Hello I'm using KATO Unitrack and a NCE Power Cab DCC system I'm looking for a cheap auto reverse module I found the Digitrax DTX-AR1 for $22.50 at Wig Wag Is it a good module? Will it work fine with my NCE power cab? Any other choice that you would recommend? Thanks
Not all reversers will work with the Power Cab. The Power Cab has such quick circuitry it will shut down be for the reverser (some) has a chance to toggle. I am unsure about the AR 1 unit.
The AR-1 has a tunable trip current. In the instructions linked here it says that if the booster (in your case, your NCE system) trips before the AR-1 switches then the "current is set too high" and what follows in the instructions (point 3b) is the procedure for tuning this trip current to match your set-up. I have not tried an AR-1 with NCE, but it works just fine with my Digitrax Zephyr.
Fast Tracks sells a Dual Frog Juicer which can be used as a reverser. They also have special version for the Powercab. http://www.handlaidtrack.com/Dual-Frog-Juicer-for-NCE-PowerCab-p/dfj002.htm Gino
I just bought my first AR1 and tried it out with a very basic loop, one half of the schematic shown in your diagram. Try as hard as I might, the locomotive stalls & shorts at the insulated joint. I reversed the wiring but that just shifted the short to he other insulated joint. Once I push the locomotive further ahead, it goes on it's way. Adjusted the sensitivity, tried all that I could think of but cannot get it to work. Any suggestions, please?
My new N Scale road will have a reverse loop, but it'll be rarely used and will employ a low-tech DPDT toggle to set track polarity within the reverse loop block. I was messing around with it on a test track today and made the neat discovery that with DCC, you don't need to also throw a throttle direction switch as is the case with DC. With DCC I can throw the one DPDT toggle anytime the train is in the reverse loop block and it happily motors on through.
The DCC Specialties PSX AR will work with any system. It is also a very fast solidstate unit that is configurable.
