[Mike Button]

Good choice of topic Doug, I'm fairly naive when it comes to the internal workings of the loco's I run, but as I understand it capacitors are used to stop interferance with other electrical systems, such as TV's, radio's etc. I'm running a DCC layout in my shed, another passion of mine is cricket, and listening to the test match on long wave requires delicate positioning of the radio so that the interferance from the layout is kept to a minimum.
From a purely selfish viewpoint so I can listen to the cricket whilst the trains go round, I would be in favour of capacitors being fitted, but have no idea of the impact upon a DCC system so will look forward to hearing other viewpoints.

 

[Mike Button]

QUOTE (Doug @ 25 Jul 2007, 12:45) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>You are in a perfect position to do some real world, live testing for us.

Set up your radio next to the track, run a DC loco that has it's capacitors fitted. clip the capacitors and run again. Report findings. Add a DCC decoder, run again and report findings.

I'll go and do the same, if I can get the spiders out of my radio. I'll tune into 198 LW and see if there is any cricket on.

I'll give it a try tonight, I've got a loco that still needs converting DC to DCC. No cricket til Friday though Doug, It will have to be a French radio station instead!

 

[Mike Button]

Well Doug I set up the radio last night next to the track, cleared all loco's off the track and turned on the power, lots of static from the radio which only increased when I put the DC loco on with the capacitor fitted, took the capacitor off and although there was a change to the static it still blotted out the program. I don't know what this means, all I know is that the layout works fine with the DCC hardwired to the track via a main bus circuit, and the radio works fine, just don't put the two near each other!
The loco's i've converted to DCC have all had their capacitors removed prior to fitting with decoders (not sure about my one DCC ready loco.)
Don't know if this is any help to the discussion but I thought I'd chuck it in.
Spaeaking as a fairly new DCC user with limited knowledge of electronics, I'm finding this discussion interesting, even if I don't understand all of it!
Happy shunting Mike