DCC buss power supply

[wyozig]

Knowing the polarity must be the same, can the DCC E-Z command controller be wired into a non Bachmann 16V DC, 5 amp buss with no reverse loops.

[Maletrain]

Not clear what you are really asking.  You can usually replace a DC power supply with a DCC power supply/command station on an existing layout.  However, there can be some issues.  If the "layout" is a simple loop, then there probably won't be any issues.  If there are turnouts on even a simple loop, you may very well have short circuits when your trains go through those turnouts if they are not "DCC friendly" in their design.  If they are not DCC friendly, they probably also made short circuits when used with DC, but you did not notice because the voltage was lower and the power to the tracks was not interrupted as quickly.  If you used "common rail" wiring for multiple power districts on the DC version, it is important to make sure that any circuit breakers all interupt power to the same rail, or they might not clear a short and you might melt something.

Tell us more about the layout and we can tell you what you need to check for your particular case.

[rich1998]

It sounds like you want to use the Ez Command with a five amp DC power supply. You cannot do this. The Ez Command itself is limited internally to about one amp.

Now you can use the Ez Command with a five amp DCC booster.

Rich

[dutchbuilder]

Voltage is given and Amperage is drawn when needed.
So for example a 100Amp power supply can be used for a device that draws only 100 mA without any problem.
If the power supply gives a Voltage is higher than the device needs you have a problem.
Is that simple.

Ton, Ham call sign PE2TR.

[Maletrain]

If we are talking only about a power supply, then it still may not be "that simple" as making sure that the current rating (max amps) of the power supply is greater than the max amp draw of the device it is powering.

The important consideration is what happens if there is a short circuit on the layout.  If the EZ Command has a circuit breaker, then the higher amp rating on the power supply is OK.  But, if the EZ Command relies on a breaker in a dedicated power supply, then having a higher capacity power supply will mean that a higher current can pass through a short without tripping the supply.  Shorts on 1-2 amp supplies are much less likely to cause damage than shorts on a 5 amp supply if the short is not cleared quickly.  And, there will be shorts on model train rails from time to time.  Of course, you can always add your own breaker between the EZ Command and the track.  But, those are not cheap.  You could also just wire a 12 volt automobile incandescent light bulb with a rating of about 12 watts between the EZ Command and the track, and that will prevent the current to the track from exceeding around one amp.

[wyozig]

Thanks folks, you all gives me direction, and what care to take. If I back down the buss to 1 - 2 amp connected in the middle of the buss  and the EZ Command connected at a separate point will the DCC carrier wave
work? I planned on running some EZ App locos on the same line.

[rich1998]

Knowing the polarity must be the same, can the DCC E-Z command controller be wired into a non Bachmann 16V DC, 5 amp buss with no reverse loops.

I guess a diagram of exactly what you would like to do would be better as we are guessing at this point.

Rich

[Maletrain]

I think you misunderstand how DCC works.

The DCC command station supplies both the track power and the control commands at the same time.  You do not want to connect any other power source to the tracks when you have connected a DCC command station (except special DCC "boosters" that connect between the command station and the tracks).

Before you damage your locomotives and EZ Command station, you really need to read-up on how DCC works.  It supplies something like 12 to 14 volts to the track in the form of a square-wave AC voltage (as compared to a sine-wave form in regular house AC voltage).  The lengths of the individual waves are changed to send either "0" or "1" bits of digital information onto the tracks, somewhat like sending digital signals on a computer circuit.  Individual computers in each locomotive (called "decoders") have individual digital addresses, and they all monitor the signals on the tracks for a command sent to their particular address.  When a decoder sees a command telling it to start a locomotive, it takes the AC power on the track, rectifies it to DC power, and applies it to the wires going from the decoder to the electric motor in the locomotive, at a voltage that is different from what is on the track.  That allows multiple engines to be run on the same track at various speeds in different directions (compared to all DC locomotives on a regular DC power pack having to run in the same direction and with all the speeds subject to one control (track voltage).

DCC must not be confused with other ways to run locomotives that involve computers.   For instance, it is possible to put a constant voltage on the track and send signals to locomotives by radio waves to receivers in the locomotives.  For large scale locomotives, it is even possible to use "dead rail" systems where radio waves control a computer in each locomotive telling it how much power to send to its electric motor from batteries carried in the train, so there is no wiring to the track.  But, those are not DCC systems.

[wyozig]

OK think I got it.   NO!!! don't try it.
Thanks again

[rich1998]

Great. Some new people ask this every so often.
Our club wiped out a NCE five amp booster when they tried it about ten years ago. DCC and DC do not mix.
Edit.
I just remembered. Wiped out a loco decoder. Owner was not happy.

Rich

[wyozig]

Thanks.

[RAM]

Since we are telling how DCC works, let me ask a question.  I know you can run a dc locomotive on a dcc system.  But how does it control the locomotive.  I would think that when you put it on the track it would just take and run full speed. 

[Maletrain]

Since we are telling how DCC works, let me ask a question.  I know you can run a dc locomotive on a dcc system.  But how does it control the locomotive.  I would think that when you put it on the track it would just take and run full speed. 

I don't want to spend a lot of time trying to explain that in detail.  That is available elsewhere.  But, basically, it uses a single, special address on the command station that knows to not send digital info to the DC motor in the locomotive that doesn't have a decoder.  Instead, it unbalances the square-wave AC power in such a way that the waveform has a net positive or negative average of a variable amount.  That makes the DC motor move one way or the other at a selected speed.  It is not the same as just putting a DC voltage on the track.  And, that square wave form still tends to make the DC motors buzz and not last very long.

[jward]

The OP mentioned he wanted to run EZ App on the same track as DCC. EZ App is designed to do just that. You don't need to switch over to DC power to run an EZ App locomotive.

[Maletrain]

The OP mentioned he wanted to run EZ App on the same track as DCC. EZ App is designed to do just that. You don't need to switch over to DC power to run an EZ App locomotive.

All I see in the OP's posts is reference to EZ Command.  That is not the same as EZ App.

The proliferation of "cute" system and technology names (by manufacturers) must be confusing to people who have not studied model railroading product standards and system types.  With today's available technologies, there are literally dozens of possibilities for using them to run trains.  Some are used extensively, while some are in niche products, and some aren't (yet?) being applied to model railroading although they are in every-day use in other consumer products  It is becoming too easy to confuse different things and buy incompatible products because the sound the same in the advertising materials.