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What's the difference between an AC and DC auxiliary port?
Depending on the controller you are using, you may have an AC, a DC or both auxiliary ports on the back, but what's the difference?
Without going into too much detail about the difference between an AC and DC power supply, AC stands for Alternating Current while DC stands for Direct Current. The same goes for the auxiliary ports on your controller, some components benefit from AC while small fragile electronics require DC.
The most likely model railway accessory to be operated by an auxiliary power supply has traditionally been points (turnouts), and most point motors operate more reliably using an AC power supply. LEDs, on the other hand, would be annihilated by such current and not only require DC power, but DC power that's been reduced down to just three volts to operate safely.
So that's why different controllers have different auxiliary ports on the back, it all comes down to what the manufacturers believe their customers would most like to operate. Cost may also be a contributing factor as a DC auxiliary port requires an extra component in the controller called a rectifier. That would mean higher production costs for the manufacturer, and for that reason, a DC auxiliary port is rarely an option on most basic or modern controllers.
Whether or not it matters which port you connect your accessories to, the answer is definitely! you will only achieve broken or unreliable accessories as a result of chancing it, so always check your accessory's instructions to see what power supply is needed.
Posted in: Power and control
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