Greetings again. Nice new digs we have. I have a Digitrax SuperChief Radio and a mix of decoders in most of my engines. (HO Scale) I have noticed a "herky jerky" stop/start, stop start that occurs sometimes for no rhyme or reason. This does not occur all the time. Seems to have a mind of its own. My track is constantly measured w/ a Tony's Ramp Meter w/ a consistent 14V. My feeders are in every 4 to 6 feet using #20ga wire. The bus running around the track is #14awg. My layout is small to medium @ 25' wide by about 3ft deep normally w/ 6' deep at the two dog bones. The track is clean, the wheels are clean. Yesterday as part of my job (electrical power engineer) on power distribution and quality. In one display, a graphic was shown illustrating electrical noise in between data wave forms. The closer the noise gets to the amplitude of the Data wave, the more that noise is going begin to interfere w/ the data process. When that noise elevates beyond the amplitude of the data wave, forget it... show's over. Of course, in the world I work in we specify T.V.S.S. devices (Transient Voltage Surge Suppression) to filter out such noise. (Also for protection against large spikes). I am wondering if I need to invest in a UPS or other power quality device such as a T.V.S.S. for the Super Chief. Something I already should be doing I know... but.. I haven't. Has anyone ever had this problem and solved it? Could there be another reason my engines are jerking. NOTE: They sometimes run w/ NO problem and sometimes don't. Gremlins? THanks
I haven't had your roblems but I do use a UPS on my layout. I also have a UPS on my big screen TV and sound system. Better safe than sorry I guess. Besides a 300-600 va UPS does not cost muct in relation to the cost of the devices it protects. While the UPS's I am using are not true uniteruptable power supplies then do guard against brown outs and spikes. A true UPS supplies the power all the time as opposed to kicking in when the AC is low or spikes.
Hello Kitbash, I have used the brand APC on ALL of our computers and entertainment equipment in the house. We live in the lightning capitol... Florida! You can pick up a 500va for about $38 or a 1000va for about $125 at Sams Club. Also watch the office supply stores for sales. These are true battery back-ups...will keep your equipment going in the event of a power failure for at least 10 minutes(depending on load) and filter all power coming in. Good Luck, Chuck (sagelake)
I guess I wasn't as clear as I should have been about my UPS systems. Mine are also battery back-up. But a TRUE UPS generates the AC output all the time and does not need to switch to the internal batteries when there is a power failure. So there is no hesitation when there is a power failure. True UPS systems are very expensive but the best way to go especially around computers. But most people use the battery back-up type. The term UPS has gotten a little misunderstood over the last 40 years or so.
Thank you for the replys! One question I have .. or item I'd like to know is if anyone has experienced the problem I am having w/ engine performance and if it cleared up after putting a UPS/filtering device in-line ahead of the DCC equipment? Thanks.
The start/stop action you see is frequently caused by having a loco selected on more than one throttle. Throttle A sez start, Throttle B sez stop. Big arguement . Find the offending throttle/loco address and clear it, or do an opsw36 reset of the command station. Noise on the buss is not likely to cause the problem you describe, as it would not be decoded as a speed change command (It might mask such a command, making the throttle seem slow or unresponsive, but would not itself cause a loco to start or stop).
Thank you for the suggestions. I checked my throttles. I have three plugged into the buss and no engine that was selected on more than one throttle. HOWEVER what I did find was a renegade charge of another type.... a common one at that. "STATIC". I recalled hearing that a little ... (VERY LITTLE) oil placed about 6' apart on the track and then moved around w/ a train would relieve any static build up in the rails. I tried this and ....... voila! All my engines run as smoothl as silk. No problems, no jerks, no anything but response to whatever I set on the throttle. Even the slow speed responses are great. I am still going to put a good UPS/filter on my system just as a matter of good practice. BUT... how do some of you deal w/ static???? Or have you had this problem? Is there an anti-static fluid (other than oil) that is recommended for rails? Surely this problem has to have a better way to be solved than placing oil (even a little bit) on the rails. Thanks.
DON'T do this! Both rails in DCC are powered separately and are above ground in alternate half-cycles of the DCC waveform, and connecting one rail to water pipe ground can, depending on how things are wired, cause shorts in your system. You can connect the booster case (Or DCC "ground" - actually a "common") to earth ground via a water pipe ground or via the ground pin on the outlet to which the command station power supply is connected (do this at one point only, however, or you will otherwise be subject to "ground loop" induced voltages).
No, I agree. I was sketching this out on a schematic wiring diagram and realized the loop thing. I have my designated booster ground connected between the transformer and the booster. I am bonding that to an adjacent watermain which I have access to from a panel in the wall. I actually wrote Digitrax by email and they recommended the path I am taking. Thanks again for the replies.
