digitrax db150 Short circuit

[danpik]

This is a bit of a long shot and I plan on contacting Digitrax on Monday but... I have a strange problem.

The layout is a single circuit controlled by a DB150 and a 7 amp power supply. Today, I had a few guys over to run trains and two of the guys wanted to see how Digitrax systems worked as they are thinking of moving that way. Anyway, when I fired up the layout I got no response from the 150. No lights or beeps. Also nothing on the rails was working either (sound engines). Thinking maybe I had something across the tracks, we checked everything. One of the guys pulled the fuse from the power supply and noted that it was blown. Puzzled by this I put in a new fuse and the same thing happened. The light on the power supply flashed on for about a half a second then went out...blown fuse. We did some more checking and went as far as unhooking all track power so the only thing on the power supply was the 150 itself...same problem. With the 150 disconnected from the power supply the power supply will run fine and even support a load if something else is connected.

Just wondering if anyone else has had this problem?

Dan

[erb]

I've had this crop up twice in twenty years, but both times it was with brand new command stations that I sent back and they repaired. Something I would suggest is checking the wires going into the command station just to make sure no wires frayed and are shorting - I had that happen on my home system, but it's constantly getting moved around.

[danpik]

Yeah, I went thru and checked all of that. If Unhook the booster from the power supply the power supply will run all day. As soon as I connect the booster and turn the power supply on it will blow the fuse. This happens with the track and loconet unhooked from the booster. Seeing that this unit is about 10-12 years old I am suspecting a bad capacitor or two. I may have to pull them and test them.
Dan