Hate to sound like broken record... but... this is exactly what I needed to help wrap my head around how to add resistors to the wheel sets. I'm just getting started... so trying to figure out all the bells and whistles I want to have on my layout, so I can plan it accordingly. Thanks for sharing! 🤠
I glue the resistors black side down then if you put too much paint on you can scrape it off. If you scrape the black (resistor) side it usually damages the resistor coating. I found plastic axles tend to fail after a while, probably from slight flexing, so I swap them around between cars so only metal axles have resistors. I use smaller resistors (402), more fiddly but almost invisible once painted.
That's a lot easier than soldering, I've ruined a couple wheelsets by melting the plastic insulator. I think I'll give the conductive paint a try, thanks for the idea!
Hi Darren, I purchased (about a year ago) around 100 10k ohm resistive wheelsets of a couple of diameters and have been using them as I 'place' cars onto my layout - but they don't work on ScaleTrains (and other manufacturers) cars with rolling hibcaps so this is a great tip for me. Thank you. And it looks as if even my old ham fists might be able to do the installation 😀
I pretty much add resistors exactly like that, except I use a small sanding stick to rough up the axle and inside wheel face where the resistor and conductive paint will attach. It's a also a must for plastic axles as the conductive paint doesn't stick very well to the plastic and can "shell off" after a time.
Occasionally, the resistors will go bad, and the wheels sets will short. Can take a while to find the wheelset that is causing the problem, I did over three hundred cars on the N scale Geneva Sub and has three go bad like this.
Thank you Daryl, I have always wondered how to do this and how involved it would be. You always ran one Digitrax unit to power your entire layout but I saw that you added a booster. Do the resistors draw power from the track and if so was it recognizable and did it have any bearing on you adding the extra booster? Thank you.
While the booster is there, I have not yet added it to the layout. Probably will do so in a bit. I think the one booster is probably adequate for the layout. However, I have the old DCS100 on hand, so I may as well use it. None of this is related to the resister wheelsets.
I’ve been watching your videos every week and must have missed the one about how you put your containers into the well cars. Did you glue them together and then glue into the well car?
No glue just some putty to keep them in place. I did not remove them while doing the resistors because they are more stable upside down with the containers in than with them out.
Thank you for this very interesting tutorial. I noticed that when you turned around the well cars, you left the containers on the cars or did you glue them to the car? Or did you just left the containers in place to make the work easier.
Fascinating vid. Couple questions: how much more resistance do you think that conductive paint adds to each installation; have you calculated how many of these you can do before the current draw becomes a problem? After all, each install is a parallel circuit so each one reduces effective resistance and increases current draw.
Compared to the value of the resistor very little. Each resistor takes about 1.5mA, so 1000 would take 1.5 amps. I had about 200 cars on the layout, two resistors per car so 0.6 A spread between two 5A boosters, not a problem.
I am now doing resistor wheelsets. I am just using the conductive paint vs. super glue as it kept getting on top of resistor... will it hold? Also, I am having trouble with the plastic axles. The conductive paint is not enough to make connection so am "laying in" a thin (one strand of 18AWG wire) wire into the paint to make the resistor to the other side of the wheel, across the axle. Otherwise, it is not throwing the circuit to show occupied block. any tips/tricks/points?
The paint should hold unless it is bumped somehow. A derailment may knock it off. The wire idea sounds like a good idea. I had about a 30% failure rate with plastic axles. I just tried again with the other axles until I had success. 😊
@@EvanstonSub okay, I was able to get the super glue to work today. Knocked out 15 cars. Thanks for the vid’s, backdrop looks great. You have done so much work!!
@@EvanstonSub okay, so I started using the CA and hmmm.... The resistors where I used purely the conductive paint, no issues. those that i used CA, then conductive paint, 50% fail now, after3-4 days sitting... I think it is because the conductive paint contacts both the bottom and top side of resistor when used alone...! I am going back to that method and if I lose a few, no problem. just wanted to let you/group know.
Hi, I'm desperately looking for n scale signals! When you're ready to sell what you have, I would love to buy all of them. I'm friends with Andrew from Lombard Hobbies.
as much profit the power company's sock out of us. why would they care how much you use? i am anul about turning off lights, saving water. and my bills keep going up. and no scenery lights. heck no track layed down at this time. but the cats keep turning on my security lights. this is why i need a couple dogs. the sent of a couple rotts just might keep them out. but sad also the deer. i had a doe laying in my back yard a couple weeks back. she just sat there watching me open a gate, back the pick up into the yard, close the gate, go into the house. and she was only 20 feet from me. enjoying some safe shade in the heat of august.
Nice ending Daryl 👍🏻🏴
Thx
Hate to sound like broken record... but... this is exactly what I needed to help wrap my head around how to add resistors to the wheel sets. I'm just getting started... so trying to figure out all the bells and whistles I want to have on my layout, so I can plan it accordingly. Thanks for sharing! 🤠
You're welcome
I really appreciate this tutorial, i have been struggling trying to create a prototype and this will really lend a hand! Much appreciated!
Cheers
Wade
Glad it was helpful
What a fantastic tip! I had resigned myself to buying resistive wheelsets. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Another great video!
Glad you like them!
Thank you! Awesome video. Now I understand how to do and why it’s needed. Going to order some conductive paint and resistors. 😊
Good luck!
I glue the resistors black side down then if you put too much paint on you can scrape it off. If you scrape the black (resistor) side it usually damages the resistor coating. I found plastic axles tend to fail after a while, probably from slight flexing, so I swap them around between cars so only metal axles have resistors. I use smaller resistors (402), more fiddly but almost invisible once painted.
