Overload protection connotes
the capability to determine that if more load is being required than
the decoder can handle. In that case, a circuit breaker of sorts will
shut it down. I don't know if any of the decoders which are advertised
to have overload protection have this type of scheme for protection
- there are several schemes that could be considered to be overload
protection and most companies just don't publish information on how
they do it.
Some companies advertise Thermal
Protection and Short-Circuit
Protection. There are devices designed specifically for thermal
overload, so I suspect those companies use those devices. Short-Circuit
Protection generally looks for shorts when power is first turned on.
Once it passes the short circuit test, it's not checked again. Digitrax
decoders have this test. If it senses a short circuit, it shuts the
decoder down except for blinking the headlight functions. |
