Using a back-to-back gauge for your model railway ensures that the wheels on your rolling stock are spaced correctly...
Cart 0 Product Products (empty)
No products
Free shipping! Shipping
£ 0.00 Total
Product successfully added to your shopping cart
Quantity
Total
There are 0 items in your cart. There is 1 item in your cart.
Total products (tax incl.)
Total shipping (tax excl.) Free shipping!
Total (tax incl.)
Search Tips
Tips categories
Latest Tips
-
How do I use a back to back gauge?Read more -
What is a poly-cap?Read moreA poly-cap is a type of plastic cap often used in model-making kits, especially for assembling figurines or model...
-
What is Graham Farish?Read moreGraham Farish is a name you’re likely to come across if you're interested in British model railways, especially in...
-
When did semaphore signals stop being used in the UK?Read moreSemaphore signals, those distinctive mechanical arms that once graced railway lines across the UK, were largely...
-
What is Kato track?Read moreKato track is a popular choice in the world of model railways, known for its quality, ease of use and versatility. If...
What is a stay-alive capacitor?
A stay-alive capacitor (also known as a keep-alive) is a component that can be fitted to DCC model locomotives to temporarily maintain power to its electronics and motor should the main source of power be interrupted due to dirty rails or insulated frogs.
A stay-alive will store and then provide your model with just enough power to see it over a turnout's unpowered frog, but it is not a battery so don't expect it to provide you with hours of happy running sessions during a power cut. Realistically you can expect a larger capacitor to propel your engine for a couple of inches.
What it will also do is prevent the soundtrack from sound chips dropping out, this is very annoying for modellers that have invested in sound chip technology for added realism and a stay-alive will provide reliability to such features.
Stay-alives will also help protect against CVs becoming corrupted during a temporary break in power, not a common problem but frustrating when it does happen so well worth protecting against.
Stay-alive capacitors are not huge, but they do take up space (which is already likely to be an issue if you have a decoder and sound chip fitted) so always make sure you have enough of it before you purchase one. You will need also to not be afraid of fitting such technology as you will probably have to solder it to your soundboard during installation. Not all DCC decoders are compatible, so double check before committing.
Click here to receive the tips weekly in your mailbox. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Related posts
-
What scale is Hornby?Hornby model railways are OO Scale or 1/76th that is 4 millimetres to the foot (12 inches). It runs on a track with... - How to weight my model so it does not tip?For wargaming figures, a small coin or washer glued to the under side of the base will usually to do the job. This...
- Is Bachmann compatible with Hornby?Yes, any OO scale loco, wagon or coach will work on any OO scale track, regardless of brand. Couplings are also...
- What are the model railway eras?According to Bachmann, as it states in their catalogue there are 9 eras. As they say in their catalogue this is not...
- Can a "DCC ready" train be used on analogue?Yes, you can use a DCC ready train on your analogue layout. DCC ready just means that the train has been factory...