DCC & ABC GEARS

This is a brief explanation of DCC and how it works without going into vast amounts of details. Perhaps leave that to the experts....! There are many features and benefits to using DCC - for more information please contact Steve Weeks at South West Digital.

Digital Command Control (DCC) is a model railway control system which allows controls of individual locomotives, rather than control of sections of track.

Conventional model railway control systems work by providing a power feed to a piece of track; any locomotives on that track respond by moving forwards or backwards. This is both cheap and simple to install, and is fine for simple layouts. However, if two locomotives are on the powered section of track, then both will move in the same direction.

This is a powerful way of controlling multiple locomotives on both simple and complex layouts. Varying the voltage on the track to control a train is quite satisfactory for a simple layout. However, when it comes to larger layouts with a number of running lines and multiple train operation, you need a lot of switching and wiring to block sections to get the power from multiple controllers to the right parts of the track.

With DCC power is on all of the track all of the time. DCC power is a low voltage digital AC signal. The actual regulation of the loco speed goes on in the loco itself. A decoder fitted inside the loco, converts the AC Power to run the DC motor of the loco. So to control the loco, instead of varying the track voltage, a command is sent along the track to tell the loco what speed it should be going at. This remote control means that you can have as many trains in operation as you like without having to use block section switching.

One of the considerations with DCC is that the decoder chips can become expensive and physically large for current hungry motors. ABC Gears motor/gearboxes are among the most efficient units in the market and with the wide range of motors, we can offer you high powered units without the need for large, expensive decoders. See our motor information page for details on the stalled current (amps) of the motors.

The decoders are rated at different current outputs and it is very important that the stalled current (amps) of the motor used is less than the rating of the decoder. Without this knowledge you run the risk of blowing decoder chips which can be very expensive. If you cross reference the decoder chip you are using with the stalled current of the motors that we supply you can easily ensure you are using the correct decoder chip or you can get decoders which are short circuit protected. As an example there are 3 types for motors where you will need to be sure of getting the correct decoder chip - these are listed below:

• Pittman 6313 - rated at 2.86amps - we would recommend a 3 amp+ chip.
• Maxon 110937 - rated at 4.8amps - we would recommend a 6 amp+ chip
• Maxon 247623 - rated at 5amps - we would recommend a 6 amp + chip
• Maxon 236661 - rated at 5.43amp - we would recommend a 6 amp+ chip

For more information and pricing on the LokPilotDCC V3.0 decoder, please go to the Decoder Price List as they are now available ex-stock from us.

If you require any clarification or help with any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact us.