boosters

one fo your units is command station. I would want to make sure that the boosters are configured in cv's to run as booters. just my two cents.. Gerald

wiring

Yep. 

It's an old picture I was just using as kind of a generalization. The DB100+ does have the wire between the sync and the ground. I need to wire everything together and try it again. I was giving it kind of a "half-baked" effort hoping for a miracle. I just couldn't figure out why there was a constant beep from the DCS100? It has to be related to the power supply? I know what I have. The DCS100 and the DB100+ were given to me by brother who did G scale for a while but got rid of his trains. They are definitely 8 amp units. Look just to the left of the Digitrax logo. 

Since they weren't under a load, I didn't think the units would be smart enough to know the capacity of the power supply was only 10 amps and not 16 amps? I do know the power supply is DC and I have always run AC into it in previous uses. So, I didn't know if there was some conflict there?

The DB150s used to have command capabilities as an "empire builder" if I remember correctly. So, I need to kick them all into booster mode, except for the DCS100. I need to figure out how to kick the DB150s into booster mode as well. Is that also a wire? Someone indicated that I need to connect a ground between all the units and all the other components. It supposedly helps the logic board understand the status of the other units.

The loconet seemed like a punchdown block would have worked better than daisy chaining everything together. I just didn't know if there was that warning somewhere not to do that? Of course they are not connected. I am smart enough to know that was not my problem. What I was afraid of was some kind of short circuit. I have let the smoke out of a PR3 and a couple of decoders in the past. Again, it is an old picture. I think what I will do is connect my whole system together and post new pictures. 

Ideally, I am going to reconnect it all the proper way instead of trying to test it again. 

No. Do it piecewise.

Honestly, luck isn't a strategy, nor is hoping for a miracle.  Connect up the DCS.  Test.  Add a Booster.  Test BOTH.  proceed likewise until done.

But first, as painful and un-guy as it is, RTFM.  The digitrax manuals, and additional tech notes on their website, are intended to help you through this; they include plenty of decent, if somewhat undercommented, drawings for what you're trying to do.

1) No, your DCS/DB don't somehow know the PS can't cope with their future demands. 

2) Yes, there may be a polarity trick in the "mud" behind the AC/DC inputs of those earlier Digitrax units.  So since they were intended to work with either polarity attached in isolation, that doesn't mean they work that way when wired together.  Swap a pair of wires to find out.

3) Yes, a common reference* is needed between the units, and should be accomplished with a large (12/14 ga) wire running from unit to unit.  No exceptions. 

4)   As the DB150 manual points out, yes, a wire is needed to force the DB150 into booster mode.

5) If you have more than one DCS100, you'll need to do that.  It's manual will tell you there's also a CV you can set, but I've seen that 'go away' when the battery dies, and suddenly you have two command stations again.  Better to use the wire approach.

6) There's nothing new in what you're trying to do.  You can do it the hard way, then ask why it doesn't work, or you can ask up front.  You've started down the latter path, don't revert to "wiring it all up to see if it works".  That's a sure recipe to let the smoke out of something.

Blair

* I HATE using the word ground for this, because every second person I talk to thinks that must be related to the third pin in an AC cord, or worse yet, their water piping.  That's NOT the purpose, as even Digitrax has repeatedly pointed out.  It is just a common reference point, which the hardware needs to sort out all sorts of good things.  DO NOT rely on those two puny wires in your Loconet to supply this inter-unit ground, even though it is at the same potential.  Those wires are far too skimpy to 'nail' the 'reference point'. 

P.S.  If you're interested, you can ask Joe F to put us in touch.  I'd be quite willing to help you through this.

Digitrax Group

I'd check with the Digitrax Group. Some old DCS100s were 8A before they released the DCS200, which is basically an 8A DCS100. Definitely make sure you have a good "ground" (common) between them, and go one step at a time. Your LocoNet hub *should* work fine, but test with regular straight-through LocoNet cables first to rule that out as a potential problem. Digitrax has been inconsistent with whether their ground is an earth ground or a common, but most say that setting it up as an earth ground could cause serious problems, so it's better to treat it as a common, like every other DCC manufacturer does.

Thank you, Blair.

My system is actually quite old. I remember getting my first Empire Builder (DT100 and a DB150) when it was "state of the art" way back in 2000 or so...  I still use it and my DT100 from time to time.

My basement empire is progressing slowly, but it is progressing. So, this whole thing with multiple boosters and circuit breakers and detection is pretty much all new to me. I am kinda pumped as things slowly start to work.

I believe Digitrax did a good job on their manuals. Absolutely... RTFM !!!  My confusion came in when I couldn't get old boxes to do what I thought they should do. I am a little embarrassed but I have to say that the manual will tell you the proper start up sequence. FOLLOW IT !!!!   My 8 amp DCS100 works just fine when you turn off the transformer and then connect the front plug. I tried a hotswap and the DCS100 absolutely did not like that. Hence the constant beeping. It is now online and working nicely. 

Agreed. add pieces slowly. That is why I am getting my control system running now. I want to do a little at a time. I hate it when I let the smoke out of something. I have successfully fried a couple of decoders and that PR3... How did I do that one? I would rather not say. I did get a booster for programming and viola'...

Oh boy, explain the ground

I understand that there is a wire to connect all of the components including the UP5s, UR90s, UR92s and so forth. 

Does it not go to "ground" ?  I have never bothered to hook such a thing up. 

DCC Wiki on grounding

Your Digital Command Control system should float, meaning there is no connection between it and the earth ground.

Common connection between Digitrax devices

It's not really a ground, but a common return. This way all the devices have common reference point, and if current needs to flow between devices because of a phase mismatch, it takes this route rather than your LocoNet wiring.

Current immediately seeks the path of least resistance, which isn't your LocoNet cable, and uses the common connection to return to its source.

Unfortunately Digitrax seems to hire different people to write each new manual, because their manuals are often contradictory on this "ground" issue.

Common wire

The common for boosters, PM42s, BDLs, and BXPs is the booster common for track power. The wire put between UP5s is the return path for powering the UP5s (which is a whole different can of worms). Digitrax's power supply strategy is poorly thought out, to say the least, and seems to depend on a ton of PS14s to do different things. Other manufacturers have made much more well thought out systems that have common power supplies for things, or power fed through various busses for a number of devices.