Incomplete NCE Power Cab System

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
1

Well, got screwed.

I bought an NCE Power Cab thru EBAY. Was told that it was complete. NOT!! There is no cable to run from the PCP unit to the track. Also there is no coiled cable that is supposed to be included. I am trying to figure out what cable I need to run from the PCP to the track and where I can get it. I also need to find out the cost of the coiled cable that is missing. Then I will contact my seller and tell him how much he owes me or he can have it back and give me a full refund.

I have looked at the NCE DCC website and see several cables listed in the “cab bus wiring” section, but I don’t see anything called a PCP connecting wire. Can anyone tell me for sure what item I need?

Please help. I am sitting here with a DCC system and no way to know if it even works, much less enjoy using it.

thanks

wdcrvr

2

Well on the back of the PCP there should be a small 2 wire plug. In that plug is a place for you to attach two wires for your track. NCE does not have this(wire) in the kit as it is just plane wire- Hook two wires to the small screw terminals and the other end goes to the track. As for the coiled cord, you can’t use it with the Power Cab any way. It is for a second throttle which would be pluged into the PCP on the right port, the coiled cord has only 4 wires- the Power Cab needs to have 6 wires.

3

I presume any 4 wires telephone coiled cord will do. This cord is only needed when the Throttle is used as a ProCab on a PH Pro system. For the time beeing you don’t need it.

4

You need 6 wires for the Power Cab, and they must be data cable not telephone cable.

The 4 wires will work in the right port of the PCP for a second throttle, but it must be data cable too.

5

This is interesting woodone, yes the Power Cab needs a flat 6 wires cable and the additional cab will work with a 4 wire. But what is the difference between a data cable and a telephone cable, is it a pin to pin connection versus a cross over one? If you are referring to a pin to pin connection, yes you are wright, I forgot to mention it.

It is however easy to make your own such 4 wire cable out of a 4 wire coiled telephone wire.

6

The manual that comes with the PowerCab explains in detail how to make your own cables and how to hook everything up. If you didn’t get a manual with your system, you can download it from the NCE web site.

http://www.ncedcc.com/pdf/Power%20Cab%20Manual%20V1.28.pdf

Did you really get taken for a ride or did not not fully read the description of what you were buying ? There’s a big difference.

7

How is this an NCE problem? Instead of griping here you should settle with the seller through Ebay.

You have all that is needed to get started. There is an instruction manual that comes with it. Open it up and read it. You may learn something.

This is another thread that clearly needs deleting.

Pete

8

Data cable is pin to pin- telephone cross over.

The 4 wire telephone cable could be used, but you would have to change one of the ends to match.

9

4 wire cable won;t work on a PowerCab, the extra two wires are the track power back from the PowerCab. The 4 wire cable is used when using the PowerCab as a regualr ProCab on a full system, which doesn’t need the track power connections.

You also need to use the data type wires, if the wires cross over then the polarities will be reversed on the power input and the cab bus signal will also be messed up.

–Randy

10

Randy,

I guess that I was not clear. I thought my post was to the 4 wire coiled cable responce for a second throttle.

If you will look back a earlier post I made I did say you need 6 wires for a Power Cab and it must be data cable.

11

wdcrvr,

First off, I’m sorry about your bad experience on eBay. Here’s a pic and list of what you should get with your NCE Power Cab:

  1. Power (PCP) panel

  2. Power Cab (RJ-12) 6-connector cable (7’)

  3. Extra throttle Coilcord R6 cable

  4. Power Supply (13.5VDC)

  5. User manual

  6. Power Cab throttle

From NCE’s web site, here’s the links to and cost of the two items that you are asking about:

12

As they say on the TV show Family Feud " good answer, good answer". Tom your answer was spot on in what the poster wanted to know .

13

Chances are the coiled cable wasn’t sent because it was probsbly tossed in a corner since it’s not used in the basic setup. All tha is needed is the flat cable and a pair of wires from the patch panel to the track that you provide. No rip off. Depending on the price the OP paid it was probably a good deal.

