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Hi Dave,

Using a 1156 bulb doesn't work with all systems.? As you probably know, the filament in the bulb needs to heat up for the bulb to limit current.? Some systems are faster than the bulb and the PowerCab is one of them.? I have also found that "chem fuses", which also do a similar thing, will not work with the PowerCab either.? I haven't tried the NCE CP6 bulbs with the PowerCab to see what would happen.? Let's see if anyone else has tried them.

Should no bulb work for you, the new NCE EB1 electronic circuit breaker has a lower initial current trip current than the old one and will work with the PowerCab.? Other electronic circuit breakers, if they have low current trip points, will also likely work.

Allan Gartner
Wiring for DCC

Well I guess wiring up my 1156 bulbs was a bit of an exercise in futility since the powercab responds more quickly. However, the bulbs sometimes do respond first so at the end of the day, they offer an extra level of protection. Not sure why they sometimes light before the powercab but…

Thanks for your response.?
Dave

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Dave,

It's a function of prior-current, I suspect - if the bulb was already seeing significant current(i.e. a couple of locos running at speed), then the filament is already warming, so when the short occurs, it takes less time to light up, and hence acts before the powercab; if the filament was cold (i.e. a single low-current loco crawling into a turnout that is in the wrong position), then the booster sees the short before the filament warms.? That's what I think is going on.

I suppose a chart showing which boosters/systems will benefit from bulb-style protection, and which won't, might be useful, but how many people are still deploying bulb protection?

Blair

That makes a lot of sense Blair. Thank you.?

This is what the NCE sites says about protection of the Powercab

"The Power Cab has built in overload for basic self-protection that will continuously try to reset until destroyed if left uncorrected. The Power Cab?does not have circuit breakers that will trip or fuses that will blow. Use the new EB1 v1.1 electronic circuit breaker to protect the Power Cab against short circuits."

The power supply only supports 2 Amperes of current.? This increases the trip time for chem fuses.

Best,
Ken Harstine

Thanks Ken.

Just for those of y'all that don't use NCE. I use a 1157 bulb with my Digitrax and it works like it's supposed to. I mounted it at the center of my layout/command station, visible all long my shelf layout. And it has functioned perfectly. No matter where I stand, if I see it flash or light up. I know instantly where the problem is. And it's usually right where I'm at. LOL
Morgan Bilbo, slightly over one year with very basic DCC

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I have to agree with Morgan. I do run NCE but the 1156 did not work for me. I use the 1157’s brake filament. One filament of the 1157 ?is equivalent to the 1156 and the second is a higher current. The 1156 would not light on a short but worse, it would warm up and not pass enough current to the existing locos. I got brave and tried the 1156s in parallel without total satisfaction. So when using the high current 1157 element it worked well and the PowerCab did not trip. It lit on a short but I am not one to leave a short condition for a long time. ?I’m a gambler but not to a point to risk my rolling stock. ?I am sure if the current was slightly higher and more instantaneous, the PowerCab would go into protect mode.?

And I'm with John. Until a good solution comes along - but I also want a reasonable price. You can't compare a bulb with a good circuit breaker. But. The price must be within my budget. And that bulb certainly does it's job and for what it cost - wow! I also think it is best on a small/ish layout where you can see the bulb. A buzzer wired in could be even better. But then, the cost goes up. I must admit, it's a good thing that NCE has that feature.? ? ? ? Morgan Bilbo, slightly over one year with very basic DCC

I have used automotive brake lamps for circuit protection for years. Simple, the current of the lamps controls the current of the circuit. Achieve max current draw, the lamp lights, resistance becomes infinite, trains stop safely until the load is dropped. Has anyone used this system to protect DCC blocks. I have seen commercial power protection that had lamps involved.?

I mentioned my using 1157, not 1156. That makes a difference.
Morgan Bilbo, DCC since 8/18. Model PRR 1952.

John,

I am currently using an enhanced DCC overcurrent protection solution using a #2057 taillight lamp and a 0.9A 'PTC Fuse'. This combination works to limit DCC short circuit current to a lower value than using the 1156/1157 lamp by itself.

Reference and instructions:?

The component cost is still far less than electronic circuit breakers.

Hi,
? I have all track protected by PSX breakers.? And also have run a Cat5 pair from them to a central
display (labelled) with LEDs that show which district(s) are shorted.? I personally don't like the
buzzers (irritating) so my LEDs are soldered to those outputs on the PSX boards and, with the
appropriate resistor are powered directly from those outputs.
? This method works quite well.? If you have a situation where you want to have more than one
LED light up to indicate a short (such as when you need to be able to see it from multiple
locations) you can easily add more LEDs.
? You can also not use a central display and instead locate the LEDs 'near where the short is
located' ... depending upon your needs - and also upon how your layout is configured.

? I find the above methods equal/better than the 1156 bulb type of short protection - but that is
my preference and YMMV.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? - Jim in the PNW

P.S. Just noticed that this thread is about the PowerCab.? I have a PowerPro system.? Most of
? ? ? ?the above is different because using a PSX with a PowerCab is difficult due to its low
? ? ? ?power rating (amps).? Yes, I would use the 1156 with a PowerCab.? I have a PowerCab
? ? ? ?and use it for my programming track.? It is also capable of being used as a wireless
? ? ? ?ProCab (wireless board installed) for a PowerPro system.

I'm still suggesting a 1157 instead of 1156. I think the extra voltage helps keep it cooler? i.e. If the short is simple, like a metal wheel flange catching a frog wrong, the 1157 don't seem to get as hot. Assuming you grab the car quickly. Obviously, if you let it sit and heat up, that bulb will get very hot. But I've found that if I catch the short quickly, the bulb just gets warm, not overly hot. And far less dangerous. After all, that's the complaint against the 1156. That it can get too hot too fast if you don't remedy the short quick enough.
And as has been mentioned many times. This is only if you don't need a real circuit breaker, or can't afford one.
Morgan Bilbo, DCC since 8/18. Model PRR 1952.

I ended up using a #93 and #1203 bub in paralllel for my PowerCab system and it works pretty well.? I selected the bulbs based by having the sum of their current rating to be close to the booster rating but not equal nor greater.? Also, I selected bulbs that were 'NCE compatible'.??

Credit to Mark Gurries and Marcus Ammann for the table below (Gurries) and wiring info (Gurries and Ammann).?

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Dave
Portland, OR

Here's a link to the table in my prior message:

/g/w4dccqa/album?id=288517

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Dave
Portland, OR