EZ Booster Wiring

[chickensoup]

OK 

 

Small jack from booster input Black

to Larger jack in EZ controller Red

 

Any ideas how they wire up without potentially blowing anything to smithereens? 
 

CS

 

[Crosland]

Check the continuity between the bare wire ends and the tip and the two rings of the jacks then match them up.

[chickensoup]

10 hours ago, Crosland said:

Check the continuity between the bare wire ends and the tip and the two rings of the jacks then match them up.

Thanks! 
 

Or a spark you mean? 
 

Useless with electrics. On a budget here with only one shot at a £995 locomotive

 

Not keen on frying much. If you see. 
 

At all. 
 

CS

[Crosland]

On a budget here with only one shot at a £995 locomotive

 

In that case I wouldn't be using EZ Command :) Stupidly high track voltage and very limited functionality!

[chickensoup]

O Gauge. 5amp required. 

[WIMorrison]

Even for 0 gauge, 5A is an awful lot with today’s motors, plus if I was spending that much on a loco I wouldn’t be scrimping and trying to save on a command station 😉

[chickensoup]

2 minutes ago, WIMorrison said:

Even for 0 gauge, 5A is an awful lot with today’s motors, plus if I was spending that much on a loco I wouldn’t be scrimping and trying to save on a command station 😉

What do you recommend then? 
Tower advise 5A 

[KingEdwardII]

On 16/05/2022 at 20:46, chickensoup said:

with only one shot at a £995 locomotive

With that much at stake, I strongly recommend that you invest in a good multimeter to enable you to test things before applying the voltage to anything. 

 

Yours, Mike.

[WIMorrison]

53 minutes ago, chickensoup said:

What do you recommend then? 
Tower advise 5A 

 

Personally I would go for a Z21 XL

 

https://www.z21.eu/en/products/z21-xl-series

 

 I know people who run several 0 Gauge locos in their gardens using these and they don’t seem to have issues.

[chickensoup]

2 hours ago, WIMorrison said:

 

Personally I would go for a Z21 XL

 

https://www.z21.eu/en/products/z21-xl-series

 

 I know people who run several 0 Gauge locos in their gardens using these and they don’t seem to have issues.

That’s 6 amp. 

[chickensoup]

3 hours ago, KingEdwardII said:

With that much at stake, I strongly recommend that you invest in a good multimeter to enable you to test things before applying the voltage to anything. 

 

Yours, Mike.

Going rate. 
 

Loco £545 

Sound £330

Weathering £75 

 

Ironically most modellers pay that and more. 

CS 

 

[WIMorrison]

Correct, which means it has more power than required.

 

I suspect the support said that you needed a 5A supply, not that the loco needs 5A as 0 Gauge locos will draw between 1A-2A therefore this will allow you to run more than one loco with a very reliable system.

[Crosland]

48 minutes ago, chickensoup said:

Going rate. 
 

Loco £545 

Sound £330

Weathering £75 

 

Ironically most modellers pay that and more. 

CS 

 

 

What decoder have you fitted? What's the rating of the decoder?

 

I seriously doubt a modern loco will draw anywhere near 5A under normal conditions.

 

The whole point of DCC is running multiple locos on the same track circuit. What happens when you add more locos? What capacity booster do you need then 10, 20, 50A? Sorry for being so blunt, but it's just ridiculous.

 

 

 

 

[chickensoup]

7 hours ago, Crosland said:

 

What decoder have you fitted? What's the rating of the decoder?

 

I seriously doubt a modern loco will draw anywhere near 5A under normal conditions.

 

The whole point of DCC is running multiple locos on the same track circuit. What happens when you add more locos? What capacity booster do you need then 10, 20, 50A? Sorry for being so blunt, but it's just ridiculous.

 

 

 

 

Nothing bought yet. 
That’s why I’m asking. 
 

I have the EZ booster. 
 

Im only running one loco. 
 

Example. Heljan Class 37 Twin motors 

Fan motor DCC sound fitted 1A 2A would not be sufficient.

 

CS 

 

[WIMorrison]

I worry that you do not fully understand the difference and relationship between the power supply and the power consumption.

 

I again suggest that what your loco supplier has said that you be getting a 5A power supply, not that the loco consumes 5A. The common consumption of power is stated as 1A-2A for 0 Gauge locos and a 5A supply would be providing enough available power to run between two and five locos simultaneously.

 

May is suggest that you provide a link to the specific loco you are planning to purchase, or even just the supplier website, as that may enable us to see the real specifications for the model rather than the brief, and unclear, messages that have been posted here?

[chickensoup]

Thanks 
 

Heljan 0 7mm Class 56 I’m sure your familiar. 

 

Reputable very well known local to me retailer advised that my current power supply for DCC  would probably make the locomotive move about 12 inches then stop then potentially the transformer would overheat and cut due to trying to supply the extra power. He wasn’t after a sale as they don’t really stock any DCC units. 

 

I am perfectly familiar with all aspects of multiple running sound locos in 00 Even with the basic of systems. Just kindly asking for advice due to the costs involved

 

Thanks 

 

CS 

 

 

[chickensoup]

From DCC Concepts. 
 

This clears it all up. 
 

