I'm in the middle of planning my programming track wiring, and I'm wondering... can both the Digitrax Zephyr Xtra and PR3 be connected to the same programming track at the same time, or will I run into trouble? I intend to use my programming track with the PR3 so that I can manage the decoders within JMRI, but it may be convenient to have access to the programming track from my physical throttle (Zephyr) as a backup. I tried looking for the answer myself, but I couldn't find anything for or against the concept, so I'm hoping someone can save me from frying the PR3, zephyr, or a decoder by finding out for myself if it's a bad idea or not. Thanks
I would not allow both to be on the closed circuit with power to the rails at the same time. I don't honestly know the answer to your question, but it seems to me that one should not have two sophisticated/expensive electronic appliances attempting to get digital information and sending its own version to the same bus, that being the rails at the same time. I would isolate one of them with a toggle.
Maybe Twindad will see this. He uses both of these on his layout and should be able to give you answers.
You can no more have two programming sources connected to the same track at the same time as you can DC controllers or DCC boosters. Damage to one or both is likely to result. You CAN connect the two to the same (isolated) programming track via a DPDT switch so that it ensures that only one source will be connected to the track at a time.
You can connect the PR3 to the Zephyr and use it in MS100 mode. If you want to use it as a stand alone programmer do as Doug posted. There will be fried programming outputs if they are connected at the same time.
