# G wire Cab with other DCC systems



## SLemcke (Jun 3, 2008)

I currently run a Massoth system. I would like to have a second/third controller for my grandchildren so they can control thier own engines. A second or third Navigator is overkill and expensive. I can alsmost buy two gwire cabs for the price of one Navigator. 
My question is, can I use the Gwire cab/gwire reciever/QSI decoder/ or third party decoder with the track power on my Massoth system? Will the G wire be able to use the track power without picking up or interfering with the Massoth signal.
Steve


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

So first, you can draw power from a DCC track power easily. 

Just put a full wave bridge rectifier and you have DC (add a couple of small noise caps, like a .01 and a .1) 

OK, now you have DC voltage in your loco. Now you power the QSI with it, and it is controlled by the Gwire receiver add on. When the receiver (actually a transceiver) is plugged into the QSI, the QSI automatically takes it's commands from that Gwire interface. 

You can then use a NCE Gardenwire throttle, or either of the two Airwire throttles. 

The only problem might be interference of radios. Are you using wireless throttles on your Massoth system? 

Regards, Greg


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## SLemcke (Jun 3, 2008)

I use the Navigator in both wireless and wired. The frequency is 433.1mhz default with 433.6, 434.2, and 434.7 available. 
Is the rectifier and cap a requirement or just a good to have? 
I realise I could go to battery and not worry about track power, that might be a solution for later. 
Steve


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Steve, the power on your rails is a form of AC.... you want to convert it to DC... a bridge rectifier ( $1.50) does that for you. 

The capacitors (just a few pennies) are a good idea for reasons that take too much time to explain. 

There is a possibility that the QSI might power ok from the DCC track power, but any glitches could make it try to get it's commands from there. 

I think under $2.00 per loco is a good price to do it right. 

The Gardenwire throttle uses 900 MHz so no conflict there... 

This is all do-able. 

Regards, Greg


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## SLemcke (Jun 3, 2008)

Thanks Greg, 
Am saving up to try this. Will let you know how it works. 
Steve


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## bdp3wsy (Mar 14, 2008)

Greg, another good one thank you. I took your advise and put a rectifer wired to a DPDT switch and now I can run on number of layouts that I couldn't before because they were DCC. Total cost was about $7 with switch and rectifer and only took about 20 minutes to do. Want to talk about some looks when they see I'm wireless on their wired layout. I use the QSI/G-Wire/NCE combo on over 14 engines and will covert 2 more as above for visiting other club layouts. Thanks again Jake


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Cool Jake... also the bridge rectifier will work on constant power DC layouts, but they are not real common. I would recommend those .1 and .01 mfd disc caps at 50 volts (Radio Shack has them) just to keep switching noise out, but the QSI is very tolerant of funky voltages. 

It would be necessary to add a lot of electrolytic capacitance if you were running the Revo TE from DCC track power, but Aristo sells the capacitor bank for this purpose already. 

Regards, Greg


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