Node Power Planning Guide

Table of contents

Node Power Planning Guide

Introduction

When setting up your LCC Fusion Node Cluster(s) for model railroad automation, a crucial consideration is the choice of power supply configuration. Efficient power management ensures stable operations, longevity of the components, and safety. It is essential to understand the power requirements of each component within the cluster to ensure that your chosen power supply can adequately support the entire system without risk of overload or insufficient power delivery.

Below are options for powering the LCC Fusion Node Cluster using one or more power supplies and various connection option. Select a method that works best based on planned usage.

Note: This document specifically addresses DC power supply configurations, as the LCC Fusion Node Cluster is designed to operate exclusively with DC power supplies. AC power configurations are not supported and are not covered here.

General Safety Recommendations:

Always select a DC power supply rated above your calculated maximum load to ensure safety margins.
Include fuses or circuit breakers appropriate for your setup to protect against shorts and overloads.
Regularly inspect wiring for signs of damage or overheating.

Device Ground Wiring

Regardless of whether a single or multiple power supply configurations are used, the approach to device grounding remains consistent. This involves either directly connecting the device ground to the layout accessory ground or routing the ground circuit back to the LCC Fusion Node Cluster ground. In all scenarios, connections ultimately converge at a common ground point, ensuring a stable and unified ground reference across the system. Establishing a unified ground reference is crucial for the prevention of potential electrical issues such as voltage differentials between components, which can lead to erratic behavior or damage to sensitive electronics.

In all scenarios, connections ultimately converge at a common ground point, ensuring a stable and unified ground reference. Maintaining a proper common ground is critical to avoiding signal interference, ground loops, and erratic behavior that can compromise reliable operations.

LCC Node Cluster Power Consumption Guide

Power consumption can often be misunderstood when looking at individual component current ratings. At first glance, it may seem like an ESP32 drawing 200 mA could quickly consume available power in a 3A system. However, real-world power distribution accounts for voltage levels, regulator efficiency, and actual current needs at different supply voltages.

Higher input voltages reduce current draw at the source while allowing efficient conversion to lower voltages using switching regulators. This means that a 65W power supply is more than sufficient to support an LCC Node Cluster with multiple I/O cards, breakout boards, and ESP32-based components.

This guide provides realistic power consumption estimates to help users select an appropriate DC power supply based on actual energy needs, rather than just summing up component current ratings.

LCC Fusion Cards/Boards	12 V Load (mA)	5 V Load (mA)	3.3 V Load (mA)	Power (W)	16 V Input (mA)	24 V Input (mA)	35 V Input (mA)	Notes
LCC Node Card (no I/O, WiFi, or Bluetooth)	5	80	2	0.48W	30	20	14	80 mA for ESP32 and manages Node Bus communication without Bluetooth and WiFi enabled. 7mA for idle regulators.
BOD Card (1 detection)	0	0	20	0.16W	10	7	5	27 mA for IC + 3mA for 1 LED on.
PWM Card (16 lamps @ 15%)	0	16×3	0	0.32W	20	13	9	3mA per LED.
Turnout Card (1 Tortoise)	20+20	0	1	0.48W	46	32	22	21 mA for Turnout Card components + 20 mA Tortoise
Output Card (8 LEDs @ 15%)	0	8×3	0	0.16W	10	7	5	7mA for ICs, 3mA per LED at 15% brightness with 1K resistor.

Network Power Considerations

The estimated power consumption for a basic signaling configuration (Node Card with 5 I/O cards and breakout boards) is only ~2.6W as shown below. This is significantly lower than the typical computer laptop 65W power supply capacity, indicating plenty of available power for expansion.

Additionally, the maximum current capacity of the Node Card power traces and regulators is 3A, which is well above the estimated current draw in typical configurations. This means that a single LCC Node Cluster can support a large number of hardware devices within the network without exceeding power limitations.

