# Power Draw



## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

There are often questions about how much power a DCC or DCC with sound locomotive draws and how many can you run with a 1 amp (Bachmann EZ DCC) or 2 amp (NCE Power Cab), 3.6 amp ( Digitrax Zephyr Extra).

The rule of thumb overstates how much power a locomotive will use.

The Power Cab has a built in amp meter.

When I'm running a Bachmann 2-6-0 with sound, a Bachmann GP38 with sound, and a Walthers F40PH without sound pulling 4 passenger cars, 2 with lights (power from axle wipers so it adds friction), it draws .5 amps max. It runs between .4 to .5 amps. This is running the steamer at 5/28, GP38 @ 10/28, AND F40PH at max. Sounding the horn/whistle or ringing the bell has little effect on the current draw.


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## Bwells (Mar 30, 2014)

Where is the built in ammeter on the power cab?


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Dave

I haven't hooked up the amp meter to my
Bachmann EZ 1 amp DCC layout, but I
often run 6 non sound locos at the same time
as three 2-loco consists
with no apparent over heating of the power supply.

They're all Bachmann diesels of fairly recent
vintage.

Don


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I think the problem is that the thumb rule (0.5 amps / non-sound locomotive) hasn't kept up with advances in motor and drive train technology. I have 2 older locos -- an Athearn BB and a Mantua -- that both draw in the neighborhood of 0.5 amps, but all my newer ones, more on the order of 0.2 each.


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## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

TO get the amp meter in the Power Cab, press the programming button until you see CAB PARAMS or press PROG then 6. Press Enter.

The first parameter it will show is SHOW TRK CURRENT. 1 = Y. Press 1. It will now show the amp draw on the main screen.

The other really useful parameter is the next one: Number of Recalls. This can be set from 0 to 6. It allows you to keep a list of locomotives that you can scroll though using the RECALL button. To assign a loco to the list press RECALL, the select loco. The first one will go into slot 1. TO go to the next slot, press RECALL again. When you have an empty slot it will show 000 in the address.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Great info Dave.


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## Bwells (Mar 30, 2014)

Yes it is and thank you Dave for posting. Never knew that and the recall feature sounds really handy. It's amazing what the power cab can do and I'm sure I don't know half of it! At $150 it is the best!!


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## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

BWELLS, do you have the manual? it does a very good job of explaining how to do things. That's why I went with it. When I looked at the manuals for various systems, I found it to be the easiest to follow. If not it is available online as a pdf. Just Google NCE Powercab Manual.


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## Bwells (Mar 30, 2014)

Yes Dave, I have it but never got around to reading and understanding most of it. Alot of the features I'm still not clear on. When I need them, I will look them up but some seem over my head like mapping, etc.


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