MRC Tech4 280

[cjp53]

Have a chance at picking a used one up,a friend was supposed to build me a power pack but things fell through.Who has a 280 and what are your results with it?

[Doug G.]

I don't have a 280, which is a double pack but I have a couple of 260s which are singles and they are great. MRC has never really made a bad power pack.

Doug

[peteski]

MRC has never really made a bad power pack.

Doug

LOL! Maybe so, but some DCC decoders (specifically ESU sound decoder) and some  manufacturers sure don't get along with some MRC power packs (not that sound decoders should really ever be used on DC - kind of defeats the purpose of DCC, and all those nifty sound functions).

[Doug G.]

It's not MRC's responsibility to make sure their DC power packs are compatible with other product for which they are not meant to be used.

Doug

[cjp53]

I did get that power pack for $22,it has to be better than the MRC1300 and now I can run both tracks at the same time.

[cjp53]

Power pack came today and works great,first time I could run both tracks at the same time.Wish I had done it right the first time and knew about the MRC1300 being a problem.Guy who owns the train shops is an old friend and never told me.Live and learn.

[peteski]

Power pack came today and works great,first time I could run both tracks at the same time.Wish I had done it right the first time and knew about the MRC1300 being a problem.Guy who owns the train shops is an old friend and never told me.Live and learn.

He might not even know.
MRC1300 is fine when running any of the DC-only locos (with no DCC decoders in them).  Thos locos basically have a motor and light bulbs (or nowadays maybe LEDs).

But Rapido Trains raised a flag that it appears that when running their models with factory-installed ESU sound decoders decoders using MRC1300 blows up those decoders.  This is the only example I heard of the problem.  No other decoder manufacturers issued any similar  warnings.

Still, running any decoder-equipped models on DC is not really an optimal setup.  Those decoders are more at home under DCC power and control.

[cjp53]

That's true about him not knowing about that problem.When I bought the used power pack I told him I did not run DCC.I don't blame him and did not mean to imply that.Poor choice of words on my part.

[Maletrain]

Peteski, I think you typed "DCC only" where you mean "DC only".  But, I don't think that is going to confuse anybody.

[peteski]

Peteski, I think you typed "DCC only" where you mean "DC only".  But, I don't think that is going to confuse anybody.

Fixed, thanks!  Funny how a "fat-fingered" extra "C" converts DC to DCC. Too bad the real conversion is not that easy. 

[Maletrain]

Fixed, thanks!  Funny how a "fat-fingered" extra "C" converts DC to DCC. Too bad the real conversion is not that easy. 

Yeah, especially for guys like me with "fat fingers".