

I use a generic switch mode power supply (from eBay) and my own homemade electronic circuit breakers.

LK&O power supplies: http://www.lkorailroad.com/powering-the-lko-part-i/

LK&O circuit breakers: http://www.lkorailroad.com/circuit-breaker-and-block-detector-final-units/

[yvesmary]

Tim,

I thought I could smell something so I was going around looking for a tool or something laying on the track when it started howling and by the time I shut the power off it was smoking. I'm using 12 gage wire for the bus and 18 gage for the feeders. I don't know why it didn't shut down automatically. I've tested the track occasionally by shorting it and could hear the command station clicking off.

Alan,

I've looked at your setup on your website and it's impressive. But I'm nowhere in your league when it comes to electronics.

I've ordered the power supplies and auto-reversers from Bill Brillinger and will make sure the quarter test works as it should.

Yves in Alberta