# NCE Procab potential setup. Will it work?



## Austin (Dec 24, 2019)

Hello,
I recently got an NCE Procab, but it didn't come with anything but the handheld. I'd like to use it on my layout without buying a Powercab so I think I may have found a solution. 

1. NCE Powercab connection panel
2. NCE Powercab connection panel power supply
3. Track power connector from the connection panel

If I plug the Procab into all of this, will it work?


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

For your NCE throttle to work you must have an NCE
DCC controller. It comes with power supply. But
you'll need a panel into which your plug your hand
held. It will also have the terminals for your 
track connection.

I don't think the items you have posted will
provide you with the DCC controller which is
central to every DCC system.

Don


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Austin said:


> Hello,
> I recently got an NCE Procab, but it didn't come with anything but the handheld. I'd like to use it on my layout without buying a Powercab so I think I may have found a solution.
> 
> 1. NCE Powercab connection panel
> ...


It will allow you to plug it in, but it will not run trains. The Powercab unit is the brains of the system, and must be plugged in at all times to run your layout. Without the Powercab, all you have is a lot of fancy electronics. Since you already have a Procab, you can move that around your layout as needed (provided you have a connection panel there), letting you operate "remotely".


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## MatroxD (Jan 19, 2018)

Austin said:


> Hello,
> 
> I recently got an NCE Procab, but it didn't come with anything but the handheld. I'd like to use it on my layout without buying a Powercab so I think I may have found a solution.
> 
> ...


Nope, it will not, as you unfortunately only received in essence the handheld controller portion of a NCE system. If im understanding you, you didn't receive some form of "brains" and power for the system. This is basically now NCE systems work. 

You either have a powercab, or, one of the booster based higher ended systems with the brains "and" power within the booster(the highest system's NCE make, have the brains in one box and a booster in another), but they utilize the procab simply as the controller. The powercab just has the booster built in, which will allow it to function on its own(with the panel). The procab does not have this functionality. 

You will need either a booster with associated power supply, or a powercab. For the price today(I actually had to check Ebay, as the powercab was at points this year more costly that the booster), since you already have the procab, the SB5 is the cheapest route to one of the booster based systems. It's a little more costly than a powercab, but has a great deal more functionality. 

The only drawback, is you will not have a programming track. If you need a programming track(which most of us do), your looking at a scenario, that the procab you received, at the moment would serve you no purpose, as you would need a powercab.

I hope this makes sense, as some of the NCE variables as far as a system can be confusing. 

Here is the site: https://www.ncedcc.com





Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk


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## patrick.b (Mar 8, 2017)

Austin said:


> Hello,
> I recently got an NCE Procab, but it didn't come with anything but the handheld. I'd like to use it on my layout without buying a Powercab so I think I may have found a solution.
> 
> 1. NCE Powercab connection panel
> ...


I would suggest getting the NCE Powercab Starter Set. You will like having an additional cab.


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## spikedrivingblues (Dec 11, 2018)

patrick.b said:


> I would suggest getting the NCE Powercab Starter Set. You will like having an additional cab.


...and if you later buy an SB5 you can save the flat cable and PCP panel from the starter set and use them to power a detached program track. 

You will get plenty of use from your procab but a power cab starter system is pretty handy


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