DCC Power Supply

[Anonymous]

well i'm just starting a new layout, and its my frist time. I was just wondering how much ho scale track can be ran with a DCC Power Supply. My room is 10 foot by 12 foot and i'm trying to put a fair amount of track in there.

And i was wondering, what kind of angle can a ho scale loco run up/down?

[Anonymous]

Taking this question a little further how can I calculate how many amps I need for a given amount of locomotives, switches and lights irregardless of scale.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by skindogg

well i'm just starting a new layout, and its my frist time. I was just wondering how much ho scale track can be ran with a DCC Power Supply. My room is 10 foot by 12 foot and i'm trying to put a fair amount of track in there.

And i was wondering, what kind of angle can a ho scale loco run up/down?

Depends on how big the power supply is! :-)

Also, note that it's not the track that draws power, but the loco's (and other powered-from-the-track goodies, lighted cabooses etc etc) - If your track is drawing power there's something wrong!

Seriously, during testing of my layout using Tonys RRampmeter (basically, a true RMS ammeter) I could see the load increase on an upgrade and decrease when going down - And never have I seen a loco pull more than about 300mA [Even a sound equipped kettle didn't pull more than that.]

So, my answer would be around 10 locos on a 2.5A power supply (eg, Digitrax Zephyr) - Want more, get a bigger power supply.....

Accessories (signals, lights etc) probably deserve their own supply - any old DC powerpack or wall-wart would work and leaves the DCC supply out of the loop (I'm paranoid about electrical noise, and 'power is cheap' (At least in the sizes we're talking about....)

Finally, 2-4% are the grades that are most often used - Not coinicidentally, Woodland Scenics makes their risers in 2%, 3% and 4% grades! - BUT, 4% is awful steep - See my comment re additional power draw when going uphill! - Also remember that at 4% grade your pulling power is about 25% of what it would be on level track - I'm trying to make this fact a feature of my layout (ie, need helpers to get up the hill), but that's another story.

As usual, ymmv,
Ian

[Anonymous]

If i can add one queston to this....I relize that the track does not draw power (ampes) their is a resistive load form the track . My queston is how often do you conect the buss (im using #12 stranded fedders under the lay-out ) to the track.

[selector]

12 gauge is too heavy by far. That wire would be used for the main bus, itself, under your layout, routed roughly parallel to the main line. Your "feeders" should be in the 16-20 gauge range, and most experts will tell you that a feeder to every 3-foot section of flex-type track is ideal to ensure smoothe running. Personally, and especially if you solder every two sections of flex-track, and then leave a gap, one feeder per 6-foot interval is plenty. I have three feeders for my roughly 23' main, and I have absolutely zero problems with six sound-equipped locos.

[chateauricher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mrdls1
If i can add one queston to this....I relize that the track does not draw power (ampes) their is a resistive load form the track . My queston is how often do you conect the buss (im using #12 stranded fedders under the lay-out ) to the track.

Generally speaking, you should run feeders to the tracks about every 6 feet.

Not-so-co-incidentally, flextrack is sold in 36" sections. Since a feeder feeds power equally in both directions, you should place a feeder at every second joint. This ensures that no portion of track is more than 36" from a power feeder.

I would also suggest you make sure that you have at least one feeder for every section of track between turn-outs, regardless of its length.

Some people follow the rule "every piece of track is connected to either another piece of track or to a power feeder".