Large Scale Central

Transient Voltage Suppressors (TVS)

Electronics Power and Sound
#1

For reference, see here.

Should those of us who use track power, including DCC, be using transitory voltage suppressors (TVS) to suppress the occasional voltage spike? It seems like we should, and on both positive and common leads, and for each block.

Cheap protection.

#2

and on both positive and common leads

The TVS go between the positive and common to clamp excess voltage. Just clarifying.

Steve, we probably should. But in the real world, how many of us have fried an on-board something because of a momentary voltage spike?

#3

David Maynard said:

and on both positive and common leads

The TVS go between the positive and common to clamp excess voltage. Just clarifying.

Steve, we probably should. But in the real world, how many of us have fried an on-board something because of a momentary voltage spike?

Thanks for the clarification, shoulda thunk of that.

On the second point, if the TVS is so strongly recommended for 0 gauge, why not in large scale? The chance of frying a board seems the same.

#4

Steve it would seam the same. Maybe O scale boards have a lower frying voltage, or large scale boards are more rugged. Or, maybe, since O scale uses AC, and large scale uses DC, the transients are less likely in large scale, due to the rectifying and filtering that goes on in large scale, that doesn’t not go on in O scale.

#5

I don’t know anyone on DCC that uses them.

It seems from the links you provided in another thread, that the O scale people have issues, I think this is because of the large, often field-wound motors, directly connected to the track.

With DCC, the motor is never connected directly to the track.

When you run a signal down a track, the extra resistance and inductance of the track itself tends to minimize spikes.

It’s the stuff running the tracks that can create electrical noise, including spikes.

If you are running DCC, I would not bother at all. If you are running DCS, then you need to take a number of precautions, but it’s normally to prevent the signal dropping, not stopping spikes.

But O scale, big old motors, and adding electronics, yes.

Greg

p.s. what are you running Steve? Is this for you?