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NCE Auto Switch Review
by Don Fiehmann
Buy Auto Switch
Here
The Power Cab’s Added Features
The low-cost Power Cab from NCE is a very flexible DCC system designed to meet the needs of a small layout.
Another use of the Power Cab has been as an auxiliary system with modular layouts and club layouts. As an auxiliary
system the Power Cab can be used to program and test locomotives without affecting layout operation.
Its popularity has been the reason behind the addition of a number of accessories for the Power Cab. The Power Cab
has a power output of about 2 amps, NCE has developed a 3-amp booster as an accessory for the Power Cab.
Another accessory is the Auto Switch.
The Auto Switch
Normally with the Power Cab, when switched to the programming track, there
needs to be a toggle switch to turn off the main line. Failure to turn off the main
line may result in all of the locomotives on the main line programmed the
same way as the locomotive on the programming track. You could end up
with a fleet of locomotives that all have the same address! The reason that
there is not a separate programming track output from the Power Cab is the
limited number of wires in the cord from the Power Cab to the PCP panel. The Auto
Switch fixes this with the addition of a separate output for the programming track.
The Auto Switch
The Auto Switch is contained on a small printed circuit board with an input from the Power Cab and separate outputs
for the main line and programming track. The solid-state electronics on the Auto Switch control a relay that turns off
the main line output whenever it is in the programming track mode. This prevents sending out program commands to
the main line. The program-on-the-main mode does not turn off the main line.
Test Installation
I was able to obtain one of the Auto Switches before they were released to
check it out for this review. The Auto Switch is easy to install, just a matter of
cutting the wires to the main line from the Power Cab and installing the Auto
Switch between the ends of the wires. Then wire can be added from the
programming track to the program output on the Auto Switch.
I found a small problem with the yet to be released Auto Switch. It seems the
labeling on the output of the Auto Switch printed circuit board was reversed.
By the time I discovered this, so had NCE. This will be corrected on the
released version. Once the wires were reversed, the Auto Switch worked with
no problems.
Operation
The way the Auto Switch works is to cut off the power to the main line
connection when in the programming track mode. Normally on my layout
when I use the programming track, a toggle switch needs to be changed from
main to program. Forget it and you will not read from the program track. With
the Auto Switch, there is no need to toggle from one mode to the other, it is
automatic. You can go into program track mode on the program track, change
a CV, then go back to main line op and test the change. This eliminates one
step and saves time when setting up a decoder.
It you do not have a dedicated programming track on your layout, the programming track output can be connected to
a section of flexible track for test purposes. This section of track will switch back and forth from program to run mode
making it easy to check out a locomotive without affecting locomotives on the layout.
Conclusion
If you have a Power Cab and do much programming, the Auto Switch is a good investment to keep from accidentally
programming all of the locomotives on the layout.
We welcome comments or suggestions
from readers; please write
or call.
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