I have been reading about how to utilize the original panel into the SB3 wirring, but have conflicting info.
Is it true after moving the track power bus to the SB3 I then remove the power source to the original panel, feed the panel to the SB3 via the single plug in the back. Then the powercab becomes another throttle with no program track abillities. It seems like it would work but if you could use a power source on the UTP’s to boost signal and power a light on the panel, would I not be able to continue to use it on the original panel?
Is there a way to keep the program track feature and keep the original panel in use with the SB3?
Yes and yes. You don’t even have to use the Power Cab to run your layout. You can just use an NCE throttle. (Course, you’ll still need the Power Cab to program.)
Unfortunately, no. If you connect the SB3 to the original “powered” PCP panel, the SB3 OS will override the programming feature of the Power Cab. (The USE PROGRAM TRK feature is not accessible, nor does it even show up on the menu of the Power Cab when used with the SB3.)
In order to use the original PCP panel for programming, it must be totally isolated and used apart from the SB3. I wish NCE had more clearly described this in their SB3 manual. Except for one diagram on pg. 3, this aspect isn’t even mentioned. [:(]
I hooked up the pcp to the sb3 and it worked but I did remove the original power supply.
Although it seems to work ok, all consisted locos are unresponsive and the extra(3rd) throttle works for only a moment? I have a cab 04p and 04e but the 04e seems to shut things down.
I think I have to remove the locos in consist idividually but I am not sure what to do for the extra throttle. I believe the throttle is addressed 5,6 but will read the manual again to make sure. Maybe thats some of the problem.
Instead of daisy chaining the 2 utp’s I plugged each one dirrectly into the sb3 along with the original pcp and went through the cab set up on each cab. They all worked fine, even from the pcp. I still had locked decoders for some reason, so I hooked up the pcp to the powercab with the original power supply and unlocked and reprogramed the decoders. I then reconnected all to the sb3 and they all work fine. Does this sound correct? Does each panel have to be plugged in individaully?
Its a bit frastrating, the lack of dirrections from NCE. I love the product but don’t enjoy much having to do the trial and error aproach.
How many UTP panels do you have? I have two: One on each long side of my 4 x 8.
Here’s how I have mine wired:
The track wires are plugged into the track output power connectors on the backside of the SB3 (See pg. 3 of manual)
One end of an RJ-12 cable is plugged into one of the three RJ-12 connectors at the front of the SB3. The other end of that cable is connected to one of the two RJ-12 connectors, located at the rear of a UTP panel.
Another RJ-12 cable is then daisy-chained from the other RJ-12 connector of that UTP panel and connected to one of the two RJ-12 connectors of the other UTP panel. Subsequent panels can then be daisy-chained in a similar manner. Does that make sense?
John, I have mine set up this way and I’ve had no problems. As I mentioned earlier, my PCP panel is completely isolated from my SB3. I only use the PCP panel for programming, and my programming track is wired to that.
Hi Tom, good to hear from you. I originaly had two utp daisy chained from one port and the pcp on a port by itself. I attempted to have each panel wired dirrectly into their own port but this did not work either. It seems the problem is in the 04e, at least i thought. I was running four trains, one on the 04p, two on the powercab, and one on the 04e when all of a sudden I was no longer in control of anything. Everything locked up. Maybe the problem is in the pcp. I think I will remove it from the SB3 and run for a while and see what happens.
If you look at my link (WWW) you can see my set up.
No longer in control of anything? Whoa! That must have been pretty unnerving to watch.
John, you might be right about the PCP panel being the problem. I agree. Try pulling that one out of the loop and try running your layout with just the UTP panels and see what happens. I’ll be curious to see if that makes any difference at all.
Tom, I also have been using a six wire cable with the powercab, will this cause a problem?
I purchased a longer coiled six wire cable just for the powercab and would like to continue using it, but if it creates a problem then I guess I will have to use the shorter 4 wire cable.
I thought the coiled cables (usually used with the extra throttles) were the 4-conductor cables? I’m using the (original) 6-connector cable that came with my Power Cab, as well as 6-connector cables from the SB3 to the UTP panels and UTP to UTP panel. Therefore, I shouldn’t think that you should have any problem along those lines. The two extra wires in the 6-connector cable were only used for carrying track power, when the Power Cab was hooked up to the PCP panel. The SB3 eliminates that need.
John, you mentioned having problems when you introduced your CAB-04e throttle into the mix. Have you tried just using your Power Cab and CAB-04e together - without the CAB-04p - to see if your problem repeats itself? You might try switching the cables of the 04e and 04p and repeat your earlier scenario to see if anything happens.