How To Wire A Model Railroad Layout For DCC
Вставка
- Опубліковано 16 лип 2018
- In this video I discuss how to wire a model railroad layout for DCC. I show you how I run bus lines, short circuit management, and feeder wires to bring your digital command control layout to life.
🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽
✅ RTNT Amazon Page: www.amazon.com/shop/ronstrain...
✅ Amazon Pick of the Week: 1156 bulb: amzn.to/2zNgyq7
Wire clamps: amzn.to/2uHquMd
Crimping tool: amzn.to/2NU6YEW
Wire Stripper: amzn.to/2No9n9E
22 AWG wire black: amzn.to/2Ju9oa1
22 AWG wire red: amzn.to/2uGOmj7
Spade connectors: amzn.to/2JuPGLd
For jumpers, check out allectronics.com and search for terminal jumpers.
(NOTE: The above are Amazon affiliate links: I make a small commission from any purchased made through these links.)
Electronic parts, tools, and supplies also available at www.allelectronics.com/
🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽
✅Take advantage of the rewards for your support of Ron's Trains N Things through Patreon:
/ ronstrainnthings
Thanks to my Patreon friends.
🔼 Heroes:
David H.--sparky107107
/ sparky107107
Bill Gatewood
🔼 Partners:
Todd Walton--Wally's Weathering / 2toady
Chuck Hedler--Chazco
/ @chazco
Roy Hardwick--CONTAINERMAN68
/ @containerman68
Randy Daigle
🔼 Patrons:
Wendell Camp
Tom Bensberg
✅ You can also invest in this channel through PayPal:
www.paypal.me/RonsTrainsNThings
Your support is greatly appreciated. Thank You.
🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽
✅Check our my regular column in The Modeler's Journal--a free eMag. www.themodelersjournal.com/pr...
🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽
🔸 Contact me via email: ronstrainsnthings@gmail.com
🔸 Follow me on Twitter: @RonsTrainsNTngs
/ ronstrainsntngs
🔸 Join the Ron's Railfans community on Facebook: / ronsrailfans
🔸 Connect on Instagram: / rtrains
🔸 For more about my layout, the Texas Colorado & Western Railway, check out / tcwry
If you like what you see give it a "like" 👍, subscribe 🔔, comment 💬 below, and share it on your social media and model railroad forums.
🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽
Credits:
🤘Theme Song: "Extremes" by the Lemming Shepherds
Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
👂Sound E ffects: LoudTVStatice.wav from Freesound.org by 18hiltc / @rc_swift1772
Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
TVStaticSound by KLEBER KGF from Freesound.org
Public Domain
Equipment:
🔷 Canon Rebel T6i DSLR--amzn.to/2EEGYeO
🔷 Canon Rebel T3 DSLR--amzn.to/2Cmm8xt
🔷 MX-2000 tripod
🔷 Logitech C922x Pro Stream Webcam--amzn.to/2CaBzfd
🔷 Excelvan 2kW Lighting Kit--amzn.to/2EcHZrH
🔷 Blue Snowball Ice Microphone--amzn.to/2Cb1raG
🔷 HitFilm 4 Express--hitfilm.com/express
🔷 Audacity--www.audacityteam.org/
🔷 Clamp Lamps
🔷 The Sun--en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun - Навчання та стиль
If you would like to learn more about wiring your model railroad layout, check out this video as well. ua-cam.com/video/eK_3xcoDXNk/v-deo.html
what 12 gauge and 18 gauge wiring can you link plz awesome video
On the short management couldn't you use automotive glow fuses with a inline fuse holder instead?
I mentioned that because it would give protection by breaking the circuit and the fuse would light up to show you the location of the problem.
what is block need to relize not all of us know the slang that is use
I am not a electrician, I don’t play one on TV either, I understood Ron’s process of wiring, nice clean and simple to wire a layout
I also like using 12ga wire. I like this way of wiring a layout. Looks perfect to me. Im going to do it this way when I wire my layout!
