NCE PowerCab vs Roco MultiMaus

[AshleyH]

I have a couple of Roco Multimaus controllers that came in start sets and they are great controllers, their only Achilles heal being the inability to read back CV values.

 

Mine came with the older power brick transformers rated at 50 to 55 VA I think. I've just had a look at the latest Fleischmann and Roco Multimaus kits on Ebay, and while great value, I would point out that the new style wall-mounted PSU (I assume it is switch mode) is only rated at 36VA, which roughly works out at a track voltage of only 1.8 Amps.

 

1.8 Amps is fine for 2 to 3 locos without sound, but you will need to upgrade the power supply to 55 to 60 VA to achieve the systems 3.2 Amp maximum output.

 

While a Switched Mode Power Supply is more stable, it appears that Roco have cheapened the PSU for use in starter sets, but with one or 2 locos 1.8 Amps will be sufficient.

[Neo]

Finally, I got my Multimaus. I got it from Austria for £66.. Had to struggle a lot to change the language from Dutch to English.

 

Finding it quite intuitive.

[dave_long]

Finally, I got my Multimaus. I got it from Austria for £66.. Had to struggle a lot to change the language from Dutch to English.

 

Finding it quite intuitive.

 

Hi pm me your email address and I'll send you a pdf file of the instructions if you'd like them.

 

 

Dave

 

 

[Tony_S]

Finally, I got my Multimaus. I got it from Austria for £66.. Had to struggle a lot to change the language from Dutch to English.

 

Finding it quite intuitive.

 

 

Glad you like it, I'm very pleased with mine. I bought mine from a UK retailer in a set and I had to change the language. Not as bad as when I was in Denmark and somehow managed to set the car sat nav to Portugese. That took a lot of guessing as to what the on screen instructions meant before I got it back to English.

I use my Multimaus handset with my Lenz system (and have used it at the club on their Lenz system as well) not just with the Roco set.

 

Tony

 

 

[Neo]

Hi pm me your email address and I'll send you a pdf file of the instructions if you'd like them.

 

 

Dave

 

 

 

Hi Dave,

 

Many thanks for the offer. I was able to change the language to English. I got the pdf from here (I hope this is the one):

 

http://www.fleischmann.de/fileadmin/downloads/MultimausPDF/pdf1169_en.pdf

 

Now I understand, what I was missing without DCC

[PaulCheffus]

Hi

 

Does anyone know what sort of adaptor would convert the European plug to a uk plug so I can try out the power supply that came with my multimaus?

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[Tim Hale]

Ordinary twin-pin shaver adaptor.

 

Tim

[Butler Henderson]

Maplin sell a 3 pin UK type plug that the euro plug screws into for a more permanent solution (short of chopping the euro plug off)

[PaulCheffus]

Ordinary twin-pin shaver adaptor.

 

Tim

 

Hi

 

Thanks. That's what I thought but there is no life from the command station when plugged in. Plug cannot be removed as it is part of the transformer.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[tetsudofan]

Maplin sell a 3 pin UK type plug that the euro plug screws into for a more permanent solution (short of chopping the euro plug off)

 

 

I've got one of the Maplin plugs - mine came from the Hobby Shop at Faversham when I bought my digital kit

[Suzie]

The command station for a Multimaus is the Multimaus itself. You will not get any life out of just the amplifier on its own without a Multimaus plugged into the master socket. Measure the voltage on the output plug of the transformer, you should see around 20V AC.

[PaulCheffus]

The command station for a Multimaus is the Multimaus itself. You will not get any life out of just the amplifier on its own without a Multimaus plugged into the master socket. Measure the voltage on the output plug of the transformer, you should see around 20V AC.

 

Hi

 

There is no output from the transformer.

 

The led on the front of the amplifier does light up without the multimaus attached (I tried a different psu) to test. I think the transformer may be dead.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[Neo]

Do check whether the adapter is properly plugged-in and the plug pins are making electrical contact. European plug pins are small and at times do not connect properly. I tried 3 plug converters before it worked.

[PaulCheffus]

Do check whether the adapter is properly plugged-in and the plug pins are making electrical contact. European plug pins are small and at times do not connect properly. I tried 3 plug converters before it worked.

 

Hi

 

That was my original thought as the adaptor feels loose in the shaver plug I have. Will see what I can find in town later.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[Tony_S]

Hi

 

That was my original thought as the adaptor feels loose in the shaver plug I have. Will see what I can find in town later.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

 

I was about to make an identical post to Neo's! My adapter (that works) came from Sainsbury. It was on a display near the pharmacy and was described as a "Visitor to Britain" adapter and was fitted with a 13 amp fuse.

[corax67]

I got fed up with intermittent contact from adaptors so I cut off the moulded European plug and fitted a 3-pin - no more dramas.

[Tony_S]

I got fed up with intermittent contact from adaptors so I cut off the moulded European plug and fitted a 3-pin - no more dramas.

 

 

I think Paul's version is the "wall-wart" type where the transformer and plug are one unit.

 

 

[Neo]

This is what you should use:

 

[Tim Hale]

It seems that everyone is violent agreement, or at least almost everyone.

 

A shaving adaptor as stated at the start of this episode seems to work, mine is the same as the one shown by Neo. It has been working perfectly well for the past few years but I wait to be corrected.

 

DesA

[PaulCheffus]

I think Paul's version is the "wall-wart" type where the transformer and plug are one unit.

 

Hi

 

It is indeed that type. Going to Sainsburys tomorrow so will see what I can find.

 

It's not the end of the world if I can't get it to work as I bought the Multimaus as an extra controller for my Lenz set but it would be nice to have a back up if the Lenz needs to go for repair.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[dave_long]

I'm pretty sure you can get a compatible wall transformer replacement from maplins for less than a tenner, not much difference I suspect then these adpaters, then theres no need for the great big lump of a transformer that comes as standard with the 2 pin plug.

