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Short Definition

Back Electromotive Force is monitored by the mobile decoder and is used to maintain a steady speed under varying load conditions, such as grades.

Back Electro-Motive Force (BEMF), is like having a governor on the throttle. This feature prevents trains from slowing down or speeding up on grades. Sometimes model trains stop when trying to travel slowly across a turnout or other rough trackage. BEMF control provides a solution.

Back ElectroMotive Force is the voltage generated during the operation of a rotating machine (a generator or a motor). BEMF is proportional to speed and independent of load.

Contents 1 Back Electro-motive Force 1.1 Consisting 1.2 Slow Speed Operations 1.3 Sound Decoders 1.3.1 Digitrax Variation 2 Dynamic Brake

[edit] Back Electro-motive Force

When a voltage (which creates an electro-motive force) is applied to a motor's armature, it begins to rotate, and a certain amount of electrical resistance is generated by the rotating magnetic field. This kick-back is called Back Electro Motive Force BEMF) or Back-EMF. The faster the armature turns, the more EMF is produced. The net effect is the BEMF limits just how fast the motor or generator can turn.

BEMF may also be called:

• Generator Coefficient
• Generator Constant
• Voltage Constant
• Counter ElectroMotive Force

BEMF is specified in more than one way, although the end result is the same. One definition is "volts per thousand RPM," or "Volts/KRPM." A second definition is "Volts/(rad/sec)" where (rad/sec) is Radians per Second.

Using the above, the decoder can measure the motor's speed and apply power accordingly to keep the speed constant. The result can be a train that will maintain the same speed regardless of the grade, number of cars being pulled, or condition of the track.

One of the things this can be used for is to simulate the action of a governor. That is, trains go up and down grades while maintaining the same speed. Some people like this idea while others think it's a bad idea - it is NOT prototypical. Some people just want to see trains run and don't want to be bothered by continuously throttling up and down on grades. For layouts that are primarily used for display, this could be good - set the train's speed and let it run unattended. But for people who enjoy running their trains, prototypically or otherwise, this feature can take away from that enjoyment - for those, BEMF can be disabled while programing the decoder.

[edit] Consisting

If you want to use BEMF for this purpose, there is something you need to be aware of. It is all but impossible to make two locos run at the exact same speed. If you couple two locos together, both having 100% BEMF control, they will fight each other. The one that is fastest will want to pull the slower one, and the slower one will want to hold back on the faster one. The more they pull against each other, the harder they will try - until you hear wheels scrubbing. This is called the push-me-pull-you syndrome. Even if they are off by only 1/4 inch in 10 feet, it can be enough to get the syndrome started. And once started, it only intensifies.

To counter this effect, many manufacturers have made various provisions to allow coupling BEMF controlled locos together. Some disable BEMF at speeds above switching (more about that later), and others provide for disabling BEMF when locos are MUed.

[edit] Slow Speed Operations

Another BEMF use is to smooth running over turnouts and other rough trackage at slow speeds. This is especially important for switchers running at very slow speeds over points and frogs. Some manufacturers specialize their BEMF only for this purpose - cutting out when the loco reaches a certain speed. Digitrax decoders can be set up to run at 100% BEMF for switching purposes, but does not automatically cut out at higher speeds.

[edit] Sound Decoders

BEMF is used by sound decoders as well. For an internal combustion engine, it will simulate the load on the prime mover. Just like your car as you start from a stop, the engine will make noise proportional to the load, speed and throttle setting.

For external combustion, the BEMF is used to control the chuffs (or beats) of the engine under load, and the sounds like rod clank that are heard during drifting. It simulates the effects of the throttle and cut-off, which are adjusted by the engineer as he brings the train from a stop to speed. The engineer would open the thottle and adjust the cut-off for maximum steam admission. As the engine begins to move and pick up speed, he will adjust the cut-off to reduce the amount of steam being admitted, like using a choke to richen or lean a mixture. The beats coming from the stack will change in intensity and duration in the process.

[edit] Digitrax Variation

Digitrax provides several options for this. First, it can be turned on and off at will. Second, a certain amount of tolerance can be programmed in - in two different ways (making it scalable); how much Back-EMF to use and how fast to use it. And lastly, they provide for two different amounts of Back-EMF to be used based upon whether the loco is consisted to another loco or not. This last feature allows you to program full Back-EMF control when not consisted, and have some tolerance for the other loco when consisted via Decoder-Assisted Consisting.

Like all things with versatility, Digitrax's Back-EMF is a little more complicated to program than some others. Think about it. If all you can do is turn it on and off, that's all you need to learn how to do. Actually, you can operate Digitrax's Back-EMF decoders this way if you choose. But, if you want to run two locos together under Back-EMF control, you will need to learn how to program that feature into the decoders as well.

To do all of this, Digitrax uses three CVs (55, 56, & 57). To explain how each of these work, you have to understand that the "target" speed is the speed with which the loco is supposed to be going according to the throttle setting you have given it. CV#55 is used to tell the decoder how fast to compensate for speed differences. CV#56 uses historical information to act as a shock absorber - to keep from over reacting. CV#57 tells how much tolerance from the target speed is allowed. CV#57 is divided in half. The first hex digit is for how much Back-EMF when not consisted, the second digit is for how much when consisted via Decoder-Assisted Consisting.

[edit] Dynamic Brake

In the real world the BEMF is both a nuisance and a blessing. While it increases the power needed to propel the locomotive, it also provides a force which can be used to slow the locomotive. This is called Dynamic Braking.

To implement this, the generator power is routed to the field coils, and the rotor coils are connected to a bank of resistors. The traction motor is now configured as a generator, and it's output is dissipated by the resistor bank. Since there is resistance to the current flow, a back-emf is created in the rotor, which now wants to slow down due to the counter torque being created. This allows control of the train without using the air brake system excessively. .