Great presentation Ron. Thanks for sharing your way of doing things.
I love suitcase connectors! They make wiring so much easier, plus no soldering under the layout.
Yes, I was out, so I figured it was a good chance to show a solid soldered connection, but I honestly NEVER do this. I always use IDCs on the layout for feeder wires.
Great info. Am new to DCC as I have been out of the hobby for nearly 30 years. Hope to start a small layout this year.
Great video Ron as usual. I personally use suitcase connectors and love them. I go straight from my buss wire to suitcase connectors and feeder wire to the track eliminating an extra wire. This has been working great for my small layout. Many ways to skin a cat as they say. Keep up the great videos. I enjoy everyone.
Thank you for your comment and thanks for watching.
Your train "help" videos are FABULOUS!!! Thank you for so many wonderfully helpful tutorials.
Thank you! I am just getting into model railroading and planning my small layout. This really helps! Have a wonderful year ahead!
Hey Ron, greetings from the UK! That's a cracking video - crystal clear. I'm just getting the model railway bug again after a 35 year break, and DCC looks like the way to go. Thanks for the great tips about the bulb...
Just getting back to modeling - new to DCC - however we used to use a automobile headlight (the big glass type) in series to provide short circuit protection - that was about 55 years ago
Thanks Ron for this video. I watched mikes video and this make me understand it more. I’ve already wired my layout and this video would help a lot if I were wiring or planning on it. I wire mine very simply. A bus wire connected to the track every 5 feet or so. I don’t wire switches or buildings, as I didn’t want too much cluster or wiring incase I did something wrong. It works fine and i am planning on wiring my switches and buildings to separate wires since it is my first layout. Thanks for sharing.
Lucas
I too wire my structures and accessories separately, not into my DCC system.
You spoke of a Contest to Reach 10,000 Subscribers.
As of my finding your video today, April 3, 2024, your Channel Anniversary Date, you’re close to 63,000. NICE!!! Congratulations
I like the sub bus concept. Also, good idea for the short indicator.
Very informative, looking forward to the next video... thanks
Ron, thank you for saying the most important thing I needed to know, insulate your blocks. You rock my friend
Thanks for sharing Ron, especially the bonuses
Ron, like you, I use terminal/barrier strips in my layout wiring. I really like them. But I also use them in connecting the feeder wire to the bus wires, because I don't like soldering. They help keep the wiring neatly organized and hence easier to trouble-shoot later on, if necessary. I like to label everything, both under the layout and on a copy of the track plan, again for trouble-shooting later on, if necessary. Having wired a layout for DC in the 1980s, I have found that wiring my current layout for DCC to be much easier, because I don't need to divide my layout up into a bunch of isolated electrical blocks, each with separate wires running from a huge control panel with a bunch of toggle switches. ...Roy
Hi, Roy. You are right about the ease of DCC wiring vs DC wiring. Been there, done that. As for terminal strips for feeders, I did that on a previous layout, but I felt like I ended up with a veritable rats nest of wires at the terminal strip, plus I had 22 AWG wire running much longer distances that I preferred. I just think the sub bus keeps thing cleaner for me personally.
I love those big control panels like you're in real switch Tower
Excellent ideas and video Ron!! You give a great explanation of how you approach wiring for your layout.Other's can watch and get ideas and concepts for how they would like to wire there's, and you are so very correct that not everyone does things the same, it''s just how you do it! Thanks for all your videos and sharing with us.
D. Muse
Thank you for your comment and thanks for watching.
I am just now getting into the model railroad. This answered many of my questions. I am looking forward to more of your videos.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for your comment.
