Large Scale Central

DCC booster for Piko smartcontrol

Electronics DCC
#1

I’m looking to power a pair of larger diesel engines, a SD-45 and a 25B on my Smart control system, but it only puts out 5 amps. I like the controller so I’d like to keep using it, but know I need more than 5 amps to power the several engines I have at once. PIKO doesn’t make a booster for the smartcontrol system, so they suggested I use the loconet port and a adapter for controlling a “galvonicly isolated” loconet booster with the power I need. Does anyone know of a booster in the 10-15 amp range that would work?

From the PIKO email:

We do not offer a booster for SmartControl, but it should work with boosters from other brands, as long as the boosters are LocoNet-enabled and galvanically isolated. The Boosters must be connected to a 55044 L-Net Converter, which is connected to the ECoSlink port on the SmartBox.

Thanks!

#2

when you read loconet, you should think Digitrax… look at their products.

Greg

#3

Thank you Greg,

That was what I had been looking at (mostly what comes up when searching for Loconet Booster with higher amperage output) but I can’t tell exactly what they mean by “Galvanically isolated”, I’m guessing that means has it’s own power supply and doesn’t share a common or negetive with the PIKO Smartcontrol box. But does Loconet share any of that with the connecting cord, or does it simply send signals back and forth?

I’m also guessing that it would have been better to start with a higher output DCC controller to begin with. Can the Smartcontrol controller be used with anything else?

Thank you.

#4

Your guesses are both correct from my knowledge.

You can add boosters cheaply. If you don’t need the smart function, there are very inexpensive 5 amp boosters.

Greg

#5

Greg Elmassian said:

You can add boosters cheaply. If you don’t need the smart function, there are very inexpensive 5 amp boosters.

Greg

When you say “don’t need the smart function” are you talking about straight dc power, or just a booster that can output the dcc signal it’s sent from the smartcontrol, effectively relaying the info but not having to create the info from one signal to another?

#6

The loconet is a control bus… the “smart function” allows the command station to shut off the booster… probably from an “emergency all stop” command from the throttle…

otherwise the booster just can work from the track output… some boosters only work from a low level signal, others can “boost” from a normal track output…

There are lots of options… I have used the Tam Valley 5 amp booster myself,

http://www.tamvalleydepot.com/products/dccbooster.html

what is the budget?

Greg

#7

I’d like to keep it reasonable, but if I have to save up for a bit to get the right one, I’m ok with that. I want it to work well, and be reliable. Maybe around $500 or so for booster and power supply.

Would something like this be a good choice?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Digitrax-DB210-Bundle-Single-3-5-8-Amp-DCC-Loconet-Booster-With-Power-Supply-New/253345110933?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3D52cb2b058ebd4ec89c47f51c0c7c4ea2%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D15%26mehot%3Dnone%26sd%3D253345110933%26itm%3D253345110933%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057&_trksid=p2380057.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3A57bf1661-4e81-11ea-a98f-74dbd1803e58%7Cparentrq%3A3f781ed61700a128ed0ca7ccffdcba82%7Ciid%3A1

Thanks!