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"A MYSTERIOUS DCC PROBLEM "

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  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,024 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 2:40 PM

TrainsRMe1

I'm running a track to a lower level staging that is a reversal loop, I 'm using a Digitrax AR1 for the loop

As I re-read this portion of the OP's reply, apparently there is a reverse loop in the lower level staging. The wiring, the gaps, the AR1, any of which could be the problem. We need to know more about this portion of the layout.

TrainsRMe1, are you using a single pair of bus wires? Or do you have one or more sub-buses?

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 3:05 PM

TrainsRMe1
Now I have noticed there are two types of gauge wire for my bus, hmmm I wonder if that could be the problem.????

That would not be the cause of a short. 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 4:34 PM

BigDaddy
 
TrainsRMe1
Now I have noticed there are two types of gauge wire for my bus, hmmm I wonder if that could be the problem.???? 

That would not be the cause of a short.  

I agree. Disregarding for a moment shorts caused by derailments, a short is going to be caused by mismatched polarities that go unresolved, usually caused by wiring faults or turnouts or reversing sections.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: west of Portland Oreg.( the city of Roses
  • 599 posts
Posted by TrainsRMe1 on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 10:27 PM

I'm using the same bus, I also have insulated rail joiners at the entry of the reversal loop along with he Digitrax AR1.

  • Member since
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  • From: Dearborn Station
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Posted by richhotrain on Wednesday, August 16, 2017 4:37 AM

TrainsRMe1

I'm using the same bus, I also have insulated rail joiners at the entry of the reversal loop along with he Digitrax AR1.

 

 I sent you an email with a few questions about your track diagram.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    June 2012
  • 20 posts
Posted by wgc53217 on Thursday, August 17, 2017 5:58 PM

Is there any equipment on the track?  I had a miserable time a few years ago trying to find a wiring problem before I realized an old frt car with metal wheels had bad insulation on one wheel.

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
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Posted by BigDaddy on Thursday, August 17, 2017 7:14 PM

wgc53217
Is there any equipment on the track?

How would that account for the OP's need to "reverse the bus wires" ?  

No one has shed any clarity on the track plan that was posted so it's not just my old eyes.  All we can say is mysterious is an appropriate title for the thread.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,706 posts
Posted by zstripe on Friday, August 18, 2017 3:07 PM

TrainsRMe1

I'm using the same bus, I also have insulated rail joiners at the entry of the reversal loop along with he Digitrax AR1.

 

Do You have insulated rail joiners at the exit of reversal loop also? They are needed to completely isolate the reversing loop........

Good Luck! Big Smile

Frank

  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: west of Portland Oreg.( the city of Roses
  • 599 posts
Posted by TrainsRMe1 on Monday, August 21, 2017 3:10 PM

I'm happy to  announce that my problem has been solved, I just ran a better bus wire through out the whole layout, my reversal loop with the help from Rich, will operate better also, thanks again Rich!Big Smile

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,024 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Monday, August 21, 2017 4:05 PM

TrainsRMe1

I'm happy to  announce that my problem has been solved, I just ran a better bus wire through out the whole layout, my reversal loop with the help from Rich, will operate better also, thanks again Rich!Big Smile

 

Hmmm, if you solved your problem by replacing the bus wires, my guess is that a portion of the original bus wires was reversed. Did you replace the sub-bus for the reverse loop and make that part of a single bus?

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Monday, August 21, 2017 5:45 PM

TrainsRMe1  Time to pay it forward.  I don't mean that in a condescending sense, but many of us, perhaps nearly all of us come to the forum to learn.

You certainly don't owe any of us anything, maybe Rich, but certainly not me.  Help the next guy who comes along and has reversed the bus to get his layout to run.  We can't argue with a "better bus" but what does that mean and what was the root of your problem?

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
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Posted by rrinker on Monday, August 21, 2017 7:56 PM

 Well, unless the old bus was something like telephone wire and the new bus is more like #14, there must have been a flipped connection in there somewhere.

                                    --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: west of Portland Oreg.( the city of Roses
  • 599 posts
Posted by TrainsRMe1 on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 8:01 PM

You have to have a bullet proof bus wire system in order to have a great operating railroad, in which I didn't,  the short was from some old tattered, poorly souderd wire, the bare wire (that's right) bare wire caused the short!!  So to find the problem, the best way was to do the process of elimination, and it worked!!

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 10:50 AM

Thanks for getting back to us. 

Some people actually use bare wire for their bus.  It doesn't sound like something that I should do.  Murphy never sleeps.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: west of Portland Oreg.( the city of Roses
  • 599 posts
Posted by TrainsRMe1 on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 11:43 AM

I had a busy week, from work to getting the family together during the eclipse, and about the eclipse, all I have to say is ......Wow!  But now anyway, I have a strong bus to work for me !!

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