PSX-AR Auto Reverser

[davefoxx]

I’ve got a doozy of a problem that has me stumped.  I have an ESU CabControl DCC system with a PSX-AR Auto Reverser, protecting a wye on my HO scale layout.  To simplify wiring, my folding staging yard, including my passenger train’s staging track, lie completely within the reversing section.  The only problem that I have is if I have one of my Rapido passenger cars in that reversing section when powering up the layout, the PSX-AR trips its breaker.  You can see the lights on the cars pulsing every two seconds, as the PSX-AR believes there’s a short and attempts to reset the circuit.

If a Rapido passenger car is anywhere else on the layout at power up, there’s no problem.  If the layout is already powered up before the car enters the reversing section, there’s no trip.  I think it’s a current spike caused when power is applied to the car at power up, because something in the Rapido car’s wiring (capacitor?) doesn’t agree with the PSX-AR during power up.  I’ve tried increasing the PSX-AR’s trip current from 3.81 amps to 5.08 amps with no improvement.  My CabControl system is a 7 amp system, but I am hesitant to bump the PSX-AR to the next steps of 6.35 amps or 7.62 amps.

Also, attempts to increase the length of delay of the polarity reversal and trip time to the max setting also did not fix the problem.  As a side note, I’ve had numerous sound-equipped locomotives in this reversing section at the same time, and that has never caused this problem.  My BLI passenger car does not cause this problem, nor do a few lighted Athearn and Tangent cabooses that I own.  I am confident that it’s Rapido’s cars causing the issue.  Thoughts?

DFF

[peteski]

This sounds very similar to a problem with N scale Bachmann Venture car which has an anti-flicker capacitor without any initial current limiting. I hope that I solved the problem by adding a 100 ohm resistor to limit the current. See https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=61222.0 for more detailed explanation.  The car is currently en route to the owner and he will let us know if his problem was resolved.

It is likely that your cars have similar setup and adding the current limiting resistor might prevent the very sensitive reverser from tripping. Just a speculation.

[davefoxx]

Thanks for your response, @peteski.  I appreciate it.  I’ll try to review that thread.  I agree with you that it’s the capacitor causing the problem.  I’m curious if your fix works for the owner of that Bachmann car.

DFF

[davefoxx]

I decided to go a different route.  After attempts to reprogram the PSX-AR failed to address the issue with these Rapido passenger cars, I cut two rail gaps and rewired the staging shelf, so that the passenger train’s staging stub track is no longer in the reversing section.  Problem solved.  I’ll detail the work over in my layout build thread later.

DFF