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Tuesday, November 05, 2024

Need some wireing help

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12 years 5 months ago #13773 by Kelley
Need some wireing help was created by Kelley
I am working on a layout representing the town of Sesser Illinois, around 1960, on the CB&Q. Using Google Earth and old track plans from 1940, I have figured out what I want to make. I have the frame built. Track will be laid on 4 mm cork on a blue foam sheet. Outside dimensions of the first module is 66x99 mm.
I am using MTL roadbed track. All turnouts are manual and I will have cheap Conrad turnout motors running underneath.
I will be running DCC.
Feederwires will be soldered to the outside of the tracks.
What I need help with is this.
How and where to run the feeder wires, where to gap it, do I need to modify the turnouts, should I install electric power switches to each feed, and where to put in brake lights to protect against shorting?
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12 years 5 months ago #13775 by garthah
Replied by garthah on topic Re: Need some wireing help
using MTL roadbed track and turnouts you do not need to use block wiring as
MTL turnouts are not power routing, in other words they are power everywhere so you just two connection one to each rail and this works with either DC or DCC power to this track.

There are some consideration to be considered using DCC.

If you use the NCE Powercab then the track voltage is reduced and the current is also limited, when compared to many systems which have more than 12 volts to the track at 3 or 5 amp which can do serous damage to z scale engines if a short occurs caused by a derailment.

regards Garth

cheerz Garth
The following user(s) said Thank You: Kelley

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12 years 5 months ago #13776 by Kelley
Replied by Kelley on topic Re: Need some wireing help
Thanks. I am still thinking I should insulate the upper northbound track from the southbound track. ! main bus with 2 separate feeds?

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12 years 5 months ago #13778 by shamoo737
Replied by shamoo737 on topic Re: Need some wireing help
Kelley, I insulated my modules only because theres a possibility of running dc on in the inner and dcc on the outer tracks on shows. If you run dcc, I dont see the need to insulate them.

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12 years 5 months ago #13779 by garthah
Replied by garthah on topic Re: Need some wireing help
the only reason to insulate northbound from southbound is if you wish to operate two trains, one on each side in DC mode, each powered from a different DC controller. With DCC this not required as you can operate two separate trains using a single DCC feed, which is the main feature of DCC. If this to be used in a modular layout then you need to conform to the wiring practice of the layout you are connecting to, to avoid electrical problems.

regards Garth

cheerz Garth

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12 years 5 months ago #13787 by SJ-BAZ-man
Replied by SJ-BAZ-man on topic Re: Need some wireing help
Pretty much it. 2 wires anywhere will do. I assume that there is a lot more track left and right of the image. A pair of feeders every 3-6', maybe front and back of the loop. Some to the spur ends but not really necessary. 2 wires will easily run it.

As for gapping/insulating: I would do the Inner Outer, just in case, like John says, you may want/have to run DC. Not easy to us a light bulb on each turnout as you would have to isolated each one AND even if you did do that, a truck or front/back of the loco would easily bridge that. Give up on the bulbs and WATCH YOUR TRAINS ! They survive most temporary shorts. Reducing the voltage does NOT reduce the current, only the Watts (Volts x Current). The power supply will deliver it's rated current during a short. If you need training wheels, you could just use a lower current wall-wart (make SURE it is a Switching type [i.e. regulated], not a squarish heavy one). You could put One 10-12 Watt, 12-14V (both +/- a bit) bulb in series with one lead coming out from the Power Cab connection but hey, that's like giving knee pads to a first time roller blader. ;)

Jeff
SF Bay Area Z

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