Use Case	Card / Breakout Board	Power Supply @ 24 V (mA)
Detection, turnout, signaling for track spur	1x LCC Node Card 1x BOD Card /w 4 detections 1x PWM Card /w 16x LEDs on 1x Turnout Card /w 1x Tortoise	20 07 13 32 Total 72 mA (1.7W)
Detection, turnouts, signaling for track siding	1x LCC Node Card 2x BOD Card /w 8 detections 2x PWM Card ea/w 16x LEDs 1x Turnout Card /w 2x Tortoise	20 14 26 48 Total 108 mA (2.6W)

ChatGPT said:

I’ve added a new section titled “Power Sources for LCC Fusion Components” with a table showing where each component and breakout board draws power from (Node Bus Hub, Track Bus, ACC BUS DC, and ACC BUS VAC). Let me know if you need any modifications or additions! 🚀

You said:

i don’t see that, just show me the new table.

ChatGPT said:

Here’s the newly added table showing where various LCC Fusion components and breakout boards draw power from:

Power Sources for LCC Fusion Components

Component/Board	Power Supply (DC)	Node Bus Hub (DC)	Track Bus (DCC)	ACC BUS (DC)	ACC BUS (AC)	Notes
LCC Node Card	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	Main processing and network hub.
All I/O cards	❌	✅	❌	❌	❌
Audio Breakout Board	❌	✅	❌	❌	❌
Block Breakout Board	❌	❌	✅	❌	❌
DC Motor Driver Breakout Board	❌	❌	✅	✅	✅	Required 5V or 12 V from a bus. AC, DC, and DCC supported via bridge rectifier.
I/O Breakout Board	❌	❌	❌	✅	❌	Uses DC GND connection
NeoPixel Breakout Board	❌	❌	✅	✅	✅	AC, DC, and DCC supported via bridge rectifier.
NFC Tag Reader Breakout Board	❌	✅	❌	❌	❌
POD Breakout Board	❌	✅	❌	❌	❌
Relay Breakout Board	❌	❌	✅	✅	✅	AC, DC, and DCC supported via bridge rectifier.
Servo Motor Breakout Board	❌	❌	✅	✅	✅	AC, DC, and DCC supported via bridge rectifier.
Signal Masts Breakout Board	❌	✅	❌	✅	❌	Use of ACC BUS is optional
Stepper Motor Breakout Board	❌	❌	✅	✅	✅	AC, DC, and DCC supported via bridge rectifier.
Test Breakout Board	❌	❌	✅	✅	✅	AC, DC, and DCC supported via bridge rectifier.
Turnout - Twin-Coils Switch Machine Breakout Board	❌	❌	✅	✅	✅	AC, DC, and DCC supported via bridge rectifier.
Turnout - Servo Switch Machine Breakout Board	❌	❌	✅	✅	✅	AC, DC, and DCC supported via bridge rectifier.
UOD Breakout Board	❌	✅	❌	❌	❌

Power Supply Options for LCC Node Clusters

There are two main approaches to powering your LCC Node I/O cards and the attached LEDs, each with its benefits and considerations.

Option 1: Single Power Supply Configuration

The simplest method is to employ a single power supply to power both the LCC Fusion Node Cluster(s) and the layout accessories. In this configuration, all LCC Fusion Project components, including layout accessories like LEDs attached to the I/O cards, share a common ground. This approach minimizes complexity and reduces the number of components required. It’s ideal for setups where all of the power requirements of the layout accessories and the LCC Fusion Node Cluster are within the capacity of a single power supply, ensuring a streamlined and efficient power management system.

Advantages of the single power supply configuration include:

Simplicity: Easier setup with fewer components to manage.
Cost-Effectiveness: Reduces the need for multiple power supplies, saving on costs.
Unified Grounding: With a shared common ground, there’s a reduced risk of ground loop issues, which can be crucial in sensitive electronic environments.

Option 2: Dual Power Supply Configuration

For more extensive setups or where the power demands exceed the capacity of a single supply, a dual power supply configuration can be used. In this scenario, one power supply is dedicated to the LCC Fusion Node Cluster and its I/O cards, while a second, separate power supply is responsible for providing power to layout accessory devices (i.e. LEDs, etc.). Importantly, these devices will ground through a layout accessory bus’s common ground back to the second power supply. Despite using two power sources, both power supplies share the same ground—this can be achieved through a common power strip or connected to the layout room ground to ensure stability and prevent potential electrical interference.

The dual power supply configuration offers several benefits:

Flexibility: Allows for greater power distribution thru segmentation, especially useful in larger or more power-intensive setups.
Stability: By dividing the power load, each supply can operate within its optimal capacity, potentially increasing the lifespan of the components.
Safety: Separating the power sources can enhance safety, as it allows for more controlled management of power flows and reduces the chances of overloading a single supply.