These resistors only have the metal tabs on one side.
@@EvanstonSub The small ones I used had contacts all around the ends.
That's a lot easier than soldering, I've ruined a couple wheelsets by melting the plastic insulator. I think I'll give the conductive paint a try, thanks for the idea!
Good luck
Hi Darren, I purchased (about a year ago) around 100 10k ohm resistive wheelsets of a couple of diameters and have been using them as I 'place' cars onto my layout - but they don't work on ScaleTrains (and other manufacturers) cars with rolling hibcaps so this is a great tip for me. Thank you. And it looks as if even my old ham fists might be able to do the installation 😀
Glad to help.
Awesome video!!
Thanks for the visit
I pretty much add resistors exactly like that, except I use a small sanding stick to rough up the axle and inside wheel face where the resistor and conductive paint will attach. It's a also a must for plastic axles as the conductive paint doesn't stick very well to the plastic and can "shell off" after a time.
I'll see what happens with the plastic axles. I've never had issues with resistors coming unglued.
I would love a detailed video on how your signaling system is done. How do the detectors work in conjunction with JMRI????
I do not use JMRI for the dispatchers panel and signal control. I use RR&Co software. However, I would recommend JMRi as it is free.
Can you do a how to speed match video? You do it so well!!
Already did one ua-cam.com/video/7CgUKYbcRTQ/v-deo.html
Great progress
thanks
Excellent video! Thank you!!!! What if any are the most common problems with adding these resistors and what is the solution?
Occasionally, the resistors will go bad, and the wheels sets will short. Can take a while to find the wheelset that is causing the problem, I did over three hundred cars on the N scale Geneva Sub and has three go bad like this.
That's very cool
Thanks
Thank you Daryl, I have always wondered how to do this and how involved it would be. You always ran one Digitrax unit to power your entire layout but I saw that you added a booster. Do the resistors draw power from the track and if so was it recognizable and did it have any bearing on you adding the extra booster? Thank you.
While the booster is there, I have not yet added it to the layout. Probably will do so in a bit. I think the one booster is probably adequate for the layout. However, I have the old DCS100 on hand, so I may as well use it. None of this is related to the resister wheelsets.
Great video
Thanks for the visit
Very interesting.
Glad you think so!
I’ve been watching your videos every week and must have missed the one about how you put your containers into the well cars. Did you glue them together and then glue into the well car?
No glue just some putty to keep them in place. I did not remove them while doing the resistors because they are more stable upside down with the containers in than with them out.
Was that a new orleans public belt box at the end of the n-scale display?
Yes
Thank you for this very interesting tutorial. I noticed that when you turned around the well cars, you left the containers on the cars or did you glue them to the car? Or did you just left the containers in place to make the work easier.
Just to make the work easier.
Fascinating vid. Couple questions: how much more resistance do you think that conductive paint adds to each installation; have you calculated how many of these you can do before the current draw becomes a problem? After all, each install is a parallel circuit so each one reduces effective resistance and increases current draw.
Compared to the value of the resistor very little. Each resistor takes about 1.5mA, so 1000 would take 1.5 amps. I had about 200 cars on the layout, two resistors per car so 0.6 A spread between two 5A boosters, not a problem.
Thanks for the reply!
Thanks for the video and tutorial.
Is there a limit that you can put on the layout before you get a short circuit ?
I think the current draw of the resistors is negligible.
@@EvanstonSub thanks
I am now doing resistor wheelsets. I am just using the conductive paint vs. super glue as it kept getting on top of resistor... will it hold?
Also, I am having trouble with the plastic axles. The conductive paint is not enough to make connection so am "laying in" a thin (one strand of 18AWG wire) wire into the paint to make the resistor to the other side of the wheel, across the axle. Otherwise, it is not throwing the circuit to show occupied block. any tips/tricks/points?
The paint should hold unless it is bumped somehow. A derailment may knock it off. The wire idea sounds like a good idea. I had about a 30% failure rate with plastic axles. I just tried again with the other axles until I had success. 😊
@@EvanstonSub I am getting a 75% fail rate on plastic… maybe glue needs more carbon in it!
That's not good. I glob the paint on pretty thick.
@@EvanstonSub okay, I was able to get the super glue to work today. Knocked out 15 cars. Thanks for the vid’s, backdrop looks great. You have done so much work!!
@@EvanstonSub okay, so I started using the CA and hmmm.... The resistors where I used purely the conductive paint, no issues. those that i used CA, then conductive paint, 50% fail now, after3-4 days sitting... I think it is because the conductive paint contacts both the bottom and top side of resistor when used alone...! I am going back to that method and if I lose a few, no problem. just wanted to let you/group know.
Hi, I'm desperately looking for n scale signals! When you're ready to sell what you have, I would love to buy all of them. I'm friends with Andrew from Lombard Hobbies.
Cool. Go to my web store and be sure to sign up for the email list. I will email my customers when the signals are listed. Probably within a week.
as much profit the power company's sock out of us. why would they care how much you use?
i am anul about turning off lights, saving water. and my bills keep going up.
and no scenery lights. heck no track layed down at this time. but the cats keep turning on my security lights.
this is why i need a couple dogs. the sent of a couple rotts just might keep them out. but sad also the deer.
i had a doe laying in my back yard a couple weeks back. she just sat there watching me open a gate, back the pick up into the yard, close the gate, go into the house. and she was only 20 feet from me. enjoying some safe shade in the heat of august.
Nice rant
More realism for dispatcher panel. Push envelope run more trains, set meets.
That's the plan!