# Phoenix P8B



## Bob Pero (Jan 13, 2008)

Can you use the Phoenix P8B on regular Track DC ?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Page 7 of the PB manual from their site shows you the default triggers. Also check page 22, since you did not specify steam or diesel. 

Page 8 shows the default DCC functions... 

http://www.phoenixsound.com/pdf/P8_Handbook.pdf 

Regards, Greg


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## rmcintir (Apr 24, 2009)

Bob, 

You can but it depends on what you mean by track DC. When the power stops so does the card. I have P8Bs in a lot of my locos, several are switchable between battery and track power. Track power is assumed to be on all the time as my locos are RC. I've got a large enough cap inside to get them through dirty track and the P8B doesn't blink. The P11s still operate (idle and other sounds) for a while when track power is off. 

russ


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Hey, what happened... I swear Bob's post asked about default triggers.... now it reads differently.... 

Greg


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

To clarify, which particular board are you talking about? 

The P8 is for DCC, R/C, or some flavor of command control where there's a constant power supply at all times to the board. 

The PB9 and its replacement PB11 is designed for "traditional" track-powered installations in addition to command control. It's got an input for an external battery to keep the sounds going while stopped at the station or running at slow speeds. This is a small 3.6v battery, is charged from the track voltage, and is included with the sound system. 

Having said that, if all you have is the P8, you _can_ run it in a traditional track-powered environment with some considerations: 
1) You'll have to provide an external battery to power the sound system. This will be its _only_ power source, and the board makes no provision to charge it from track power. You must either make the battery easily removable for charging, or install a charging jack to keep the battery charged. (Or come up with a charging circuit of your own and install it in line with the battery.) 
2) The battery must be at least 9 volts for the board to work. 
3) You can use magnetic switches to trigger the sounds. Each gets connected to C2 pin 1, then the other lead to pins 2 - 6 for the remaining sounds (pin 2 is chuff) 

Later, 

K


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