Protect Your Layout With NCE Circuit Breakers (276) 

Per the NCE website, you can also wire multiple ports together to increase the Amps. Since each bulb is rated at .75 amps, you can wire two or three together and multiply the amperage.

You have several good videos on this subject! Thanks for sharing this information.

Thanks for this video and all you do to inform the community of various model railroad subjects.

That was a nice explanation... Ive had my NCE Pro-Cab system and 3 boosters on my layout and do not us any type of circuit breakers and have never had a problem over the past 12 years... I do keep a remote control in my pocket to shut down any booster if there is a short.... I also have 70 functioning signals on the layout running off the boosters... yesterday I ran a 15 unit consist (4 with sound) and had another 5 engines (3 more with sound) also using the same booster and had no problems.... NCE makes and excellent system and I would highly recommend it over any other system! Ill admit I bought one EB-1 but it has never been hooked up or needed... Good stuff Ron... Take care.... DD 🤪 😜 🤗

The CP6 Circuit Protector is NOT a circuit breaker! It is a current limiting device and will NOT shut off the power! Showing the meter off is miss direction, as there is not enough volt drop to power it and in fact the 1.75 Amp is still running through the track in series with the bulb!

Excellent video as always. Great info and so clearly laid out.

I use the eb1 and I'm very happy with it. Thanks for the info. Your videos help me a lot with dcc. Thanks 😊 👍.

Great show Larry always enjoy the things you put out

Thanks Larry. I use EB1's and as you say they work well. Thanks also for the facia light and manual push to reset tip.

The original version of the EB1 was not recommend for the NCE Power Cab but was fine for Pro Cab but the latest version EB1 (EB1 v1.1) is compatible with Power CAB. The EB1 v.1.1 uses switches rather than jumpers to adjust the amperage capacity. Info from the NCE zendesk - The Power Cab has built in overload for basic self-protection that will continuously try to reset the Power Cab ever 1/2 second (500ms) until damaged if it is left uncorrected. The Power Cab does not have circuit breakers that will trip or fuses that will blow. Use the new EB1 v1.1 electronic circuit breaker to protect the Power Cab against short circuits. (Bottom line - You NEED a circuit breaker) Others may have different experiences or circumstances than I do but the EB1 has worked well for me with Tam Valley frog juicers. Personally, I would go with the EB1 v1.1 and dispense with the CP6. Just my opinion.

Great video. Thank you.

Larry thanks for the information I use the EB1 units I setup Districts on my layout and one EB1 for each district. I had shorts from wheels on cars not setup properly it works well up to 15 districts now on my layout.

Oh wow that's a pretty neat product, at first I thought it was something as simple as a 3/4 amp fuse and thought that's a dumb idea because you'd be replacing fuses left and right every time you get an older loco on the track that many short it out due to whatever issues, but to have a lamp light up and you don't need to replace it is great. Also a bright visual indicator that something is wrong is a lot better than constantly staring at an ammeter when you want to be looking at your trains is a bonus feature.

I have an old eb3 which I am delegating to handle my various accessories. I’m upgrading my track protection to eb1.

Thanks for talking down to us for the first 3 minutes and 45 seconds…

A common misnomer is those LED terminals light up an LED on the facia(or wherever) when you have a short, they do not. They work in tandem with that small pilot light next to it, so I wish it was called a track status light. So I use green LED's for mine. When you have power to the layout and/or hook them up they light up. You short the track they go out. At least on my layout they do.

I need a power manager that can handle DC as well as DCC. I am going to go with the CP6 in the case of what I am doing. I have also considered the DIgitrax PM42, but those are getting hard to find, and the PM74 isn't able to manage DC like the 42 could.

If watching on TV, those links/descriptions do not appear. When it watch on laptop/cell etc, much easier.

Thanks for explaining what a description is. But what is a "video?" What is "You Tube?" I'm confused...

We had a CP6 on our club layout, we had a derailment and no one noticed the light and while it worked but no one noticed until we smelled the smoke started by the bulb. Lesson learned, don't put the CP6 where it can't be easily seen.

I just looked at the EB1 and it appears that the 3 jumpers have been replaced with a small box with 3 micro switches, if that helps anyone.

Narva 12V / 21W Festoon lamps from your local car maintenance shop is a lot cheaper for your lamps.

Which video talks about ballast in reference to power not track?

Larry, Will the EB1 work out of the box with Tam Valley Frog Juicers or does its short detection need to be slowed down?

Found it

Quick question, not directly related to this video only: Is there a direct connection between the upper and lower level of your layout? If so, are you using a helix or something like that to connect the two levels? Thank you for this video - I was jut starting to look into adding a circuit breaker to my own build - perfect timing!

Have you done a video on MARs lights? Such as what and when they are used and installing and operating in a locomotive...

Gosh, that's reminded me of the Scalespeed controllers we had back in the 1960s, which had ballast lamps like that built into them, which worked just the same in ye olden days of DC. (Has anyone asked you for a link how to use the youtube search bar yet? 🤯)

will theses circuit breakers with other dcc systems and the number of signal hertz passing through them matter. In other words can they be used on a multi protocol system that transmit dcc signals as well as other protocols of signals?

How many amps can a decoder handle before it’s fried? If you have a breaker like this set for 4 amps so you can run 4 locomotives with lighted passenger coaches, and one locomotive derails shorting the layout, is that decoder protected if 4 amps is getting to it?

Ok I hope this is not a stupid question. I,m building a small shelf layout about 24" by 10' the most locomotive I'll run is 2 , I'll have a total of 8 turnouts. do you think I' ll do ok with 1 EB1?

I have an issue that maybe you can provide guidance. We have a display style layout that has a double main and a branch all have a continuous loops over 11 modules. Each booster supplies power to 2 modules and one provides power to three modules - the problem is that there could be up to six or even 10 locos on any zone (2 modules) at one time. Could I use an EB1 for each zone and then have secondary circuit breakers EB6 for smaller blocks within each of the zones?

Larry, I am gonna ask an absolute stupid question, but it is something I am completely oblivious too. When I am setting up my power districts, meaning separation of different territories on my layout, as I lay track do I need to use insulated rail joiners where I want my power districts to start and stop????

Hi Larry I have a question watch is better using suit case clip,s or soldering the bus wirer,s From Neil schwerdt in west valley city Utah September 29th 2022 Thank you Larry

I understand the circuit breakers are for DCC systems. Could they be used for DC systems?

Would 6-10 locomotives be overload for the CB6! Thanks for video by the way!

Where do I go to purchase one of these circuit breakers?

would this work with a z 21 black edition one

I’m just beginning to install a nce powercab. Do I need one of these devices to protect it from being destroyed by short circuits?

DCC Guy, I would like to invite you to my model railroad museum in Pinegrove, CA. in Amador county, we have a ongoing DCC electrical issue we can't seem to fix. we hope you would be able to or if there is someone out there who can.

Opps