14

In reply specifically to locoi1sa:

My apologies to the forum for the rant at the beginning of my post. That was not necessary.

However, I did have a valid question and have always received help from this forum. And thanks to another individual who responded after you, I found out that I am not missing a wire that runs from the PCP to the rails, but instead the PCP is missing the small piece where the wires are supposed to be attached with small screws.

No one told me that my questions had to meet certain standards. I needed an answer and as always in the past, I received the information I was looking for.

I am new to this hobby (what a surprise!!) and do not have anyone nearby to go to with my questions. I have relied heavily on the gracious nature of the vast majority of the people on this forum. However, I have to say that the attitude expressed in your reply will not help the growth of the hobby.

I hope you were just having a bad day, just as I was when I wrote my post.

Thanks again to this wonderful source of information and assistance, especially for those of us newbies who ask “stupid” questions.

wdcrvr

15

tstage

Thanks you so much for your reply and thanks to all the others who have also replied. Your posting has proved to be the most helpful because of the pictures you sent. I can see now that the PCP unit is supposed to have a small piece on the back where the wires are to be attached to lead to the rails. My PCP unit does not have that part on it and therefore you cannot attach the wires by turning the two screws (that aren’t there). And, yes, I am still missing the coiled cable that is supposed to come with the system.

So, my new question is: Is there somewhere that I can get that little piece with the two screws so that I can get this system up and running properly. I have for the near term managed to get two wires to make contact with the studs inside the opening where that little piece should be installed. However, it is not the right way to go and the connection is extremely fragile and a royal pain. I looked at the NCE DCC website and could not find anything that would solve the problem other than a new PCP unit for $21.95 plus shipping.

Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

thanks

wdcrvr

16

That part is a slip in and should be available from any electronic supply store.

I would contact by phone either NCE and/or Tony, they may have these little things in stock, no harm trying.

17

WD.

I apologize if you feel harshly treated by me on your problem. It is just that the title of the post is what got me going. You say your new to this and we all were new at one time. Most people on these forums skim through the title only and never read the posts. If someone newer than yourself sees your posts title and reads the power cab is an incomplete system then it could possibly lead to that person believing the power cab is not for them. A more careful title would have been something like “I got shorted by an ebay sale” or something along those lines. As a Power cab owner I have to say the system does more then I have ever asked it to do. My coiled cord has never left the box. If you really need to use it I can send you mine. The plug for the track buss is required unless your soldering skills are good enough to solder to the outputs on the board. If the seller can not supply the plug then I would call NCE for a replacement. I am sure NCE would be glad to send one to you.

Have you contacted the seller to see if they have the missing pieces? Ebay has protection policies against false claims. If the seller can do nothing for you then Ebay should be contacted. I do not buy a lot off ebay. Every problem I have had has been handled very positively by the sellers for fear of negative feedback.

Good luck and I hope your problem gets resolved by the persons most responsible.

Pete

18

NCE’s manual calls that a “small two place connector”. If you would call NCE and explain to them that you need the “small two place connector” for track power that plugs into the back of the power panel, I’m pretty sure that they would be glad to supply you one for not much more than the postage.

And while you’re at it, you might as well purchase the coil cable from them. I saw one of those at a train show this weekend, and I believe the vendor wanted about $7.00 for it. So you can do all the running around to find a suitable substitute length of wire, the connectors, and a crimping tool if you don’t have one. Or you can have the thing delivered to your door for a few dollars more. Your choice.

19

Actually I didnt’ see him say the connector to the track is missing, just the cable that doesn’t exist. So he should be good to go as is.

20

Yes, Jim, I believe he did. He said: " I found out that I am not missing a wire that runs from the PCP to the rails, but instead the PCP is missing the small piece where the wires are supposed to be attached with small screws".