How should I wire Fastrack Remote Switches?

[KennyG228]

Greetings!

I have been lurking in this forum for a few months and I have gathered a great deal of information from you guys. Thanks a lot! I am expanding my layout and I want to know what is best for connecting my three 036 Fastrack remote switches. Should I let them run on track power or should I connect them directly to my Celebration ZW? I am running all conventional trians at this time, and I plan to divide the layout into five blocks. Also, one of my switch controler cables is too short to reach my control panel. What guage wire should I use to legnthen the four wire cable contoler? Any help that you guys can provide would be gratly appreciated.

KennyG

[Anonymous]

I prefer to run switches off of their own power supply particularly when running in conventional mode. You may not always have enough track voltage to drive the switch when running in conventional mode off of track power. Wire gauge, 18 gauge should be fine.

[sulafool]

Beg to differ, Chuckn; Fastrack switches are voltage regulated. Anything over 5 volts works the same. There may be other considerations for using separate power, but not operation. Sometimes technology is an improvement...

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info. I have mine wired up through an SC-2. I've never had any trouble wiring them up the way I wired up previous switches so I just stuck with it. I have occasionaly run conventional loco's with the average track voltage below 5 volts. I think I'll keep wiring them this way. :-)

[lionelsuperotrack]

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