Add A DCC System To Your Model Railroad pt 2 (108)
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- Опубліковано 7 жов 2024
- Please note that in this video I describe wire colors for the power supply wires. These colors are based on US practices and may be different in other countries with their own wiring conventions. If you are not familiar with the wiring colors used in your country please consult a local expert or use a pre-wired power supply.
While you can just plop your DCC system on a board or sheet of plywood under your layout you can make it last a lot longer if you go the extra mile and install it in an enclosure with a fan to keep it cool and dust free. There are also some nice touches you can add such as a clear acrylic door and DCC Concepts Alpha Meter to give you a readout of the voltage and amperage that the command station or booster is supplying. Having your wiring neatly arranged in the enclosure can also help when it comes to trouble shooting the inevitable issues that may pop up. So take a few minutes to watch me build an enclosure in part 1 and in part 2 we'll add the fan and other niceties along with the DCC components and power supply.
All Electronics (www.allelectronics.com)
DC Fan FF-80
European style terminal blocks TB-20
Filter kit FF-80
Fuse holder FHP-2
Misc fuses (search website
Power cord CFC-14
DCC Concepts (www.dccconcepts.com)
Alpha Meter
Jameco (www.jameco.com)
Power supply LRS150-15 part #2257731
Hardware store
Acrylic sheet
Hinges
L-brackets
Magnetic latches
Misc screws
Wood sized for your system
If I missed something ask me.
Please note that in this video I describe wire colors for the power supply wires. These colors are based on US practices and may be different in other countries with their own wiring conventions. If you are not familiar with the wiring colors used in your country please consult a local expert or use a pre-wired power supply.
I watched episode 80! Part 1 & part 2 and you did a very nice job
Thanks Larry, great info.
Regards Charlie.
Thanks Larry, I used an old bread box to start with and because of my age I put it above layout on wall. I would add a picture if I knew how. to add it here. 🐾🚂 BearCreek
Nice job, Larry. I purchased two different Mean Well Switching Power Supply units from Mouser Electronics. I just looked up the price for the 25.5W 15V 1.7A unit. Its $10.20 for Qty 1. I also got there 12v unit to run DCC++ and JMRI from an Arduino Uno and an Arduino Motor Shield R3. The 15V SPS, (Switching Power Supply), will power the Arduino Mega and Motor Shield. Muffin fans are definitely the way to go. In my 12V SPS, I cobbled the power cord from an old Tripp-Lite power supply. Since there was only 1 to take the cord from, I was going to make the next from cable and a plug from Home Depot. Saved myself a buck and some time by buying their Husky 9ft 14 Gauge tool replacement cord. It has the required 3 prong plug on one end and tinned ends on the colored wires on the other. I'll just fit them into the Mean Well unit thru the top and tighten down the screw, clamping the wire securely in place. Thought some of your viewers may find this helpful. Certainly a $10.20 power supply and an old spare power cord is better than buying the typical laptop power supply with 12VDC or 15VDC output that many train DCC suppliers recommend for DCC++ or DCC systems. DCC++ with Arduino code for the Uno or Mega in use with JMRI can be easier to use for some of us than the DigiTrax systems. Too many little CV codes for me. The NMRA JMRI is pretty decent to use and quite powerful.
Hi Larry - thanks for the video. Very helpful as always.
Very nice work on the cabinet! Very neat and compact, thank you so much for sharing!
Muse
Thanks very appreciate the videos I can use this on my Santa Fe east railroad and that will help keep on my DCC components clean and help me organize all of the components and 1 and stationary location
Nice build Larry.
Hello, Ive been getting back into model railroad stuff lately, and I would really love it if you could show how you powered and wired up those fans. Thanks for all of the videos. I have a Power Cab, Cab06P, and SB5. Once I get some permanent bench built and get to wiring and mounting, I think I am going to use a Wifitrax unit to add wifi throttles to the mix.
That works as does just using DecoderPro and a cheap wireless router-see video 193.
For us that don't have the Tools, the Shop or a Source to Build something Cool that you showed us whats the Cost to have you Build it for a person and the cost to then ship it to the Modler in my Case I have no shop no wood tools or Lumber and Zero of any sources that I could ask to do something like that I possibly could out at my sister's & Brothernlaws farm shop but she's certainly not into any kind of Hobbies what so Ever and I'd probably get from Her why are spending money on something stupid like that, so for me having one Built would best suite me.. Unless we have a wonderful Rain storm pass over & it Drops me some Cool Refreshing money and I can spring myself up a House & Shop😄😄😄😄😄 I'm so tire of living in a Apt Anyways...
