Digitrax DB150 Booster Question

[John]

Larry does a good job of explaining these topics .. I've been following him for many years.  Between Mark Gurries (RIP), the DCC Wikki, Don Crano's Wiring for DCC, and the groups.io for JMRI, Digitrax, and NCE I can usually find an answer. 

https://sites.google.com/site/markgurries/dcc-welcome-page/dcc-basics

https://wiringfordcc.com/intro2dcc.htm

https://dccwiki.com/Digitrax_Hints

https://larrypuckett.wordpress.com

and others ..

That's what makes Railwire such a great place - there is a lot of expertise (and opinions  ) on just about any topic you can imagine ..   Model Railroading is Fun

[shark_jj]

Perhaps one final note on this issue of connecting the Grounds.  Continuing my research, I reread my PM42 manual.  On Page 4, Item 3, Digitrax says Wire at least one of the PM42's Ground Connections to the Digitrax Booster Ground.  So that means at a minimum, in addition to the loop from ConfigA to Ground to change the DB150 to a Booster, you need to run from the Ground to the PM42 either Pin B or Pin X.  In my case I have run from the Ground on the DCS100 to the Ground on the DB150 to the PM42's. 

[Maletrain]

I am getting the feeling I should probably just put a multi terminal block by my club layout's electronics shelf, label it "booster common" and run everything that Digitrax says to connect to a booster "ground" to that, including all of the boosters and the command station.  Trying to get multiple wires in the Digitrax screw clamps sometimes does not make great connections if there are wires of varying diameters. 

[shark_jj]

I think you are on the right track Maletrain.  I don't have signals or detection but my buddy Justin does.  He has done it exactly as you describe.  He runs the ground from the command station (DCS100) to a terminal strip then from that runs a ground to DB100 Boosters, PM42's, SE8's, and whatever else he has for the detection and signalling.  We were in fact just discussing yesterday doing the same thing here.  I too tried to put two wires into one of the Booster connections.  Not happening.  I currently have the ground running from the Command Station to the terminal strip for the PM42's connected to the Ground Loop on the Booster, a DB150, with a suitcase connector.  He has 3 DB100's as Boosters so he doesn't require the Ground Loop to convert them, as they are already just Boosters. 

[John]

I think you are on the right track Maletrain.  I don't have signals or detection but my buddy Justin does.  He has done it exactly as you describe.  He runs the ground from the command station (DCS100) to a terminal strip then from that runs a ground to DB100 Boosters, PM42's, SE8's, and whatever else he has for the detection and signalling.  We were in fact just discussing yesterday doing the same thing here.  I too tried to put two wires into one of the Booster connections.  Not happening.  I currently have the ground running from the Command Station to the terminal strip for the PM42's connected to the Ground Loop on the Booster with a suitcase connector.  He has 3 DB100's as Boosters so he doesn't require the Ground Loop to convert them, as they are already just Boosters.

WAGO connectors are useful for this as well .

[shark_jj]

Thanks for the suggestion John, I hadn't seen those before.