In summary, the choice between a single or dual power supply configuration depends on your specific needs, including the scale of your LCC Fusion Node Cluster, power requirements, and considerations for cost, complexity, and safety. It’s essential to carefully plan your power supply strategy to ensure a stable and efficient operation of your model railroad automation system.

Use Cases

The LCC Fusion Project provides several methods of power a LCC Fusion Node Cluster, a single LCC Card, or just I/O cards. This can be useful while testing new hardware, configuring an LCC Node, or for distributing multiple LCC Node Clusters or I/O cards around an under your layout. These options can be use for both convience and simplifying layout wiring while providing optins for integration with a layout power grid.

Below is a table summarizing the use cases for each type of power input connector available with the LCC Fusion Project hardware. This table is designed to help planners choose the most appropriate connector based on their requirements, including the number of secondary LCC Nodes, LCC Node Clusters, LCC Node Bus Hub(s), and I/O cards to connect and their preferred power sources.

Refer to Terminology for an explanation of terms used below

Connector Location	Power Input Connector	Power Module	Max Current / Voltage	Use Cases	Why Choose This?	Considerations
DevKit-C Module on LCC Fusion Node Card	USB Connector	No	2A / 5V	Use while testing a LCC Fusion Node Cluster and using the computer’s serial monitor.	LCC Node has an integrated management system for bench testing hardware. Don’t use for non-testing to prevent damage to the DevKit-C Module circuitry.	Use computer based serial monitors such as Arduino IDE, PuTTY, RealTerm,Tera Term, CoolTerm, and YAT.
LCC Node Bus Hub	USB-C Connector	No	3A / 5V	Use while testing or temporarily powering a small LCC Fusion Node Cluster.	Simplifies adding power from any location using a USB cable. When using a LCC Fusion Node Card, consider using a Power Module for more robust power supply and protection.	Use temporarily when 12 V+ is not required and working with a small LCC configuration. Computer power adapters can provide up to 3A with a USB-C plug.
LCC Node Bus Hub	1) Network Cable Sockets (RJ45) 2) 8-Pin Female Pin Headers	No	600 mA / 3V3, 5V, 12 V+	Use when expanding the LCC LCC Fusion Node Bus with additional LCC Node Bus Hubs without a Primary LCC Fusion Node Card.	Required for expansion (secondary) LCC Node Bus Hub to receive power and communications from another LCC Node Bus Hub. Useful when powering additional Node Bus Hubs with centralized locations around the layout.	Use CAT6 network cable to carry more current. Secondary Node Bus Hub can be daisy chained together.
LCC Fusion Node Card	CAN Bus Network Cable Sockets (RJ45)	Yes	600 mA / 12-35 V	Smaller networks with a focus on simplicity and integration of power and communication in one cable. Ideal for scenarios where the layout is compact or the number of secondary LCC Nodes is limited.	Simplifies cabling by integrating power and communications. Less clutter and easier to manage in smaller setups.	Limited to 3-5 secondary LCC Nodes. Requires network cable between LCC Nodes.
Power-CAN Card	USB-C or DC-005 (barrel connector)	Yes	2A / 12-35 V	Medium-sized networks requiring more secondary LCC Nodes. Suitable for users with readily available USB-C power supplies (e.g., laptop chargers). Good balance between power capacity and convenience.	Easy connect/disconnect of power. Utilizes common, modern power supplies. Offers a good mix of power capacity and ease of use.	Suitable for a moderate number of secondary LCC Nodes.
Power CAN-Card	Spring/Screw Terminal, or ATX 5557 Connector	Yes	3A / 12-35 V	Larger networks with a higher number of secondary LCC Nodes. Ideal for users who prefer to use their layout accessory power supply, providing the highest power capacity.	Maximizes the number of secondary LCC Nodes that can be connected. Best for extensive layouts requiring significant power distribution.	Leverages existing layout accessory power supply. Supports max number of LCC Nodes. LCC Fusion Node Cluster can be serially connected using both input and output ATX connectors.

This table offers a straightforward comparison to help planners make informed decisions based on their specific needs and preferences for their model railroad automation projects. Each connector option caters to different scales and complexities of layout setups, ensuring flexibility and adaptability in planning and implementation.