DCC-BSS.2 Bus Spike Suppressor

[NCS from Qbyn]

I received an email ad from DCC Concepts for their DCC Bus Spike Suppressor. DCC-BSS.2

The product is described on their web page at Bus Suppressors/Terminators (2 Pack)

Does anyone on here have any experience of this product? It claims to protect loco decoders from voltage spikes in the DCC signal, caused by short circuits or other things. It claims many commercial DCC controllers don't provide this protection.

Is this just a gimmick product, or is it worth a go?

I have a Massoth 1200Z and 2 Massoth 1200B boosters, so I wonder if these have that sort of protection built in anyway, which would mean adding these DCC Concepts products to each of my 3 DCC busses may not even be worthwhile.

I also have several LGB reversing loop modules on my layout - which work by creating brief short circuits. So, would a product like the spike suppressor interfere with the operation of these reversing loop modules?

Also, they appear to be raw circuit boards - ie no weather protection, so may need extra work for an outdoor G-Scale layout?

Any thoughts please.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Looks like a simple MOV or Trans-zorb (often 2 zener diodes back to back).

I get the concept of spikes killing things, but I'd like to see collected data (like oscilloscope traces) of examples. Interestingly, they point a finger at Tam Vally frog juicers, and I use these on Z scale, I would think if they were making spikes I would know it and I have never had an issue.

So, they momentarily create a short circuit when you get a spike, again not sure what the signal does, but I would guess the short is of brief enough duration not to trip breakers.

Bottom line, would like some examples that really show this issue. Or maybe someone who had equipment blowing up all the time, and the addition of these, and these alone fixed the problem.

Would they hurt anything? Doubtful, I'm sure the waveform only get's distorted when they act, and it is technically acting on a distorted waveform in first place.

Greg