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Waaaaaayyyyyyyyyy to much? I'm thinking if I was going to go from 2 to 5, would it make sence to just go nuts and put a 10amp setup in? Figure never ever have to worry about amps then. Or is 10amp just to much and I would fry stuff?
I just worry that once the layout is well underway and all the switches are DCC enabled as are the locos and lights for structers, passenger cars, gates, and other misc accessores I would go over what 5 amps would do. Current plans are for 4 locos running at once. One of them would have 6 lighted passenger cars.
You posted this twice. You can go back to the other posting, hit the "Edit" button, and delete the duplicate post.
10 amps is way overkill for DCC. Most modern locomotives fraw less than hal an amp. Unless you are going to be running about 7 old Athearn BB locomotives at once, you'll never use 10 amps. It won't fry anything but it is a waste of money.
brubakes
10 amp systems are designed for O guage layouts. You should never need more than a 5 amp system for HO. I operate on two layouts now that have 40 plug engines on them and we have never exceeded the 5 amp output.
Those words "It won't fry anything" could be famous last ones in some circumstances. That limit is the maximum current that could flow if you get a short circuit on your track or in the wiring (deity forbid, but it's gonna happen). With 16 volts or so to push the current along, it works out to more than 150 watts. Spread over several feet of track, that probably wouldn't do any damage, but concentrated in a small area, you could see smoke rising. How about 10 amps flowing through the body of a brass loco that just had a bad experience on some dubious trackwork?
Better to keep the limit at a point that runs the trains with a bit to spare, but not overly much. Circuit breakers are friends, not enemies.
10 amps is way too much for an HO layout. If you need more than 5amps, then you should divide up your layout into smaller electrical blocks and buy another 5amp booster.
Kennedy
10 amps is way too much for an HO layout. If you need more than 5amps, then you should divide up your layout into smaller electrical blocks and buy another 5amp booster.
Kennedy
This is what I plan to do - in my case two 3 amp boosters. That way if one line shorts it doesn't take everything on the other line to a grinding derailing halt.
Mark
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