I am attempting to put several blocks into a layout. Each block will have two turnouts linking it to an adjacent block. I am using auxiliary power for the switches (on a CW-80) and a ZW for the track. I have the switches wired into a BUS and the track blocks wired using SPST switches. There is no common wiring between the turnouts and track wiring. Now it gets complicated and painful: I have cut all three rails of the turnout between the block sections to isolate the track. However, I have full voltage feeding back through the switch into other track blocks through the switch BUS (this occurs whether there is a transformer attached to the BUS or the wires are disconnected) . I have determined this by isolating a single piece of powered track (ie. no other track attached in any way) and find no voltage going to other track. If I add a switch that is wired into the BUS, any block that has a switch gets power.
Inside the Fastrack powered switch, the Aux Ground for separate power is wired in common with the center rail of the "through" track (yellow wire). After removing the ground wire from the through rail, there is no power into other blocks. HOWEVER, this seems to prevent automatic throwing of the "nonderailing" feature of the turnout. I have exhausted my brain cells on this and need some insight (other than using different track- lesson painfully learned). I have lots of it around.
Kevin
dillkev,
I think I get your post (although i am battling my own wiring probelm now and my brain is fried so I don't make any promises). I use fastrack and the CW-80. I recall reading somewhere that you cannot use the aux power on the cw-80 to power turnouts. It has to to do with the way the cw-80 is wired. It is "not like other transformers" as people tend to say. I use my cw-80 aux to power other accessories, but I don't think it works with turnouts (or uncoupling sections?) because of the way they are all wired.
I wish I could be more diffinitive, but I can't recall where I read that. The owner's manual maybe?
It sounds like your transformers are out of phase.
The AUX GROUND terminal should in no way be connected to any center rails in the switch. If it is, don't use it, tie the aux transformer common to the outside rails, & aux transformer power to the AUX POWER, after pulling out the track power jumper.
Rob
Rob- You are right, I mistyped. The Aux Ground is connected to the through track outer rails (the bridge actually) inside the switch. I have removed the track jumper so the only power is from the external power through the aux. connections. I was shocked when I found that the ground is shared.
I do not have the CW-80 as track power and switch power. The CW-80 doesn't have a common ground internally and acts weird. I am runnng into this problem with no transformer attached to the switch bus- the wires are lying on the table. Since I am using the ZW to power the track, with no transformer on the switch bus, there is no phase issue with transformers. I have the center rail connected to the A on the ZW and the outer rails connected to the common.
I am setting this up to run in conventional mode so I won't be using a sc-2 switcher or accessory switch like command mode would use.
Hopefully this will provide some clarity to you guys that my foggy brain can't seem to get. Thanks for your questions and help.
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