EZ Command DCC Loco speed

[pdlethbridge]

Oh my aching head. Why why why do yoiu do this to me. I can only take so much and you guys have pushed me to the limit.
Bob made a comment earlier about the dynamis ez command name. That is even confusing. Ez command, Which one? When I grew up in Massachusetts not far from a B&M commuter line, I would go to a local store and ask for a coke, they'd ask, what flavor? Maybe its a regional thing?
And Jim, if the power company provides 100 volts instead of 120 volts, won't the ez command have 20% less power? Step down transformers can only provide a proportion of the incoming voltage.

[Tim]

Jim

Your comparison of a resistor to a motor is apples and oranges.

A motor is an inductor not a resistor the reaction to a 50% duty cycle
applied voltage will be entirely different.

Tim Anders
Souderton, PA

[WGL]

Watching people who know much more than I about model trains & electricity diametrically disagree is disconcerting, if not disillusioning.   

[db22]

Jim, as you so eloquently stated: "There are 10 kinds of people in this world - those that understand binary and those that don't."

[rustyrails]

I have to say that I enjoy the give and take, but I've got a question for you all .  If I understand the E-Z Command system correctly, it is a low-end DCC system consisting of a one-piece throttle/command station/booster with only limited capabilities and a wall wart power supply.  The Dynamis appears to consist of a power supply, an infrared transceiver of some sort that I guess connects to the railroad, and a one piece throttle/command/station booster with maybe most of the capabilities of a Digitrax Zephyr.   Since you CANNOT run with more than one command station, why do you care that the two systems have different outputs?  I'm really serious.  I'm not a potential customer for either system, but I'm really interested in learning about any application that would make the separate track voltages significant.  As long as the NMRA warrant appears on the box, I'm reasonably assured that either unit will talk to my decoders.  If it won't run my trains, I'm taking it back...simple as that.
Rusty

[Tim]

Rusty

The Dynamis out put is in line with the recommended track voltage of 14v max.

All the major systems use 13.8v max for H0.  Digitraxx  uses 12v max for N, 13.8
for H0, and 22v for large 0 and G.

The EZ-Command is actually out of spec for H0 and N, at 16v.

This is probably done to get UL and CSA  approval.  It is sold as a toy. 

Tim Anders
Souderton, PA

[train with no shame]

i have a ? do any of you on this post .work for bachmann . nothing intended . im still trying to learn my sprint htc touch diamond phone. and most of the people in the forum work for sprint and actually are a big help to the newbies . like my hobby shop guy said it dont matter some of us aren't prototypical  .i want to be as close as i can get . but times and tribulation .keeps me from it .thats why i did the post of keeping the hobby alive .

[WGL]

 My Bachmann 5 amp booster didn't boost my EZ Command HO layout (3 connected ovals = 117') until I switched it from 14 volts to 18 volts, on advice I received in this forum from Jim Banner.

[Jim Banner]

Jim

Your comparison of a resistor to a motor is apples and oranges.

A motor is an inductor not a resistor the reaction to a 50% duty cycle
applied voltage will be entirely different.

Tim Anders
Souderton, PA

Actually, I did not compare a resistor to a motor.  All I asked was what the motor would respond to (i.e. what would its speed most closely track,) the RMS voltage or the average voltage.  This is a bit of a trick question, so I included an initial question to get you thinking of how the RMS voltage differs from the average voltage in a simple resistive case.

If we are going to split hairs, not only is a motor not a resistance, it also is not an inductance.  It is an impedance in series with a voltage source.  Normally that impedance is a resistance plus an inductive reactance, but in some special cases, it can be a resistance plus a capacitive reactance.  And in one special case, it can be a pure resistance.

PD, you are right on.  If the input voltage of your transformer is low, the output voltage will be proportional low as well.

And Rusty, I have both an E-Z Command and Digitrax.  I use them to run different railroads.  Sometimes it can be disconcerting to have a locomotive run faster on one railroad and slower on another.  This is particularly true when you are sub consciously monitoring locomotive response as an indicator of locomotive condition.

Jim

[WoundedBear]

Jim....sorry to derail the thread for a sec.

I'm not sure if you ever got my email about our voltage regulator troubles, but we found a solution. And we didn't even have to go stateside...lol.

http://www.davesmopar.com/prod01.htm

We went from 18.7v (with spikes as high as 19.5) on the old mechanical to a proper 13.9v with this unit.

Thanks again

Sid

[Yampa Bob]

I have a highly technical solution to all this, one that won't give PD a headache.

There's a small round knob on the EZ Command, sometimes referred to as a "throttle".  If EZ Command runs a locomotive too fast, turn the small knob down a bit. 

[HO-Ron]

One think that I noted is no one has talked about decoders and "their" voltages. DCC sound decoders that SoundTraxx made for drop-in replacements for Atlas, Athern and Life Like diesels have a MAX voltage requirement of 16 volts. They can and will burn out at higher track voltages. The maximum voltage is clearly stated on the spec sheet.
If you have friends that have these engines and they want to run on your railroad, and your track voltage is above the magic number, there is SMALL chance they will be burned out. Not what your friends or you for that matter, want to have happen.
Most DCC systems have some sort of method of setting the track voltage. Failing that, you can devise some method of dropping a volt and half or so using diodes or a regulator.

Just a word of caution from a guy that learned it the hard way...
HO-Ron

[Jim Banner]

There's a small round knob on the EZ Command, sometimes referred to as a "throttle".  If EZ Command runs a locomotive too fast, turn the small knob down a bit. 

Bob, I must have done something wrong.  I had the same problem.  Chucked the knob in the lathe and turned it down a bit.  Still the same problem.  Turned it down a bit more.  Same problem.  The final time in the lathe, I turned the knob down to nothing.  But my trains still go too fast when I turn the throttle up. 

Who said English isn't a fun language??

[OkieRick]

Jim, you need to re-tool your setup.

"Bob, I must have done something wrong.  I had the same problem.  Chucked the knob in the lathe and turned it down a bit.  Still the same problem.  Turned it down a bit more.  Same problem.  The final time in the lathe, I turned the knob down to nothing.  But my trains still go too fast when I turn the throttle up. "


Let me help if I can.  What brand lathe are you using?'  When I worked for TRW we used Warner-Swasey or LeBlond - American made lathes.  Are you using an import?  Are your OD tools in the turret or tail stock or crossfeed?  You want the machine piece to turn clockwise providing the front of it is not facing the machine if using tools mounted from above.  Using the crossfeed your OD tool(s) should be at the right height & moving away from you.  Machined piece should be rotating counter clockwise 'back' into your tools.  Again your part should be facing away from the chuck.

I still have my setup man's book I put together if you need more assistance.  I'm only certified on turret lathes, automatics and engine lathes of US manufacture. 

luck
OkieRick

[r0bert]

HO and N decoders like to live in a 12 volt world, even though they can tolerate 16-18 volts, and are desgned to withstand spikes up to 22 volts.
Higher end DCC command stations, generally are regulated to have an output of 12-14 volts to the track, and at that voltage, your decoders will run cooler, have smoother control, better low speed performance, and your lights will last longer.
Some high end command stations have switchable output voltages for users running Large scale trains, but recommend operating at the lowest setting that provides suitable operations.