DCC Bachmann 5 amp booster question


They are allegedly pretty good about customer service. The other question I was wondering is exactly what steam locomotives you are running?

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I have 5 BLIs with sound - Pacific, Hudson, Mountain, Niagara, and Reading T-1 that I'm keeping off the track due to it causing a short.

I really don't see the point of calling every morning and hoping for a call someday. I'm taking the booster to a local electronics repair shop instead tomorrow.
 
Local shop gave conflicting info about whether they would even look at it. Gave up on them and sent it to Bachmann. They sent it back and couldn't give me a straight answer whether it was replaced or repaired. If it was repaired they couldn't tell me what was fixed. I sent it back again after a terse email and several calls. A tech called telling me how the booster was working and operating 8 locos. He even held the phone up so I could hear the locos in the background (as if that was supposed to prove something). There was a confusing conversation about wires, and he told me I didn't have a wire he was using to complete the connection, so they sold me two wires and sent them with the booster back to me. One wire turned out to be a wire I already had but didn't need unless I connected the EZ command module directly to the track, and the other wire connects to EZ track, which I don't have.

Needless to say I get the same result - connecting the EZ command module directly to the track results in 8 DCC/sound locos and ten lighted cars that turn on and initially function, but I run out of power when any one loco goes up an incline or I try to run any two locos at the same time. Then connecting the booster I get 2-3 locos that turn on and function, but any more than that indicates an overload and nothing works...so it's worse having the booster connected than without it. I really don't know how to diagnose this and I'm considering calling Digitrax to ask them about Bachmann stuff. That's pretty bold for me to do that and I might get a funky response but I'm at the end of my rope.
 
It sounds like you has a basic issue somewhere. Start with making sure you don't have loose connections with the DCC bus. Then make sure the track is clean. How big are the wires from the booster to the DCC bus?

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I have 14 GA main bus wires that connect directly to the booster. I also tried connecting the track wire supplied with the booster to the main bus, but no difference. If there is a flaw in the wiring, why will individual locos, or a limited number, operate around the track just fine?
 
Perhaps wire another brand of DCC system to your layout and see what then happens. If everything works, then this will indicate a problem with the Bachman system.
 
Because of resistance. Think of wire as a small pipe for a minute. There is a limit to the amount of water that can flow through it per minute. Above that limit the pipe either fails or limits the amount of water flowing to the max amount. Electricity behaves the same way in a wire. How long is the DCC bus? And how did you make the connections between the bus and feeders?

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I see you used suitcase connectors. I guess they should be OK. How far apart are the feeders from each other?

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The feeders are 4-6 ft apart. I understand the pipe comparison, but the 5 amp booster is supposed to be more than enough power for a 170 ft bus line and multiple locos, so when I run individual locos and they operate fine that indicates that my wiring is correct (or at least no obvious flaws). What really baffles me is how a 1 amp controller/throttle can power the layout more effectively on it's own than with a 5 amp booster connected. That is (to me anyway) what indicates a problem with the booster or the connection, but the connection is so easy a caveman can do it.
 
Did you say they sent you a second cable? Have you tried using it in place of the original? Sometimes cables can be bad. Who did you buy it from? The retailer might take it back and replace it.

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SO, is this the unit you are using:
36-520_1.JPG


Exactly how do you have the wiring hooked up? Could you possibly draw a simple schematic to show us your wiring?

Just trying to go back to basics to help trouble shoot the issue.
 
RBMNfan said:
Did you say they sent you a second cable? Have you tried using it in place of the original? Sometimes cables can be bad. Who did you buy it from? The retailer might take it back and replace it.

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Click to expand...

The cables they sent back are irrelevant, and the retailer won't take it back after 30 days...so too late for that.
 
KB02 said:
SO, is this the unit you are using:
36-520_1.JPG


Exactly how do you have the wiring hooked up? Could you possibly draw a simple schematic to show us your wiring?

Just trying to go back to basics to help trouble shoot the issue.
Click to expand...

Yes, the cord on the lower right connects from the controller/throttle to the "DCC in" jack. The power cord connects in the middle of the unit to a wall outlet. The black and red connections screw out to slip in the +/- wire connections to the track, and screw in to tighten them in place. I connect my two bus wires directly into these ports. The middle bottom and left bottom wires are not needed for my layout. I was also later sent a wire connection for EZ track, which I don't use.
 
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Just trying to eliminate things with this question, but you don't have the controller/throttle connected directly to the track as well, do you?
 
KB02 said:
Just trying to eliminate things with this question, but you don't have the controller/throttle connected directly to the track as well, do you?
Click to expand...

No, the throttle is the EZ command controller that goes with the booster. Power cord into a wall outlet and other cord into the booster...simple.
 
Sorry to bump this old thread, but I finally gave up on the Bachmann equipment and paid up for the Digitrax 8amp DCS200, the 20amp PS2012 power supply, and a DT402 throttle. Everything works fine now, with all locos and cars drawing power, and running two locos at the same time, the meter only shows 2amps total being drawn. I'm going to goof off and try running eight locos very slow for a short distance just to see how high I can get the meter, but so far it looks as if the Bachmann 5amp booster just wasn't functioning anywhere near the way I thought it would, and possibly not the way it is supposed to. Either way, I'm done with the aggravation in favor of way more power than I need...but at least my layout works.
 
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