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Post by texrail on Jan 2, 2022 11:08:26 GMT -5
As some of you may know, I´m actually working on my West-Texas project:  I startet with the Sierra Blanca section + El Paso staging (in the background) more than 10 years ago. A used ( and still use ) the Digitrax Zephyr starter set. Everything is fine. I can ran a train, switch a turnout and so on. When I continued, I decided to enhance the capacity of my system, by buying a Digitrax DCS 240 command station, a DT500 Throttle, some DS64s Decoders and a PM42 power manager. On this section I can run a train as good as with the starter set on the first section. My main emphasis was building the terrain and structures, not so much in operation. But now I want! As I know, the combined system tollerates only one Command Station, I convert the DCS 51 into a booster, according to the handbook ( or I think I did it correctly). I realize, that the power to the tracks goes off emediately. When I connect the loconet cable to the "command-System", the PM42 indicates a short and turns off the other system too. What do I wrong?    |
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Post by dazed on Jan 2, 2022 12:14:46 GMT -5
Without being able to inspect the actual wiring, troubleshooting from afar is tricky but...
I think the best troubleshooting is eliminating possible causes. I would simplify, as follows:
1. Does the DCS240 work directly connected? (ie bypassing the PM42, no DCS51 in the mix.
2. Does the DCS51 work directly connected? (ie bypassing the PM42, no DCS240 in the mix.
3. Does the DCS240 work connected through the PM42, with no DCS51 in the mix.
4. Does the DCS51 work connected through the PM42, with no DCS240 in the mix.
That would be a good start. I would guess maybe an actual short with one of the PM42 sections being wired in reverse or something along those lines.
I would suggest a Digitrax group if it gets much farther than the above. There are a few on Facebook, Groups.io, etc.
EDIT: After re-reading your post, I may not fully understand how you have it setup. It seems you have two separate systems running as different "blocks" currently, is that right? And you want to combine them to properly use the Zephyr as a booster. So they currently do work independently, but not when you connect Loconet....is that right? I think I still need to better understand how they are wired.
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Post by BAZman on Jan 2, 2022 16:56:43 GMT -5
Yea, a pencil CAD would help. Working with their overly complex and way over powered products, it’s Complicated and can also be simple mistakes.
1) you can have only 1 Command station (as you do with the DCS240 but so others understand DCC too)
2) check the polarity of the Loconet cables (with a flat cable, one end has the tab up and other end it is down). LocoNet cables carry DCC Signal AND DC power Trottles/Acc so if the cable is made wrong, SHORT.
3) The DCS Command Station ‘Ground’ MUST be connected to the DS Ground (NOTE TO ALL: Never Ground the system/layout to House AC Ground). It should always be ‘floating’ like your DC layout).
4) track wiring somewhere might be reversed (Rail A and B are just reference as DCC essentially is ‘AC’ (no polarity BUT you have to wire just like DC: there is always a ‘reference’ track like Red on outside.
Disconnect the Rail AB wired on the DS51 so it has no connection to any part of the system. Then plug the LN Cable. It should not shut down.
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Post by texrail on Jan 3, 2022 10:08:58 GMT -5
Doug, you are describing my situation exactly! Problem starts if I connect the two independent systems with a Loconet cable. Jeff, I will! I make a drawing of my LN, too Jeff, I did !  . Digitrax says: "This should be the ONLY point of an DCS 240 installation that is connected to the safety ground pin provided on most 3 pin 110V AC power sockets." My "grounding system" connects at present the ground Terminals of DCS 240, DCS 51 and PM42 with the AC ground. Is it better to cut the connection to the AC socket? Gentlemen, thanks a lot! As I`m dealing with Corona - despite 3 vaccinations - I have time enough to follow your advices. But my brain is slow.  . So, it will take some time. Thanks, to both of you! |
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Post by BAZman on Jan 3, 2022 13:30:37 GMT -5
You can connect it to the House AC Ground but pointless. It can reduce some Radio Frequency noise FROM your electronics but you would never know.
It gets complicated in discussion but you do not need to. However, it’s just Digitrax way of saying one Common connection between Command Station and Boosters (and easy answer to those ‘should I ground it to House Ground’.
You’re better off not founding to the house.
And the Common Ground between Boosters must support your system’s short Current (e.g. 5 or 10 Amps) so #18 wire will work for 50’. (The idealist and common used 14 gauge comes from O/HO layouts. But the real Issue is the instantaneous current of the system, when you have a short, Before the electronics says “oh, we have a short” 50 milliseconds later” so larger wire helps. 18 gauge is more than enough for you.
No, another issue with Digitrax is they have a simple and HOO selector for voltage. It is nowhere near the same for each Booster! So after you get all of this wired up you need to do the “quarter test“ between each Booster district. If the Circuit Breaker trips, the Boosters have different track voltage. At the museum, it only took .2 4.3 V between districts for them to trip. Really stupid but if you think about it, take any voltage and you make the “resistance” and Ohms law you notice that the current value will be a really high.
You should have a quality ‘True RMS’ voltmeter (but anything you buy for $20 or $50 or $75 is really not true, it’s “software corrected“) but it still reads well enough that if you major differences. It’s close enough.
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. Digitrax says: "This should be the ONLY point of an DCS 240 installation that is connected to the safety ground pin provided on most 3 pin 110V AC power sockets." My "grounding system" connects at present the ground Terminals of DCS 240, DCS 51 and PM42 with the AC ground. Is it better to cut the connection to the AC socket?
. So, it will take some time. Thanks, to both of you!