Power 4 The universal booster for almost all digital systems 1
Table of Contents 1. General Information 4 1.1 Description 4 2. Installation 5 2.1 The Connectors 2.2 Connection Transformer and Track 2.3 Connecting to the Center via LocoNet 2.4 Connecting to the Center via the Märklin booster connector 2.5 Connecting further Boosters 2.6 Connecting of a Center via the DCC Booster input 2.7 Selecting Operating Mode 3. Booster 5 5 8 10 10 11 11 12 3.1 Description 3.2 Choosing the Control Signal Socket 3.3 Output Power 4. LocoNet Operation 12 12 13 14 4.
4.3 Power 4 single switch-off and monitoring 4.4 Load and operating temperature of the Power 4 5. Reversing Loop Automation 20 20 21 5.1 Description 5.2 Connection 21 21 6. Brake Generator 24 6.1 Description 6.2 Choice of socket for the control signal 6.3 Choice of operating mode 6.4 Connection 6.5 Brake Generator without connecting to the center 24 24 24 25 26 7. RailCom 27 8.
1. General Information 1.1 Description The Power 4 is a short circuit proof multiprotocol booster with a power output of 3.5 A. It has integrated reversing loop automation to which several reversing loop relays can be connected using the screw terminals. It can be switched to operate as an NMRA compatible DCC brake generator. All outputs have short circuit protection. The booster is compatibly with centers from Uhlenbrock, Arnold, Lenz and Märklin.
2. Installation 2.1 The Connectors 1 2 3 4 5 5 pin screwing strip: 5 pin connector: 5 pin connector: 3 pin screwing strip: 4 way DIP switch Transformer, Track, Reversing loop Märklin Booster Socket Märklin Booster Socket Connection of DCC center For setting operating mode 2.
1 Output to external reversing loop relay 2 Digital Power for the track (Märklin red) 3 Digital Power earth for the track (Märklin brown) 4 Earth for 16V AC from transformer (Märklin brown) 5 16 AC from transformer (Märklin yellow) Transformer For trouble free operation the Power 4 requires a transformer of minimum of 52VA and 16V AC. For full capability we recommend utilization of a transformer with 70 VA, e.g. Uhlenbrock into 20070. The transformer output should not exceed 18V~.
2 Rail Track 2-rail track is connected to the terminals 2 and 3 of the 5-pin screw terminal 1. 3 Rail Track With 3-rail track (Märklin) the brown cable is connected to terminal 3 and the red cable (neutral conductor) to terminal 2. Safety Note: If the Power 4 is used with an Intellibox or a Märklin center the ground wires from all transformers that feed boosters and the center must be connected together.
2.3 Connecting to the Center via LocoNet The booster can be connected with the LocoNet B socket of the Intellibox, Intellibox IR, Intellibox basic or the Intellibox II with the enclosed LocoNet cable. LocoNet centers that control a LocoNet with RailSync signals (rail control signal), like the DAISY system, Fleischmann TwinCenter, Fleischmann LokBoss, Fleischmann ProfiBoss and all Digitrax centers can likewise be connected here.
Note: If a crossed LocoNet cable (62010, 62020, 62040 or 62060) is used the polarity is exchanged in the booster’s electric circuit. If when crossing the track isolation between two track sections a short circuit occurs, Bit 5 of LNCV 3 can be used to swap the track polarity (see chapter 4.2.3). Info on the LocoNet Cables In the crossed version pin 1 is connected with pin 6, pin 2 with pin 5 etc.
2.4 Connecting to the Center via the Märklin booster connector The Intellibox or Märklin central processing unit can be connected to this socket as centers. The electrical connection is made by a flat strip cable 65610. Socket 2 on the booster is connected with the socket 5 on the Intellibox or to the booster output of the Märklin center.
2.6 Connecting of a Center via the DCC Booster input DCC centers are connected to socket 4 of the device. It is possible to connect the booster with an Intellibox, a Lenz Center LZ100, an Arnold Center 86200 or with other centers, which have a DCC Booster input. 1 = C = Signal + 2 = C = Signal + 3 = E = Short circuit reporting wire 2.7 Selecting Operating Mode DIP switch 5 is used to select the different operating modes of the device.
3. Booster 3.1 Description The Power 4 has an output of 3.5 A. All outputs are short circuit proof. The booster can be used together with different digital centers. In conjunction with the Intellibox it transfers Motorola, DCC and Selectrix protocols to the rails. Together with the centers from Märklin, Lenz or Arnold it transfers protocols which are supported by those centers. Note: Operation with Selectrix centers is not possible for technical reasons. 3.
3.3 Output Power The Power 4 output voltage depends on the transformer used and the load on the electric circuit. When using a normal model railway transformer with 16V output voltage the maximum no-load potential at the track is 20V. Note: The Power 4 is locked to the output voltage of 16V. In order to reduce the booster’s output voltage an appropriate transformer with smaller output voltage must be used.
4. LocoNet Operation If one operates the Power 4 with a LocoNet center it has many extended functions, like disconnection of individual boosters and monitoring. All of the booster’s settings the can be made with LocoNet programming. 4.1 Configuring the Power 4 via LocoNet LocoNet devices like the Power 4 are set up by LocoNet configuration variables (LNCVs). These LNCVs can be programmed with the help of the Intellibox (starting with software version 1.3), the IB-control (starting with version 1.