Be safe Great Video I shared a ft of Humor we need allot of that in what where all going through can't wait to see that next Great Video... Allen D..
Larry can you elaborate on the connectors and shielded wiring between the Alpha Meter and The DCS240?
Nice job, Just where did you hook up the amp gauge part of the volt/amp display. I hooked up an amp meter to the track input and it works fine on dc but nothing on dcc++. I am guessing the amp draw would on the dc power supply to the dcc unit. Your discussion on interference caused by wiring cross talk was great.
As I showed in video 104 the meter has in and out screw terminals on the back. Power from the booster or command station goes in and then power to the tracks goes out to them. Your panel meter won’t work because it is designed for 50-60 cycle power but DCC is about 7K cycles per second.
Hi interesting video. I feel that your information could be misleading. I live in the uk and I make a point of not giving wire instruction for mains power as my wire are different colour to yours. Secondly many of the dcc system have cooling built in so using a box like yours will over heat as they are design to be left out. I like how you have the power meter on the box.
Richard
Richard, good point. Yes, the UK may have different colored wires and I will definitely point that out in the future as well as the description and a pinned comment.. As for the fans the only systems I am aware of with them are the MRC and the clones sold by Gaugemaster. Even with those the cooling fan used in my enclosure should help keep them cooler as I use a 3” diameter fan whereas the MRC fan in my Prodigy unit is only 1 3/4” diameter. So mine should have a greater flow rate and you shouldn’t see any additional heat buildup in the enclosure. One issue with the built-in fans I have seen is there is no filter so dust and dirt can get inside and accumulate, so an enclosure may actually help in that respect. That said, I don’t envision anyone with systems having fans wanting to build an enclosure like this as it might be judged redundant. There probably is no perfect system, so you just have to use your best judgement for your particular setting.
Larry
Love your videos. So informative for a dummy like me.
I have a question that you could probably help with. I have a DCS 210+ to power my layout. I have a 2 track mainline, each with its own busses...so, 4 rails, 4 bus lines. How do I get power to both mainlines, since the DCS 210+ only has an Ra and Rb output? Two outputs from the command station, but 4 rails to power... how do I do this? Obviously, I'm electrically challenged. Any help will be appreciated.
Either splice the wires together or daisy chain them and treat them as a single bus.
@@TheDCCGuy thanks. I have a ho scale double track mainline as my layout, running around the perimeter of my train room. The mainline length is about 80 feet. I plan on running 3 mu'd sound equipped locos on each mainline track. No accessories needing powered. I have a DCS 210+ command station for power. Do you think I will need a booster at the opposite end of the room or would the command station be enough?
Hi Larry, great two part video on making up a box for a DCC system set-up. What power supply did you use for the cooling fan ?
It is connected to the 12VDC power bus that runs under the layout using T-tap connectors like those I showed in video 27 on suitcase connectors. I have another of the Jameco 12VDC 10A power supplies for that power bus.
@@TheDCCGuy thank you for replying Larry.
Hi. Great video, but I would query the 8amp barrel type fuse on the supply cable to the Digitrax unit, as this type of fuse is known to allow more than the current it is rated for. Would it be better to use a miniature circuit breaker?
When you find one let me know and I’ll give it a go. Fuses will blow in about 0.1 seconds if the rated amperage is exceeded and you can get ultra fast blow types that blow in about 0.05 seconds. Slow-blow types hold for about 0.6 seconds and that is why I don’t use them.
Very helpful video Larry. What do you use to keep the command station and power supply in place? I used velcro, so I can remove them if I need to.
Since this enclosure will be attached to the underside of the layout it won’t get moved about I don’t attach the DCC system and power supply to it. The commercial grade Velcro would work well and I have seen modular crews attach theirs with formed metal strips or long nylon ties. And as Red Green would tell you there’s always duct tape!
Hi Larry, i enjoyed your video and am just building my first model rail i have mastered soldering jumpers to n gauge track etc and come from an engineering background but there is no way i can get the solder to adhere to the side of the taillight bulb. I have filed it, used ethanol to clean it, used a rosin flux with an adjustable 65 watt soldering iron. Can you tell me what i am doing wrong the base terminals are no problem? Many thanks SRB
Try using a file at the point where you want to solder. That should get you down to steel.
