jimikelly Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Hi all , would any power booster work with a Dynamis controller or must it be a Bachmann Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimikelly Posted July 28, 2015 Author Share Posted July 28, 2015 Theoretically, all should work, but some may cause difficulties due to their technical specs. I've never studied the insides of a Dynamis, but I hazard a guess you can use it with boosters from Lenz, NCE, Digitrax and perhaps even Roco. The challenge will be how to connect them, if there aren't any pre-designated connectors present. I'd have to study the manual to find out, but as I don't have that... HTH! Thanks Dutch Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mick Bonwick Posted July 28, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 28, 2015 Bachmann advertise a 5-amp booster for Dynamis - part number 35-520 - in their current (!) catalogue. I know that doesn't actually answer your question, but it may be an easier solution than trying to match protocols and physical connectivity. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 There are three ways of connecting an external extra Booster to Command Station/central unit, depending on the outputs available on the particular DCC system. 1. Most fully spec'ed mid and high end systems usually have a dedicated output (marked CDE, Booster or Control Bus output). Some like ESU and Digitrax are different (see below). This is an output direct from the systems internal Command Station and which bypasses the systems internal main Booster. The main Booster can still be used while additional Boosters are employed. 2. A variation on this is where the - throttle/cab/communication/comms/data/command (take your pick) - bus is used to send the signals to external Boosters, for example as is the case with Digitrax (Loconet) and ESU ECoS (ECoSLink). 3. Budget systems*note often don't have this dedicated output for connecting external, additional Boosters and if such a Booster is required, it will have to be connected to the Track power output. In this case the Booster must be able to read the DCC signals encoded in the track power supply and ignore the track power in some way. To use this method of connecting an external Booster, you will have to use a Booster which is able to accept the full track power output from the DCC system's own main Booster. This limits the choice of Boosters that can be used. The original Dynamis and the Dynamis with a ProBox connected, fall into the 3rd category. They do not have an output for connecting additional Boosters and you will have to select a Booster that can be connected to the track output from the Dynamis. Bachmann's own EZ-Booster (35-520) that Mick mentions above, is suitable, but very expensive and increasingly rare. There are other cheaper alternatives available that should work with the Dynamis. The new Dynamis Ultima (launched earlier this year), which replaced the original Dynamis and its ProBox, now sports a proper dedicated Booster output, presumably opening it up to the use of other Boosters. (*note: Not including the MultiMaus and PowerCab, which each work in a completely different way with their own unique system architectures.) .. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted July 28, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 28, 2015 Useful info Ron I thought they were all like my Lens one which has the dedicated CDE connection. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Although not relevent to the original question, the Lenz LV101 manual shows how to make cables to connect NCE and Digitrax(Loconet) command stations to the Lenz CDE terminals. Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimikelly Posted July 29, 2015 Author Share Posted July 29, 2015 So basicly Im goosed then and i'll have to sell and buy another system Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimikelly Posted July 29, 2015 Author Share Posted July 29, 2015 Thanks everyone for their feedback Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted July 29, 2015 Share Posted July 29, 2015 Im using Dynamis Pro on (Banks road) and have two sets of boosters. Due to the layout size of 30ft long... Ive had frend of mine make me this "scratch" built set of boosters... cheers neil. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 So basicly Im goosed then and i'll have to sell and buy another system No, not at all. Read my post above (post 5). You will simply need to choose the sort of Booster that can be connected to the track power output of the Dynamis. As mentioned, the Bachmann EZ-Booster is suitable. Others include the Hornby Booster and the Tam Valley Booster (£35 + the cost of a suitable power supply). . . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crosland Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Having said that, most boosters can be made to work from track signal, even if not originally intended to do so, using a small adapter circuit. Effectively, an opto-coupler that transfers the data from the track into the booster w/o an electrical connection. Cheaper then a new system (by a considerable margin!) but most certainly not plug-and-play! A good booster will be opto-isolated anyway. I know it's an option on Digitrax but Lenz (I am told by a trusted source), Hornby, Bachmann, Tam Valley and SPROG DCC all include opto-isolators as standard and can be connected directly to track voltages. Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 A good booster will be opto-isolated anyway. I know it's an option on Digitrax but Lenz (I am told by a trusted source), Hornby, Bachmann, Tam Valley and SPROG DCC all include opto-isolators as standard and can be connected directly to track voltages. Andrew Both my Lenz LV101 (2002) and LV102 (2007) are opto-isolated. It is not clear from the manual whether an LV100 (1996) is, but I don't have one of those. Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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