 

worth a look.

 

 

 

 

 

[Phil S]

Rather than use the supplied transformer (230Vac:16Vac) which you may find giving rather higher voltage in the UK than you want - particularly when there is 'no load' (eg just an illuminated coach) on the track - you would do better, and save energy in the long term, by using a 'LapTop' or similar Switched-Mode Power Supply - choose one with about 16V (REGULATED) dc output and 4A rating.

The Roco Amplifer (as is now acknowledged in the instructions for the new Pro version) will accept a dc input as an alternative to the transformer's ac [ It has a bridge rectifier immediately inside ]

The track voltage from the Roco Amplifer 'follows' the voltage of the power supply attached: This is different from the Lenz unit, or ZTC511; both of which allow the output voltage to be controlled (Note: the ZTC BOOSTER does NOT have the same adjustment - it follows the source voltage just like the Roco.

 

A cheap way of expanding the roco system, with more 'power districts' is to buy more Starter Sets / controllers split from Starter Sets as the Amplifier and Booster (marketed as different items) share the SAME PCB inside: The only differences are the missing loop-through socket for the Booster connections - either use an external splitter or add the socket internally if skilled - and the Master-Slave sockets which MUST NOT BE USED when used as a 'Booster': there can only be ONE MASTER (Roger Delgado or John Sim???).

 

For those starting with 'low current limit' starter controllers: there is no need to scrap them when more power is needed: Use them for the Accessory Bus (point control etc) with a Booster such as Bachmann's, to provide the high-power track feed. In this way, any short on the track - eg by overunning a live frog point - will not cause the Accessory bus to cut-out, and therefore allow the point to be changed, removing the problem, and allowing the Booster to restart. [Personally, I use PS-X breakers on the track-side of my power districts - these act fast, and retry automatically.

[PaulCheffus]

Hi

 

It is indeed that type. Going to Sainsburys tomorrow so will see what I can find.

 

It's not the end of the world if I can't get it to work as I bought the Multimaus as an extra controller for my Lenz set but it would be nice to have a back up if the Lenz needs to go for repair.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

 

Hi

 

Sainsburys didn't have one as it's out of season but pound stretcher did (looks exactly like the one on the sainburys website) and does indeed work.

 

Thanks to all who replied I have now confirmed the complete system does actually work. Voltage measured (using my RRampmeter) at the track was around 17v which as mentioned is a little too high but I will worry about that if I need to use it.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[Tony_S]

Hi

 

Sainsburys didn't have one as it's out of season but pound stretcher did (looks exactly like the one on the sainburys website) and does indeed work.

 

Thanks to all who replied I have now confirmed the complete system does actually work. Voltage measured (using my RRampmeter) at the track was around 17v which as mentioned is a little too high but I will worry about that if I need to use it.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

 

 

Really glad it is all sorted. I suspect our Sainsbury still has them as it is never "out of season" here on the Essex Riviera!

Tony

[Phil S]

Roco Multimaus Power Supplies;  These, and older 'Maus 2' Digital Sets used to be supplied with 'Conventional Transformers' rated as 230:16Vac or an older model, with push-clips for the trackwires, 230V:15Vac   (230Vac being the 'standardised European Voltage including both 220 and 240V in its tolerances).  As these output voltages are rated for the full Output Current (ie at 3.5Amps), when the demand was lower - eg when no train was running, the ouptut voltage, as with ALL transformers, would rise ..and  22Vdcc could be on the tracks (which IS within dcc specs)  --- but noticeably, BULB lighting would get brighter, and if you were using 12V LED lighting strips, these would see an increase in voltage which could actually double their current ! ( at 14 V )

 

THIS IS NO LONGER THE CASE; As there are  now 2 power supplies from Roco - BOTH SWITCHED MODE POWER SUPPLIES as required by CE regulations for energy efficiency: A smaller Unit included in the Sets sufficient for a couple of trains, and a Full Rating 3.5A supply.

 

EARLIER USERS: I recommend buying a generic 'Computer Laptop' 'brick'  SMPS of 18V 3.5A-4A rating (2  terminal output, not some funny 3-wire Dell variant)  for about 20GBP . as this will give the stabilised output across the whole of the current range.  18Vdc in is the value speciified by Roco, and gives 16Vdcc on track as measured by a RRampmeter. This is an appropriate track voltage which will allow about 12V to reach the motor.   It is a better method than dropping the voltage with diodes, as some UK  users did previously, as it is stable, and does not restrict the current flow.. thus allowing short circuit protection to continue..

 

Although the 'old' '764 Amplifier boxes are only labellled for ac input, their internal circuitry starts with a full-wave rectifier converting any input to DC... and with 6A diodes, when I checked.   The old transformer can either have its copper recycled, or be used as an ac supply for layout lighting or points (I use them for my lenz LS150 accessory decoders/SwitchPilots)

NOTE The Earlier  '761 amplifier, which came with the Transformer with Connecting Buttons, oes not, apparently, have the same degree of internal protection, against shorts, as provided by the later/current '764.

 

And finally: If buying Multiple Digital Start Sets / Multimaus Control Sets; DO NOT DISCARD the 2nd Amplifier; IT CAN BE USED as a BOOSTER by NOT CONNECTING anything into the Master or Slave sockets.... Power it from the 2nd power supply, and connect it 1:1 from the 'Booster Out' to the 'Booster Out' of the 2nd unit.  Upto 4 may be daisy chained before adding extra buffering.

If you wish to open it up, you can add the missing loop-through socket yourself, at your own risk and loss of warranty.