PSX-AR Manual Rev: P Software Rev: N
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booster, NOT your $1000 fully lit, full sound, decoder equipped, fully detailed scale model.
The PSX series IS designed to protect your models. For the multiple power district per
booster, you want to use a PSX-2, PSX-3, or PSX 4. Each PSX feeds a district, and the inputs
of the PSX are daisy chained together to a single booster.
Probably the best way to determine where to place power districts is to take a look at the
expected current draw [primarily locomotive motors which use power] for each operating
location on the layout. For example, a busy yard might have several switchers, one or more
trains on the arrival and departure tracks, another train or two passing the yard on the main,
and maybe a peddler local working nearby industries. If some or all of these trains have more
than one locomotive, you could have 10 to 15 current drawing units all competing for power
in a fairly small area. Assuming all the locomotives have efficient motors, this type of power
requirement [amps] may be large enough to overload a DCC system powered from one 5
Amp booster. For example, if you have four PSX set to the default current, each PSX will trip
at about 4 amperes. If each power district draws 3.5 amperes, that is a total of 14 amperes.
None of the PSX will trip, but your 5 amp booster will certainly shut down. You can solve this
by lowering the trip current on each of the four PSX, getting a booster with a higher current
rating, or splitting the four districts on one booster to two districts on each of two boosters.
Based on our experience, a typical HO scale 5 Amp system can support up to 10 operators
using a 12-14 AWG bus and 20 AWG feeders. Many users overestimate the amount of
Booster power needed. Try using the PSX Series first. If your DCC Booster overloads from
excess current draw, you need to add an extra DCC Booster to support the concentration of
trains in this location. By dividing a layout into power districts in this manner, and using a
combination of boosters and circuit breakers, you can make the most efficient use of available
power on any mid-size or large-size layout.
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