…..You may get away with less than 5A but it's always good practice to have more available as to speak and not to run it on the limit……

 

 

 

[WIMorrison]

Doesn’t really clear it up as this is what we have been saying all along the way and you currently don’t know what current or voltage is required, plus you haven’t yet said what controller you plan to use - unless it is the Bachmann you stated originally and which we have all said is not really a good idea.

[Michael Hodgson]

I don't believe you need 5A for just the one loco.  The 5A specification should give you more than enough extra power when you are starting a heavy train.

 

I sometimes operate a friend's extensive O gauge coarse scale 3-rail layout (running on good old DC).  It uses a common power supply on which I have seen as many as about 20 locos running simultaneously.  These are heavy trains (up to 11 coaches) with mostly elderly motors, and there can be a surge on starting but if the ammeter is accurate the total steady load rarely exceeds 4A unless there's a short which causes the primitive cutout to trip.

[chickensoup]

Conflict of information. 

 

As I’ve thought all along. 

 

It seems no one really has a clue. 

[WIMorrison]

Now that you have clarity perhaps you could provide an explanation on where the conflict of information lies?

[Dungrange]

12 hours ago, chickensoup said:

Nothing bought yet. 
That’s why I’m asking. 
 

I have the EZ booster. 
 

I'm only running one loco. 

 

I'm not sure that I fully understand what you have and what you are looking for advice with, but I'll try to set out what I think your asking.

 

The manual for the E-Z command station states "Please note: The limit of multiple train operation is the amount of power available to the track. The mains plug power unit has a maximum output of 1 Amp which is usually enough power to operate two trains simultaneously. To allow control of more trains you will need to increase the power supply to your layout. This can be achieved with the E-Z COMMAND 5-Amp Power Booster (36-520) which is available from your local Bachmann retailer."

 

Whilst the 1 Amp output of the E-Z command station is adequate for a couple of locomotives in the smaller gauges, it will be insufficient for an O gauge locomotive that may draw between 1 Amp and 2 Amps, which is why I believe you have been advised to upgrade to a 5-Amp system.  A command station that can only provide a maximum of 1 Amp will struggle to move a model that typically draws 1 Amp.

 

If you already have the Bachmann E-Z command station, and you have also bought the 5-Amp booster, then you have sufficient power to operate two or three O Gauge locomotives.  Your choice of command station may not be what many of us would have chosen, but it seems that there is little need for a recommendation for a more capable command station.  That combination should provide the power that you need to operate your locomotive (and another couple if you so desire).

 

Are you looking for advice on how to connect the Bachmann E-Z command station and booster together, or are you looking for advice on the choice of decoder to fit to your Class 56?

 

If it is the latter, then you might like to read https://www.keymodelworld.com/article/heljans-class-56-co-co-diesel-o-gauge, which states "ESU LokSound 5 XL decoder, ZIMO MX699KS or similar series high-power decoder to cope with the current requirements of the twin motors".

 

If it is the former, then I would have thought that there would have been instructions with the booster.  Assuming that this is the booster that you have -  https://www.Bachmann.co.uk/product/e-z-command-5-amp-power-booster/36-520 - I would think that the 'track output' from your E-Z command station would need to be connected to the socket that appears to say 'DCC In'.  The track would then be connected to the large 'power out' terminals.  This means that the E-Z command station no longer powers the track - it just provides the command signals to the booster.  You'll need two separate power supplies - one powering the command station and the other powering the booster.

 

Looking back at your original photograph, I assume that the jack and red wire plugs into the track output from your E-Z command station.  This needs to be connected to the booster and I'm assuming that the jack and black wire plugs into the 'DCC In' socket on the booster.  Is your question therefore, does it matter which way round you connect these wires?  I'm not an expert, and don't have an E-Z command system, but as the DCC signal is effectively a form of alternating current, I don't think it matters which of the former track output wires is connected to your red wire and which is connected to the black.

 

Hopefully someone else can confirm.

[Crosland]

6 hours ago, chickensoup said:

Conflict of information. 

 

As I’ve thought all along. 

 

It seems no one really has a clue. 

 

There's no real conflict. I think you will find we have plenty of clues and know what we are talking about. You are choosing to prioritise what you were told by a retailer who does not sell DCC over the good advice you have been given in this thread from multiple sources. I know which I would trust!

 

You do not need a 5A system for that ONE loco. What you seem to have been told is that you need an upgrade from the EZ Command. The next step from that if sticking with EZ is the 5A booster. Other manufacturers offer other boosters, some more than 5A, some less. A 5A system will give you some future proofing should you buy further locos.

[Crisis Rail]

Harsh really. He sounds like a confused  frustrated newbie who genuinely seeks advice. 

EZ is definitely not the best in DCC. 
Maybe he’s not got the technical inclination or time to learn? 

But you all come patronisingly steaming in all Billy Big Balls expressing your know it all opinions. 
 

Disappointing. 

[AndyID]

On 20/05/2022 at 16:39, Crisis Rail said:

Harsh really. He sounds like a confused  frustrated newbie who genuinely seeks advice. 

EZ is definitely not the best in DCC. 
Maybe he’s not got the technical inclination or time to learn? 

But you all come patronisingly steaming in all Billy Big Balls expressing your know it all opinions. 
 

Disappointing. 

 

Frustrated or not the OP didn't need to insult those who were trying to help him.