I wish to thank you for your information on wiring a DCC layout. It's a great idea . I used 12-gauge wire for my bus and 16-gauge wire for the rest. I have 7 Blocks in which I used 7 DPDT switches. the switch in the up position is for DC and down position is for DCC. The center tabs on all the switches I used 12 Gauge to the track using 18-gauge wire has feeders. Used 16-gauge wire to my DC controller and to the DCC EZ command controller Plus for my DCC engines (low budget layout) plus my layout is on a 4x8 table... Thanks so much Ron you have been a lot help...
thanks ron doing ok.i wire about the same way.rewird my house so your doing ok.keep up the good job.learn alot from you guys.god bless.robert.
Never mind! Watching the district video now. Thanks a Ron!
I’m here fo knowledge, not to criticize .
Same here to here for knowledge
Great video Ron, easy to understand, do like the short protection idea, once again I get ideas for my layout from your channel, thanks for sharing...Reid
Thanks Reid. Good to hear from you.
I ran 14 gauge main bus line to terminals at each end. For future expansion, at the one end i tie it into my DCC unit. From the main bus line I tie into sub terminals, then i tie my feeders into the sub terminals. Never had a problem with voltage drop. My layout is 3x 10x 4 , L shaped, yes i have a turn table, tons of turnouts, yard
Another, very helpful video.
Really helped out.
Thanks. I'm glad you found it helpful.
Wow Ron,
You just earned a whole new level of respect from me. I,m from Puerto Rico. Thank you for caring, on behalf of my people & myself 👍🏽
We were glad to help where we could. It was an honor.
hank you. for talking about DCC I've always had AC now. I'm thinking about upgrading mine to DCC. I have a 10 foot layout as a DC. I've have problems all the time with my wiring. THANK YOU
Hey Ron - I used 14 gauge stranded for my main bus lines which was divided into 4 isolated power districts using the black terminal strips. For short protection I used the Digitrax PR42 to manage those power districts. To send power to my drop feeds, I used suitcase connectors to connect 18 gauge solid wire directly into the main bus in strategic locations. From the 18 gauge wire I feed to multiple 22 gauge solid wire drops from the track using Spring Connectors. I opted for the Spring Connectors so I didn't have to solder under the layout plus if I need to remove a piece of track, I just have to remove the feeder wire from the Spring Connector.
That sounds like a good system. Thanks for sharing.
Ron - amazing video thanks for sharing your knowledge...
Thanks.
Newbie here ty for the video
Great video! Really informative, been wondering about wiring.
Great video and good idea
Great idea! Thanks for the video!
Thanks.
great vid, as someone who is terrified of this step and new to model railroading, this was awesome to grasp and understand, cant wait to get started
Keep up the great tips. I always learn things from you.
Thank you for your comment and thanks for watching.
Ron's Trains N Things regardless of what others may say the short circuit with lights is amazing. So I assume in a short the light turns.... (on or off)
Yes it does. This system has its limitations, but for what it does it works great and costs almost nothing.
awesome video... side note on the bulb deal... since I also work on cars/trucks - I frequent junkyards... you could just get light assemblies or google and find ones in a socket. then you can just hit the wires on them and if the bulb blows, you can simply twist it out and put a new one in... just a thought...
Good tips. I for one do not like the IDC (suitcase) connectors. At a Model RR Club, they had a lot of those and most we discovered had cut through and broken the feeder wires with loss of power in that area. Issue was the original installer had used a channel lock pliers to install rather than the parallel jaw pliers. Cut them out and installed the barrier strips such as you show. More reliable. Also, we installed circuit breaker boards dividing the layout into segments. That way a short in an area won't affect the rest of the layout.
Thanks for sharing how you do things. Appreciate your input.
Thanks Ron. I do not see how it could be any more clear.
Mike
Thanks, Mike.
Great video!
wow this video really helped me with wiring nce dcc.
@ mario brothers 1158 it’s the same for Digitrax, NCE, and any other DCC platform. Like Hornby and Bachmann those are the easiest to wire up just 2 wires needed runs a small and medium small layout, medium and on needs more boost and power from track feeders and bus line required beyond a medium small layout. The bus line was shown should not make an entire loop, need to terminate it at some point if it chases its tail like I had before taking it down a few months ago. I know digitrax looks more complex but it’s the same concept but on circuit boards. 2 wires per feeder and bus line. Or the loco net or power cab can loop power from the throttle and hand control with 2 wires to the track as well. Or to the bus line as well. So it’s not to bad on that.
