SC-1 and SC-2

HUGE, you want the SC-2.

The SC-1 has little TO-92 triacs for control, the SC-2 has 15 amp relays! 

Thanks John.  Appreciate it.

There is one advantage for an SC-1.

It has the ability to be powered directly from the 3 wire connection from a Lionel O Gauge switch machine.  If you supply power to the switch machine with the constant voltage plug, this can be helpful in terms of lessening the amount of wires.

The SC-2 can't do that.  Other than that though, the benefit John mentions probably trumps this.

{edited based on Rob's correction below.  I was probably originally thinking of some specific limitation of the number of accessories I may have had paired up with my SC-1s.  The moral to the story is you probably want SC-2s Sorry for posting something that seems to be inaccurate.}

-Dave

Good to know that Dave.  Thanks.

I believe this to be inaccurate. As long as a fixed voltage powered switch is connected to the first position, the SC-2 is just like the SC-1.

Ok.  I forced myself to go re-read the manual, seems you are right, I don't remember where I had that idea from.  I'll modify my original post to remove the wrong info.

It's been a while since I had my layout hooked up like this, but I remember having 4 switches and 4 SC-1s that were very close to the switches.  I might have had a mix of accessories that was not compatible with the "modes" the the SC-2 has defined in the first few pages of the manual.

Sorry.

-Dave

One other mod for the SC-2.  I cut the ground lead on channel one of the SC2 units to allow all of the channels to be totally isolated.  Then you have six relay channels that have no connection restrictions.

I don't see the external power connection to be any restriction, you can just connect to the local track voltage, it doesn't draw much current.

Although the SC-1 units are selling very cheap, I'd hold out for SC-2's if you want a robust unit that will stand the test of time.  I've replaced many triacs in the SC-1 units.

You guys are a wealth of good information.

One other reason to prefer an SC2 is that Fastrack remote switches do not work with the SC1. Bad things happen.........yeah, I did try it.....

I didn't try using the SC-1 for that reason.   I was afraid the wiring inside the fastrack switch wouldn't be able to handle the current.

I then worried what it may do to my engine electronics.

I was in the process of modifying my switches for TMCC when I began thinking about this.

It's not really a current issue, the SC-1 doesn't have totally isolated switching, that screws up the Fastrack logic.  It doesn't damage them, they just don't work right. 

I will say that we've used the SC-1's for Atlas switches on the modular layout, and they work OK for those.  In addition, you can frequently buy SC-1's for $15-20, the SC-2's are considerably more expensive, usually in the $60-80 range.  The plus with the SC-2 is anything you want to switch around the layout is fair game.  You can manage siding power, etc. with them as they have the current capability required.