Yes - but you need to read the directions to convert

Goose - The SB5 can be used as either smart or dumb booster.  But, you need to do more than throw the physical switch.

You also need to connect either a ProCab or PowerCab to the SB5 and follow the directions in the manual to disable the internal command station.  Just a tip - disconnect the SB5 from the other stuff before you do this.

If you have not done this you have two command stations fighting over who controls the layout. It's likely the reason the other command station isn't working.

If you've lost your manual you can download another from the NCE Information Station on their web site.

GS

. . .

Yes you can.

Just make sure you disable the Command Station portion of the SB5 or it will go into conflicts with the PH-Pro

https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/201142349-Step-3-PH-Pro-SB5-Powercab-NCE-Super-System

The SB5 is simply a PB5 without the Command Station part.  You might have to play with the output voltage as the SB5 is 12 or 13.8 volts while the PH-Pro is  9 to 18 Volts (adjustable).

Not an NCE expert, just like reading manuals.

Marc

doesn't powercab auto-sense?

i don't need to disable anything on my powercab when i use it at the club.   i believe is looks for the polls from a command station and automatically operates like a common cab when it sees them.   when it does this, it indicates the cab number it's configured for

Ok, so if I'm understanding

Ok, so if I'm understanding this right you run the ground and control bus like I did and then.... 1 Disconnect Control Bus,  2. Set SB5 to "dumb" and follow the other steps, and. 3. then reconnect the control bus cable.

Am I guessing this about right?

Cab VS Booster : discussing different parts of an NCE system

Dear Greg,

I fear you're thinking about the wrong part of the system. To clarify, recall that a DCC system is formed by:

- at least One "Throttle" (physical "control panel" interface for humans to tell the system what they want it to do)

- One-Only "Command Station" (the "Brains" of the system, converting human-requests to digital commands)

- at least One "Booster" (The "Muscle" of the system,
IE amplifies the Output of the Command Station to Volt+Amp levels capable of driving locos)

To form a complete "DCC Control system", by definition you have to have all 3 "conceptual" components.
They may be physically grouped-together in various combinations/in the same physical box,
but electrically/conceptually there are still 3 distinct units, each with a definite role to play in the system.

Now, you're entirely correct that a PowerCab Handset 
(which as a product effectively has a "Throttle", a "Command Station", and a small "Dumb Booster" component,
all mounted in the one self-same physical enclosure,
which happens to look exactly like a "PowerHouse Pro hammerhead throttle"),

will simply/only act as a "Throttle" unit if plugged into a PowerHouse Pro cab buss...
(IE The PowerCab will auto-disable it's onboard "Command Station" and "Booster" components,
and present to the PowerHouse Pro system's Command Station cab-buss Input as "just another NCE throttle")

...but if I read the OP correctly, the question in this case is about combinations of Smart (SBxx) and Dumb (DB/PBxx) boosters, as found on the _Output_/Downstream side of the Command Station (CSxx) unit...

...Given that a "Smart" Booster effectively has it's own "Command Station" brain front-end,
(IE "Smart" = both "Command Station" and "Booster" components in the one self-same physical enclosure,
see SB3, SB5, etc)

for a "Smart" Booster to play the role as a "Dumb" booster downstream of a Command Station,
we logically have to tell the "Smart" booster to
"turn off it's own brain/command-station section, and act dumb"/do what it's told...

https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/202562559-SB5-SB3-SB3A-in-Booster-Only-Mode

https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/article_attachments/200260975/SB3_to_PH_Pro_Hook_Up.pdf 

I hope this helps...

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

Pro_kyzler

So if I'm understanding you right I actually do have the concept and they get the wiring right I just need to go through the programming steps just at the sb5 the dumb booster mode after I reset everything.

powerCab vs cmd-station/booster + cab

prof

not sure what you thought i said.      if i plug my powercab into a utp at the club, it comes up as a cab.  i've had to set its cab number to an available cab (not loco) address, #22.

my understanding is you can replace the use of just a powercab (cmd-station/booster/cab) with and sb5 smart booster (cmd-station/booster) and separate cab (cab06, procab, powercab)

after installing the sb5, the powercab is plugged into the cabbus of the sb5.   the powercab will monitor the bus f and if it sees polls to cabs (any cabs) it will simple behave as a cab.

Correct, but not what the OP is asking

EDIT: Links reposted, some minor URL corruption got in the way... :-( 

Dear Greg,

You're entirely correct,

"PowerCab" = (Throttle + Command Station + Booster) in one "Throttle shaped" enclosure

"PwrCab + SB5" = PwrCab(throttle) + SB5(Command Station + Booster in one enclosure)

but again I fear not addressing what the OP is asking about.
The OPs concern is not at the Throttle/Cab-Buss end,
(IE whether a PowerCab Throttle will act as a "normal throttle" when plugged into a SB5 or CS-01)

but rather at the Command-Station/Booster end...
(Goose, feel free to step in if I'm totally misreading your OP question)
 

If I read correctly, the components the OP has at their disposal are:

1x "ProCab" (PowerHouse Pro/PowerPro type Throttle, NOT a "PowerCab" all-in-one unit)

https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/200542599-Procab-Deluxe-Master-Cab

1x "PowerHouse Pro" Command Station (presumably a "CS-01")

https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/200943365-CS01-Retired

1x SB5 "Smart Booster" (Command Station + Booster in one enclosure)

https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/200913385-SB5-Smartbooster-for-the-Power-Cab

The known properties/possible-combinations are:

- The ProCab Throttle could plug into the Cab Buss of the CS-01 "Power-Pro Command Station", sure,
but does not form a "complete working system" (No "Booster")

ProCab                CS-01                          ???

Throttle --> Command Station --> (No Booster???) --> Track
 

- The ProCab Throttle could plug into the Cab Buss of the SB5 "Smart Booster", sure,
and form a "complete working 5Amp system" (Throttle + Command Station/Booster-in-one-box),

ProCab                             SB5

Throttle --> (Command Station --> Booster) --> Track

but would leave the PowerHouse CS-01 Command Station out un-used,
(whether there is any benefit or additional functionality offered by using the CS-01 over the SB5 is a variable?)

- The ProCab Throttle could be plugged into the "Power-Pro Command Station" CS-01,
(no booster at this point)

and thence the CS-01 feed it's "command out" to the SB5

But in Normal SB5 "Smart Booster" mode, this would mean we have

ProCab                CS-01                                   SB5

Throttle --> Command Station --> (Command Station --> Booster) --> Track

and having more than 1x Command Station in a system is invalid/verboten...

SO, to the OP's question, What to do?
Can the SB5 have it's "Command Station" portion Disabled,
(IE downconfiguring the SB5 to a "DB5" or "Dumb Booster")

such that the physical-box and "how it's wired" connection array holds,
(IE we get to "use all the boxes we have on-hand")

but we get to a "proper" single-command-station configuration as below

ProCab                CS-01                         SB5 in "Dumb Booster" mode

Throttle --> Command Station --> (Command Station Disabled --> Booster) --> Track

Thankfully, the answer appears to be YES,

How to configure a SB5 into "Dumb Booster" mode
https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/202562559-SB5-SB3-SB3A-in-Booster-Only-Mode

How to connect a CS-01 --> SB5 in "Dumb Booster Mode", inc custom cable pin-out
https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/article_attachments/200260975/SB3_to...

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

Prof, could you resend those

Prof, could you resend those links? I think the last one might be what we need, but it keeps coming up as "unfindable."

confused

sorry

seems like he has 2 smart boosters ( power pro command station) and no power cab.