Don't have a layout unfortunately I can't afford any of it but I sure enjoy watching you and learning from you maybe someday
In 2 rail O, I use DCC like any typical N or HO layout. One booster per district. Simple and reliable. Have yet to experience too many issues with it lol
Like your little trick with the light bulb to see a short.
I like to do my splices a little differently though.
Using a utility knife and basic wire strippers. I first make a cut through the insulation, using strippers. I then make a cut through the insulation along the length of the wire about 1/2 inch. I then Fold back the insulation exposing the wire I wish to solder to. I solder the joint then folder the insulation back over the soldered joint. Then electrical tape or heat shrink. Makes a slightly better-insulated joint. But it is overkill for the most part. Mainly used when doing my computer cabling for sleeving work.
Thanks for sharing. I can see the benefit to that method.
thank, you for shairing you're video.👍
This is cool, I'm working on starting my layout next year
Nice clean wiring Ron. The extra time and care is worth it when suitcase connectors can be soo troublesome.
Thanks, but personally I have never had trouble with suitcase connectors.
@@RonsTrainsNThings Hi Ron, I love your video series. I hope to meet you some day when you are at a train show here in KC. You mention buying all of your electronics from All Electronics. Do you get your IDC's there as well? They sell a quick splice connector #7100 that looks like the IDC's sold by micromark #84022 but I can not tell from the All Electronics catalog description.
Very instructive, thanks a lo.
James/FFV.
I love your videos and have gotten some great ideas for my layout. I watched your video about north yard that you modeled. And I did a similar, but slightly different, of it for mine. My layout is going to be more of a "freelance americana". Most is all fiction but model some real parts of America. I wanna make the grand canyon, Niagara Falls and las Vegas on my layout. Along with an elevated right away going thu a modge podge city (iconic building from large cities).
KEEP UP THE VIDEOS THERE GREAT
That sounds like a fun layout. I look forward to that.
I would never have dreamed model railroads could have gotten so technical!
Very technical. With Digital Command Control every locomotive as a computer on board that takes signals from the throttle for movement, direction, speed, lighting effects, sound effects...the list is virtually endless. IT SO COOL!!!
Having been with Norfolk southern for 28 years I say the same thing when I get the cab daily
@@RonsTrainsNThings Are you sure it's more technical? I have seen some DC layouts that look like pasta and meatballs under the bench work! To me the way you wired this is very basic and straightforward?
I guess you have to define Technical? DCC has alot of technology but seems alot more user friendly? Or I'm looking at it the wrong way?
Took the link ride to Sophia's channel - my Year 9 English class is going to be watching, and hopefully being inspired for their slam poetry unit next week. Equally hopefully they don't have to stay back so I can get in on the Live Chat!
That is awesome. I will be sure to tell her.
Nice one Ron
Thanks.
Hello Ron. Excellent video. Very helpful. I cannot find the video that you referenced to regarding the 1156 bulbs and short management.
I’m looking forward to your video on wiring the feeders to the track.
You can get the turn signal or parking light sockets and smaller push in bulbs to save time. Can get them at junkyard really cheap or get new ones at autozone or something like that. With that you can put it on the board so you can visually see them
THANK YOU FOR DETAIL VIDEO AS USE NCE SYSTEM ON MY SWITCHING INDUSTRIAL LAYOUT AS IN 7 SECTION WITH SHORT CIRCUIT MANAGEMENT AS HAVE IN 3 MAIN BOCK SECTION SHORT CIRCIUT AS OTHER DCC UNIT LIKE BOCK DECEPTICON TO TELL WHERE TRAIN SIT ON LAYOUT IN OPERATION .
keep, up the Great work.👍👍
To join wires to a bus I use suite case crimps and they work well.
