Advanced DCC Power Districts for Free-Mo Layouts: Test Report Hostler Show - Ogden 2004 By Mike Nelson

Free-mo Power Distribution System:

• DCS100 DCC Command Station (not connected to rails) Command Station Only
• (3) DB150 (5AMP) DCC Boosters (connected to rails)

• (3) PS515 Power Supplies (5AMP) (power to boosters)

  The layout was divided into three power districts. Boosters and Power Supplies were located at 1-Loop, 2-Yard and 3-Layout Main Line. The boosters were daisy chained to the Command Station via a dedicated Loco-Net bus, separate from the Loco-Net running through the modules for the throttle jacks.

I wanted to use a DCS100 Command Station that was not connected to the rails. I felt the cycling of the DCS during short circuits was having an adverse affect on the signal and memory of the Command Station.

Much to my surprise after powering up, there were problems all over the place. After troubleshooting the system I discovered 2 of the DB150 were not jumped properly (Config A and Config B were not jumped to Ground properly). After this correction and making a few minor repairs to modules, the Layout electrical system preformed great.

Given the superior performance of the layout at this show, using this configuration, I feel every effort should be made to use DB150 to power the rail and use DCC100 as a Command Station only.

For questions or comments feel free to email Mike Neslon.