What does the amp peak in a dcc decoder? Is that the highest amperage it can take? I have completly no idea what it is? Please Explain.
yes. the amp peak is the max amount a decoder can take. In the case of some older athearns they draw way too many amps at peak. they would easily fry an engine. Its a good idea to test the stall point of a motor and measure its amps at full stall.
So if i run this decoder http://www.litchfieldstation.com/xcart/product.php?productid=999002905&cat=0&page=1 (2 amp peak) with the zephyr (2.5 amps) it will fry the decoder?
no. the zepher outputs 2.5 amps at max. the decoder will be fine unless the stall current of your engine exceeds 2 amps.
Current is measured in amps. A Zephyr can supply up to 2.5 amps. Your engines draw amps when operating. Depending on the type of engine and how hard it is working, the current draw will vary. As the load increases by adding cars, friction around turns, or climbing grades, the current draw increases. With most modern trains the current draw is well below 2 amps. An electric motor draws the maximum current when it is stalled. Stall is when the throttle is turned all the way up and the motor (engine) is held still on the track. The decoder will supply up to 2 amps without damage. So if the stall current of your engine exceeds 2amps, the decoder will be damaged. Your Zephyr will supply 2.5 amps to the track and all engines on it. Each engine running on the track will be drawing current. The combined current draw of the engines can be up to 2.5 amps. Exceed that and the circuit breaker in the Zephyr will trip until the current draw is reduced to lesss than 2.5 amps. Martin Myers
You could have a 1000 amp power supply and not do harm to your scale engines. You could have a decoder rated for a max continuous 2 amp draw and ruin it with an older motor driving a heavy engine that drew 3 amps continuous. That should tell you that the amperage rating for any one decoder should be commensurate with the maximum intended working amperage draw that the motor slaved to the decoder will draw. Another way to say it - you must match the decoder to the motor's capacity to do work, not to the power supply's ability to fry everything in the house. Your power supply is like a faucet and hose watering your garden. If your garden's needs are greater than your hose diameter and metering, you are not going to be able to sustain the garden greenery that you would perhaps like to grow. Increase the hose diameter/water supply, and you can grow more plants. Similarly, your power supply allows you to supply working current (which is always the amperage, not the voltage) to your engines based on their total demand as you require it. The voltage is just the "pressure" in the hose. It isn't the actual water...that is the amperage.
Another way to explain it is a power supply (booster) does not "push" amps, the decoder/locomotive "pulls" amps, but only as much as it needs. For most modern locos typical amps drawn are in the .25 to .5 amp range, but can go higher under heavy load or stall conditions. Its kinda like asking if you have to take the $3 trillion loan when you only need a couple of thousand. (oh, wait.....)