@@TheDCCGuy I tried it, i even filed a groove. I am thinking perhaps they are different metals in the UK. I even tried soldering on the pegs that stick out. I am competent in various welding techniques due to my work before i retired but this is not even close to soldering it just runs off.
Wonder what they are made of? The only other option is to get a compatible socket and solder to that.
@@TheDCCGuy I think i will do that Larry. In the meantime i have been browsing some of your other videos on dcc breakers. You showed a bulb setup in one of those and it looked like brass colour. I think the Lucas ones i am using are an alloy? I have also been looking at push button breakers for about £5.00 but i am not sure if they are suitable for dcc. I have purchased a Bachman N gauge DCC kit as a start. It is certainly a challenge. Thanks for your help and thanks for the videos. Sean
Larry, I set up my DCC system exactly like this and it works flawlessly. Now I want to add a programming track. The command station I am using is the Digitrax 210+ and I am using the Dr 602 throttle. I saw your video on setting up a programming track on the layout using a dpdt switch. Two of the wires were connected to the command stations track leads, two to the programming track and two to the programming leads on the command station. My question is since the track power terminal is connected to the alpha meter where do I connect the wire from the dpdt switch red wire? Would I connect it to the other output lead on the power source?
The 2 wires on the center pole should be attached to the programming track. Then 2 wires from one outer pole should be attached to the programming output contacts on the command station. Finally 2 wires on the other outer pole should be attached to either the track power contact on the command station or to the output side of the Alpha meter. That way you can set the switch for track power and drive your locomotive onto the programming track, flip the switch to programming and do your programming, then switch back to power and drive away.
A young hill-billy boy came walking up the road after his first day of school. His father asked him how it went. The lad replied "I ain't goin' back to that school! That teacher is an idiot!" "Why do you say that?" asked his father. The lad replied "In math class the teacher started talking about pi-r-squared, and everybody knows that pie are rounded!"
Love it!
Just one question. How did you mount your Mean Well? I know I has tiny threaded holes in the bottom of it but I seriously doubt you put bolts all the way through the wood just to attach it that way. Bet you had a more creative way to mount it besides double sided sticky tape!
I didn’t attach it since the enclosure will not be moved. However there are screw holes on the bottom as well as one side of the case that make good mounting points. On my 12VDC power supply I used the ones on the side to attach it vertically to a support under the layout.
@@TheDCCGuy That makes sense. What kind of support did you use or make?
|How did you power the fan? Off the PS???
The ones I got are 12VDC so I just used a small wallwart 12VDC power supply plugged into a power strip with all the others just like it that power the wireless interfaces, etc. That way I can turn them a d the command station all on with the flip of a remote switch. AC fans are available which could be wired into the supply line for the main power supply as you suggest.
Are you limited to 4 power districts running from the PSX-4 or can you divide into sub-groups?
Yes. As the names implies it has 4 outputs and 4 inputs. However unlike the PM42 you can set each of the 4 circuits independently and even cut the board apart for 3 in one area and one in another. Also being solid state they are fast and have a lot of features.
would what you just built with that power supply and command station, with ps4's , be enough to run your layout that is behind you?
Actually it probably could. I have a friend with a much bigger layout and we operate it with the same 8 amp DCS240. However most of his trains run with only one locomotive whereas I use 2-3. The important thing to remember is that on our layouts locos are either moving very slow or not moving at all. So even with 20 operating no more than 6-7 will be running at any one time and at half an amp each that would not be more than 3.5 amps total. Even if you double the number of locos running it would still only be 7 amps, well under the DCS240 8 amp rating. With that fan running full blast to cool the DCS240 it could run all day at 8 amps without overheating, and yes we have a fan cooling his .
Can the power supply you used be trimmed down to 5 volts?
They sell 5 volt power supplies.
Would the cooling be improved by adding an exhaust fan rather than the empty hole?
It probably would but it would greatly increase the noise level. My old enclosure was a bit larger than this one with the same fan and I have not had any problems in over 10 years of use. You could also use a much bigger fan or put your equipment in a small refrigerator-less noise, no dust, and a great place for a couple six packs!
@@TheDCCGuy Larry, Thanks for that idea, LOL.
Larry have a few questions for you about n scale locomotives and decoders. How can I contact you?