I wired my layout for DC block control with 3 cabs so I can run legacy DC locomotives, but one of those "cabs" is my DCC command station (I use the MRC system) and set all the blocks to my DCC "cab" for normal operation.
hi Ron... good video.. lots of good info... vinny
Thanks Vinny.
I am building a bedroom HO scale layout consisting of two 4x8 areas connected by a 2x2 section and a bridge. This will also include a roundhouse/turntable. There will be 2 mains around the perimeter as well as a rail yard on one side and a coal/gravel dock on the other. How many management districts would you recommend for my layout?
Hi Ron, Since I have a small Hollow Core Door layout, I use 14 gauge solid wire for my bus wire and 22 gauge solid wire for my feeders. Since I have a small layout I do not use your light bulb method. Every section of flex track has feeder wires and every turnout has feeder wires, I'm only using the rail joiners to hold the track in alignment. My layout passes the quarter test on every section of track and my layout never runs unattended. My feeder wires are soldered directly to my bus wire and the bus wire is fastened to small spacer blocks that are screwed to the bottom of the hollow core door. If I was building a larger home layout I'd probably adopt a method similar to the method you showed in the video. The DCC system I'm using is the Digitrax Empire Builder DCC system, which is no longer available from Digitrax, but has so far provided me with 19 years of DCC enjoyment. Cheers, Rich S.
That is awesome. Thanks for sharing.
RWSBaden I have a question for you. I have a door size layout too (7 by 3 feet) in n scale. I am about to do the wiring and have some questions. Since it is a small layout with only 1 mainline and and 2 small yards, do I need to split it into blocks like shown in the video, or would it work if I straight up soldered my feeders to the two bus lines that power will power the whole layout. Second, are the bus wires supposed to form a closed loop with itself or do I leave the end open? Finally, I am using a digitrax zephyr dcc control system, should I just screw the bus wire into the screw terminals mounted on the digitrax zephyr? Appreciate any help !
Also great video Ron, you really go in depth in all your videos and are crystal clear. Keep it up!
Oh, and also do you all recommend that I solder feeders to the stock and closure rails of my insulfrog turnouts?
Hi Kien, My bus wire looks like a "U" it does not make a complete circle. I did not split my track into blocks, since the layout is so small, it's all one big block. Yes, my bus wires are connected to my Digitrax DB150 command station. I did solder my feeder wires to my bus wires. I used Atlas turnouts, I did not use Peco Insulfrog turnouts, so I can't help with that question. Hopefully these answers help in your layout construction. The most important thing to remember on your Digitrax system, every piece of track should pass the quarter test, i.e. placing a quarter or piece of metal across both rails should trip the built in circuit breaker and cause the command station to beep indicating a short. Cheers, Rich S.
RWSBaden thanks a lot for the clarifications! Makes more sense and I will most likely be doing a U shape too, with either 2 or no blocks.
Thank you
Very clear video, every thing looks nice and neat. My only question is why is a wire with a bigger number smaller than the wire with a large number. Weird, all wiring around the world except I think US is metric. 1mm wire is smaller than a 2mm wire
Fantastic video thanks for sharing I’m going to be moving away from Bachmann dcc controller in favor of something else maybe a powercab
Let us know how that goes.
Hi Ron thanks for all the great videos.. wondering where you got or made the hi_rise buildings in your backdrop???
U must do it to learn it people.
There’s doing things the easy way and then there’s Ron’s way. 😂
Very helpful for my future plans.
Ron, You made that look so easy. Just wonder if you would mind supplying a written list of everything you are using. I want to get me order right.