The Power 4 part number and the current module address are shown on the upper line. On the lower line the ID number of the LocoNet CV (here 0 for the module address) and its present valid value is located (here 1). Important: For programming every module requires a module address so that the digital center knows which module is being referred to. The factory setting for Power 4 is 1. If other Power 4 devices are connected to the center these modules must have different addresses.
x Move back to select another Power 4 by pressing the [I]-key. x Or press the [menu]-key to leave programming mode. As is customary with the Intellibox marked numerical values in the display also can be incremented with the [+]-key and decremented with [-]-key. 4.1.3 The Universal Address 65535 With the universal address, as the name implies, generally all Power 4 can be called.
4.1.4 List of LocoNet CVs LNCV 0 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Description Value Range Default Value Module address 0-65534 1 Software version varies Settings 0-255 92 Starting phase waiting period in 0.5 s steps 0-255 6 Basic Settings 0-7 0 Operating temperature in °C (read only) 0-255 Power load in percent (read only) 0-100 Solenoid address for switching off single booster 1-2047 0 Data for Braking signal 0-255 0 DCC CutOut time in 7.
Bit 3 4 5 6 Value Meaning Default Value 0 Do not produce a switching off signal on the selected booster input, automatically switch on after a waiting period in according to LNCV 11 8 Produce a switching off signal on the selected booster input (Märklin 8 or DCC Booster input) 0 Send no special LocoNet message for Short circuit or temperature disconnection 16 Send a special LocoNet message for 16 Short circuit or temperature disconnection to the Intellibox II 0 Don not change track polarity 32 Swap trac
Switch 3 4 State off on off on Bit 2 3 Value 0 4 0 8 Meaning Normal Operation DCC brake generator DCC RailCom CutOut off DCC RailCom CutOut on 4.2.2 Switching off behavior The switching on and off the Power 4 can be configured in bits 1 to 3 of LNCV 3. If Power 4 is connected with a LocoNet center bit 1 can specify whether the booster is to be switched on and off by the input signal or by the appropriate instructions which are sent over the LocoNet.
4.3 Power 4 single switch-off and monitoring If the Power 4 is connected to a LocoNet center, it can be switched off, independently from all other boosters and the center. For this Power 4 is assigned a solenoid address via which it can be switched off and monitored. This solenoid address is registered in LNCV 8. It should be a solenoid address which is not used by another solenoid (switch or signal). When the solenoid is in the “green” state the booster is switched on.
5. Reversing Loop Automation 5.1 Description In both analogue and digital layouts the construction of a reversing loop in 2-rail layouts inevitably leads to a short circuit and the booster switched off. A short circuit is prevented by supplying the power to isolated section via a special module. Then a vehicle can travel through the reversing loop trouble free. The Power 4 has such a reversing loop module for 2-rail operation (DCC, Märklin, trace I, Selectrix).
If different sections in a reversing loop are to be monitored with a feedback module 63340 then a relay component 61080 must be used for each track section that is to be monitored. The following diagram shows the principle for two reversing loop sections. VERY IMPORTANT: The reversing loop track must totally be isolated on both sides! IMPORTANT: The tracks which contact the insulated reversing loop must be fed by the normal track output of the booster to which the reversing loop is also connected.
6. Brake Generator 6.1 Description A brake generator ensures that locomotives with DCC digital decoders with decoder brake delay stop correctly before a signal. For this procedure a special brake signal is needed. In addition the wiring must guarantee that a short circuit will not result when the locomotive crosses the isolation between the brake section and the normal track section. The brake generator monitors each individual brake section.
6.4 Connection A driving and stopping section is installed before each signal. These are switched to brake generator operation as soon as the change over switch is triggered by a train being in the stopping section. In order to avoid short circuits the driving section prior to the stopping section must be at least as long as the longest operating train. The length of the stopping section must be selected in such a way that all locomotives with the selected brake delay come to a halt within the section.
If a vehicle is reported in the stopping section the complete block section’s supply is switched over to the brake generator. 6.5 Brake Generator without connecting to the center If the booster is to be used as brake generator without short circuit feedback and without switch from the center, the brake generator operating mode and the Märklin signal input are to be set up. The cable to the center can then be disconnected. In the event of a short circuit the booster switches the brake section off for approx.
7. RailCom The booster is prepared for RailCom. It makes the “RailCom CutOut” available if it receives a DCC input signal and the DIP switch 4 is switched on. 8. Error Indication The Power 4 reports errors by different flashing signals of the red and green LEDs. green LED on – red LED off “go”-key pressed Track Power is switched on (normal operating state). red LED on – green LED off “stop”-key pressed Track Power is switched off by the center. green LED off – red LED blinking Short circuit on the Track.
Authors: Dr.-Ing. T. Vaupel, D. Richter, M. Berger Translation: Wolfram Steinke © Copyright Uhlenbrock Elektronik GmbH, Bottrop 1st Edition August 2009 Base Software Version 1.0 All rights reserved Reproduction in full or in part only with permission 02045 If you have any questions call us. Hotline times are: 8583-27 Mon - Tue - Thu - Fri, 14:00-16:00 and Wednesdays 16:00-18:00 Our products are covered by a two year warranty.
