I have an NCE Power Cab system. It worked perfectly for a year. Last November all of a sudden NO power to the tracks. I put the volt tester on the plug going into the Power Panel and got 13.60 volts. The red light lights up and draws 5.80 volts. The power to the track pins register NO voltage. Therefore no voltage to the track. I sent the whole works back to NCE twice. They gave me a new power cord, a new power panel, and a new flat cord. They updated my Power Cab with the latest chip. Basically I got all new parts. The system works at NCE, but, again, NOT on my layout. I put the Power Panel on the floor detached in everyway from the layout, benchwork, etc. NO voltage out from the track power pins. I've included a photo. Can any of you experts come up with a solution to why it works at NCE and not for me? Thanks, Jim
What do you mean the LED draws 5.8 volts? You ARE using a 6 wire cable and plugging into the CORRECT socket on the front panel... Something is fishy. Greg (p.s. That does not look like a true RMS AC voltmeter... try switching the probes, as though you were using a cheap meter that reads AC by putting it through a diode and only reading one half of the signal, and does not read DCC correctly) (p.p.s don't ask me know I know! :startled
Now you know we will run down the usual suspects; Are you using the six wire flat cable? The coil cord is only four wires and does not carry track power. Do you have the Powercab throttle plugged into the right plug if the light on the panel is above the throttle plugs. The powercab is the command station and without it there will be no power. The led should light if track power is on. Can you go into the menus and try resetting the command station? In cab parameters is track current on?
I have three of the meters you have. They all read about 13.6 VAC with a loco on the track. Contrary to popular opinion, a true RMS meter is not needed. I compared mine to my digital Oscope. I also have the Power Cab. As was said, six wire cord plugged into the left socket. Show us a picture of the panel from the front. Rich
A couple fellows in our cub have the same meter maybe a tenth of a volt difference. Older analog meters with the mechanical movement are known to be an issue. I have one. Rich
DCC voltages Found my readings I made about three years ago. NCE Power Cab DC supply, measure 13.9 VDC at circuit board. Track voltage, no load, 13.6 VAC One sound diesel idling 13.3 VAC Two sound diesels idling 12.9 VAC Oscilloscope verifies within two tenths of a volt Rich
In my initial post I mentioned that after a year the system stopped working in my trainroom. Everything is correct hookup wise. Voltmeters are not the issue as I have two and they both read zero at the power posts. ???? Jim
Not trying to talk down to you. But need more info. You said, I put the volt tester on the plug going into the Power Panel and got 13.60 volts. I want to assume you mean the plug from the Wall transformer which will be DC voltage. This thing should work since it was checked out by NCE. I am assuming the display on the cab is lit. Rich
Mine has the same issue, look directly behind the track connectors, there should be a diode ontop of the board, with visible traces running to the power supply. put one lead from your voltimeter to each leg of the diode, if you get voltage there, then the solder joints from the traces to the track power supply have failed like mine did, right now I'm just using a pair of alligator clips attached to the legs of the diode to power my layout.
Rich, Yes the 13.60 volts is from the wall transformer. The cab lights up and gives the normal info. I can't believe that the power panel went bad wrapped in bubble wrap from NY to CA? Anyone else? Jim
Geep, I tried the voltmeter on each leg of the diode, nothing. How would your voltage not get to the points? I could live with alligator clips, but that won't work. Thanks, Jim
I am betting that the power panel circuit board is flexing and breaking a circuit when installed. That might explain why it works for NCE. I know that you said they replaced the power panel, but maybe they have a batch of these with the problem. I would be curious if it works when taken out of your layout fascia. Sometimes the screws that hold the panel to the fascia can put enough stress on the whole works to warp the board, and if a not so great solder joing is present it could separate. It's an idea, anyway. I just replaced my power cab with something else, but its still laying around here. I'll see if I can duplicate the problem. I just poked aroung on my power cab some... If you don't have voltage at the diode before the track output, then it is not coming back from the handheld. As best I can tell input dc is routed into the throttle and comes back to the power panel and to the track output. If the problem is not in the power panel, then it is in the jack that the power cabs flat cable plugs into, the cable itself, or the handheld. Obviously, without duplicate components to test with it would be hard to narrow down. I had quite a few problems with my power cab, but not this one. I hope that some of this helps, but I don't think we've got anywhere. I have learned a few things, so I've got that going form me.
Old reliable. Thanks for some good info. I have been testing the power panel out of the fascia. The photo was taken in December before the first trip back to NCE. I haven't even installed it in the fascia this time. I've been in the train room testing it all again for the last 15 minutes trying various volt testing on the power panel. No power to the points yet. Your thought about the handheld is interesting. I don't know how I would check that out? Any experts here in San Diego that want to stop by are more than welcome. I'll buy. Help! Jim
I haven't seen anyone else suggest this, but I'll bet you have tried. Have you hooked the system up to a separate bit of track away from your layout? It's the easiest way to eliminate the possibility of a short on you layout that would shut the power off. If I recall correctly, when the system has a short it shuts down the power but the cab stays on. Something just occurred to me. Is your power cab address 2? If it is 1, it is in "yard mode", which only works with nce pro cab systems- which would keep the pro cab from sending power and it would act like a throttle for a pro cab system. If you have reset the power cab, this should have reset to default 2. This is in the "cab setup" section of the manual, pg. 18, if you have the same manual version.
Except, from what I can discern from this thread, the testing is done with the track lead unplugged and a voltmeter stuck into the output port, so no track shorts would be seen. Dace
The funny bit is the NCE website manual says the red LED comes on when there is track power....obviously not in this case! Dave
I bet you could sweat talk Larry at NCE into sending you a new panel to see if the issue goes away. I know you already sent it all in, but give them a call and see if there is something they can do to help you through this. If you were just closer.