I like your video and I see you use some thing I do on my layout that was DC but I update my layout to DCC I buy DCC Dynamis and try get the wire right your video help me some and you said some about facebook I un there too
Good morning, Ron. Really enjoying your instruction. I love your information on DCC wiring. Question, I have ordered some parts from AllElectronics. I have a question about the spade terminal connectors that you use for the 12 ga main bus. I only found them for 16-14 wire (they were blue on the video); will they fit the 12 ga wire? Hap Peterson
I like coming to your channel in that you know where the box is located and how to think outside of it
N-Scale people will always tell you, "The wiring and the benchwork was the biggest thing I have touched on my layout", lol, thanks Ron for the video really helps me even though I do HO-Scale, doesnt matter its the same thing :)
I'm old school and grew up wiring DC blocks. While DCC can be wired very simply, I still prefer to have blocks that can be completely isolated. So my 'Sub-Bus' lines (and some track feeders) actually run back to a control panel where they can be switched on/off. There's not much advantage to this if the layout is a single mainline, but being able to shut down individual tracks is a huge advantage in an engine terminal. It's insurance to not have a group of sound decoder locomotives parked on 'powered' track if something goes wrong. Plus, not having every locomotive power up when layout power is turned on is nice. I recommend terminal strips too, but skip all the spade connectors. They're unnecessary and are the most likely point of failure in this type of wiring.
As a person who does electronics you never want to carry your solder from the iron to your work. Tin the tip of the soldering iron then hold the iron under your work IE wire or wires then add the solder to the joint it will make for a stronger and more reliable joint because when you carry it the flux that is in the solder dries out.
Hey Ron, great video on the main wiring, including soldering and the suitcase connectors. I just assembled a dog bone layout that is 4x4' on each end, 3' in the middle run, and 16' total end to end. What I'm unsure about is power supply - is there a rough calculation for how many power modules to supply the overall layout (DCC)? Would I add a power module by wiring into the main buss? Honestly, I'm unsure about a lot of MRR things after a 50 year break. I'm a subber of you channel and others, trying to force feed all this new tech into my 73 year old brain. LOL Cheers, Bob
I enjoy your informative videos. Building my HO layout now and just starting in DCC. This is very helpful. Was wondering, could you not use an automotive fuse as short protection? Say a 15 or 20 amp per block?
I am no electrical expert here. I believe you could BUT the actual amperage on most model railroads are so low I'm not sure what it would take to blow one and high voltage at low amperage over a bit of time can sure fry a decoder and damage a locomotive shell. You would have to know your actual amperage draw when shorted and use a fuse appropriate to that...Plus, you don't want to have to replace a fuse every time you short our a wheel across a turnout.
How large do you recommend making a power/short district? I’m working on a small 4x8 industrial park with about 20 turnouts and a small staging yard.
To be honest, I choose Bachmann's EZ-Command. Because it's easier to connect than other systems.
HOW I DID MY LAYOUT WAS , I RAN 14 GAGE HOUSE WIRE AND THEN I USED 22 GAGE FOR DROPS. I PUT EACH DROP ABOUT 3 FT. APART. WITH THE HELX I PUT ONE SET OF WIRES ON EACH ROW. TKS RON
That sounds pretty similar to what I do, except I add in blocks for short management.
@@RonsTrainsNThings i LEARN FROM DG WHEN HE RAN A BRAND NEW TRAIN AND IT JUMP THE TRACK, YES HE RUIN THE MOTOR. SO I BOUGHT C/B AND DIVIED 4 BLOCKS. MY LAYOUT IS ONLY 4X12.
ALL U GUY'S R GREAT, IV LEARN FROM FIFER, U AND DG EVEN THRU DG WORKS WITH HO. HE DOSE HAVE NCE WHICH I HAVE. VERRY APPRECIATED WHAT U GUYS DO.
Do you have a video on wiring a reverse loop and installing an auto-reverser? I am planning an update to my layout, and just realized (thanks to AnyRail) that some planned crossovers will result in a reversing loop. Any help would be appreciated.
