DCS TIU Running AC and DC Power

I'm not sure if you can run both AC and DC voltages through one TIU base or not. It may require a separate TIU for each voltage group; one for AC and one for DC.

The best person to answer that for sure is Barry Broskowitz as he wrote a book on DCS.

Lee Fritz

Mike,

As you found out for yourself, you can run AC through one fixed channel and DC through the other. Variable channels, however, only handle AC. They will not pass DC.

However, there is one thing of which you should be aware when mixing AC and DC voltages in a TIU. If you have AC powering the TIU via the Aux. Power port and DC on Fixed #1, DCS engines will operate strangely, if at all.

Just be sure that if you're using both the Aux. Power port and also Fixed #1, that they both have either AC or DC, but not a combination of the two.

Soon you'll be so large and outside with the G scale, You'll probably have a second DCS system! ( I did).

I can't help but notice all those Abrams. Very nice.

I really missed that order! Urrggg.

Thanks Barry.  I appreciate the additional information!

Joe ... I am negotiating with my wife now for part of the back yard that is 35 yards deep and 25 yards wide ... plenty of room.  Ha!  I can also use the furnance room in the basement adjacent to the room where the above pictures were taken but I want to finish it first.

Yep ... I LOVE tanks ...

http://youtu.be/HyfWgwGCy24

http://youtu.be/3jwl3OW-6qE

The consist behind the CSX and NS ES44AC are the MTH offering.  The consist behind the CSX AC6000 and NS SD70ACe were homemade.  Enjoy!

Barry … How about this configuration:

Goal is to run Legacy unit in TMMC Cab1 mode through the TIU

DC to F1 in passive mode

AC to F2 in passive mode

TMMC command base to Black terminal on F2 output

TMMC serial cable to TIC Computer port

On DCS Remote:

Engine …S/U … Add TMMC Engine … Named unit

Move Engine to Active

Engine Start

Engine Not Found

… Engine has power, lights on

… Command Base has power light but the signal light does not blink...

… tried it with F1 power on and off with no change  

Thoughts?

Barry,

I moved the power cable to active (on the input side of F2).

Everything as above, still no Engine startup using the DCS handheld.

Since I am using a TMCC Command Base, I tried the Cab1 remote and the engine start up worked and it was fully functional!!!

It has been so long I since I used this configuration and I forgot that I had to use the Cab1 remote.   Shouldn't the DCS remote work if you S/U a TMCC engine?

Thanks

Mike,

I see 4 possible causes

• The TIU is not powered when you're using Fixed #2. The TIU must be getting power at all times, either from Fixed #1 or the Aux. Power port
• Incorrect cable between the TIU and the command base (should be MTH #50-1032), or the cable is reversed end-for-end
• When adding the engine, you assigned it the wrong TMCC ID#
• When adding the engine, you assigned the wrong TIU as connected to the command base.

An update. Previously, I stated:

However, there is one thing of which you should be aware when mixing AC and DC voltages in a TIU. If you have AC powering the TIU via the Aux. Power port and DC on Fixed #1, DCS engines will operate strangely, if at all.

I learned over the weekend that this configuration does, indeed, work when using MTH PS3 HO engines. The difficulty we had encountered was with DCS 4.20 using DC-powered O gauge engines on Fixed #1 with AC powering the TIU via the Aux. Power port.