Good introduction and demonstration. I too am a fan of suitcase connectors. My experience is like yours...never had one fail. If I was following your wiring method, I would make one change. The protected district or power district may be relatively long so, to avoid voltage drop, I would use the same size wire as the main bus for what you called a sub-buss. Small difference. Enjoyed the video...Harold
Yes, I was out, so I figured it was a good chance to show a solid soldered connection, but I honestly NEVER do this. I always use IDCs on the layout for feeder wires. As for the 18 AWG wire, I am an N scaler, and I usually connect these terminal strips in the middle of a block and run a sub-bus each direction, so 10' would be a very long one for me. Most are 4' or less. If I was working in HO with longer runs and higher voltage I would do just that.
Hi Ron, thanks for the info. I wired my layout like this but my NCE powercab still resets before the bulb works. any thoughts? theNCE doesn't have an option to change its short protection sensitivity.thanks
Dude people can suck but haters gonna hate. Thanks for the awsome vid and the great tips.
I don't do anything special, or have any separate kind of short protection separately from what already in my digitrax system. I run the maybe 16 or 18 gauge wire from the control unit to a terminal block of maybe 8 screws on each side. I just added a second board that I can easily take on and off since my RR isn't always set up. I use clip-together connectors to add in the second board, and out of there come the two wires to another terminal block, and then I just jump off of there to the next two terminal blocks. I've changed the way I wire my turnouts since the first section, which is why I have a lot more terminal blocks. I have wiring for my Bullfrog switch controls and I've isolated the frog on the second board, as well as powering the turnout separately.
Ron,
Thanks for your willingness to share your experience and expertise. Extremely helpful for us newbies. I do have a question on wiring... I've watch all three of your wiring videos. I like your short protection strategy and I'm going to implement that on my n scale layout, which will cover three walls of an extra bedroom. The question I have is this.... How long would you run your sub bus wiring? I'm guessing that if the wiring gets too long I just need another connector strip to run off another sub bus without the bulb protection, since it's already protected on that short protection circuit. But if I have a segment that might be 15 feet long - a main line with little or no switching - on one segment, a single sub bus wire might be 7.5 feet long if the bulb protection is in the middle. Is that too long or would you suggest I break that down into smaller segments on the same circuit?
HI, Bill. Yes, what you describe is exactly what I would do. 15 feet is probably ok, but further that I want to run an 18 AWG wire. I try to keep my sub busses to about 6 feet or less.
I have used #10 thhn wire for my layout for the same reason in case of a voltage drop
I'll be using 8 GA for my O scale 2 rail layout although I've heard great things on 10 gauge as well.
Thank you for the instructional videos. I am personally going to follow your lead on a 12 gauge bus, with an 18 gauge sub bus. My question is, you run 18 gauge sub busses for a district, how long is your district typically, and should I feed it again with 12 gauge after so many feet? Ty
My power districts tend to be 8' - 10' long. The 18 AWG wire will easily handle this distance.
Ron, great idea, like the idea of how you wire for sub bus, the short protection is a good idea too, but I was wondering if you put your main bus together to prevent signal distortion in, I'm a member of a modular group and we have had some problems wit this we now require our bus to come together or twist the bus together. having the largest wire is a great idea too, as you can lose not only voltage but you signal can diminish too, thanks for sharing....Jack
Hi, Jack. I understand your concern, but I have never experienced a problem with signal degradation through the terminals personally.
Ron's Trains N Things I'm glad to here that as the modular group we do get long runs it does show up when we get out over 50 feet, thanks😊
Good afternoon, Ron. Thank you for the video. Very informative !! My DCC layout is all connected. My question for you is, which gauge wire do I use to connect to the Zephyr Digital Command Control System ? The 12 gauge wire, or the 22 gauge wire ? And do you connect that specific wire to the nearest terminal strip ? Thanks again.
I have my layout wired for DC Block control using common rail and insulating joints, can I wire in a toggle switch and operate using DCC?
I have to say, I like the idea of using a tail light bulb to manage shorts. How much voltage is dropped across the bulb when a train is just running normally. Does it affect the train at all?
It does not impact the train at all in normal running.
Hi Ron, great video! This may be a dumb question but how many terminals, sub buses and 1156 bulbs do you need on an average for a layout? Thank you.
Dan
Great technique Ron! Where do you get your terminal strips and jumpers?
Never mind, I just checked your links. Thanks!
Hey Ron. I'm just starting my model railway journey. If find your bus/ sub-bus idea. I assume if there is a short then the bulb goes out? Could you also potentially do away with the sub-bus and perhaps put a bulb or a fuse inline and have the same affect i.e an indicator for short?
Thanks, Steve (Scotland).
I'm learning a lot! Thanks for all of the helpful information! I have a question about auto reversing. What is it used for? Is it for replacing a WYE or is it used for something else? Thanks!!
Jeff
Auto reversing is used at Wyes, reversing loops, etc, anywhere that a train turns in the opposite direction on the tracks. It automatically reverses the polarity of the track to allow the train to keep moving through the reversing .I've without the need to stop and throw electrical switches
ALRIGHTY THEN!! My common since kinda sorta told me that's what it did, (reversing polarity) I mean. Good deal man. Thanks. Love your channel BTW!
JEFF
Since I made a mistake I sense you might be thinking I didn't sense your possible thinking I don't know how to form a proper sentence since I learned most of that in the second grade! 🤓
New to this....at the end of the video just after you put the heat shrink on, you left the stranded sub-bus wires hanging off the left side of the screen and didn't say where they would end up being connected. I got the solid wires go up to the track, but where did the other end of the sub-bus wires go?
The mail bus wires connect to your DCC system.
Quick question: For DCC, can I use Atlas and/or PECO *insulated* frog switches on a HO scale, Code 83 layout? Thanks!
My layout is an around the room shelf style, about 9 feet long on each wall. My DCC system is in the middle of one side, so the main bus runs about 18 feet each direction from the system. I don't have power districts. My main bus is 14 gauge solid wire. I use terminal blocks to attach my feeders to. I strip a length of 18 gauge solid wire bare, and wrap it around the top screws of the strip, effectively creating my own jumper. I divide the strip in half, being careful not to jumper from one half to the other. I use a suitcase connectors and bring a 14 gauge feeder of each color to one half of the strip, using crimp on connectors to attach it just as you do. This powers both halves of the strip, each half a different color. Then I run 18 gauge solid wire feeders up to the rails. From a six position strip, I can run the 14 gauge feeder to the bus and 5 feeders to the track from each side. This works well for a section of double track main line. I find solid wire much easier to run up through 1/2" of plywood, 2" of extruded foam, 1/2" of Homasote, and the foam roadbed. Stranded wire would be like trying to push a log chain!
Sounds pretty good. Yes, I prefer solid wire for track feeders for several reasons, but that is the subject of a coming video.
New subscriber and I love your videos, style, and generally easy to understand steps...so Kudos! One followup question....what does the bulb actually do to prevent or detect a short, what does it mean or how do you know you had a malfunction? What would the remedy be? New to this and don't quite get it. Is the bulb on all the time and blows out if you have a short, like a fuse??
Thanks for the question. Normally the bulb just sits dormant. Being wired in series, the small current flows through the bulb without lighting it. When a short circuit occurs because something derails or picks a switch or something conductive crosses the rails, the current goes way up. At that point the bulb comes on, draws most of the amperage, and limits the current to the point of the short. The bulb lighting tells you the short has occurred in that section connected to that bulb. This reduces the risk of damage to equipment at the point of the short. It also keeps the system from throwing the main breaker so trains in other sections of the layout an keep running. When you remove the cause of the short the bulb goes out and things return to running normally. I hope that helps.
@@RonsTrainsNThings Thanks for the explanation. I just saw your detailed explanation in another of your great videos....they are terrific, so thanks much!