I have been having problems with my track power noticeably surging up and down in certain spots consistently. All engines do it. I have a 15x8 loop, in a rectangle. The rises/drops are wherever the feeder wires are, I have four of them, one on each side of the rectangle.
I use an mrc sound and power 9000 so there should be no lack of power. Would I be better off to remove three of the feeders, or to add feeders for every piece of track? I don't mind some speed up or slow down as long as it is gradual, but right now it is like the difference between the "nudge" switch being on or off.
Not an expert here, but some questions that may help others help you.
Are some or all of your rail joints soldered?
Did you use flex track or sectional?
How heavy are your feeder wires?
Is it just a loop or do you have sidings?
I know there is a lot of talk about feeders every 6' or closer, but wire size for feeders and buss are other factors. Rail joiners are not considered good electrical connections.
Good luck,
Richard
You need a loco or an loco light bulb for a load or you will not see a voltage drop. A light bulb is better. I had to do that many years ago. Then probe with the meter.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
You have very few feeders for that much track, so you are depending on the rails and rail joiners to carry power a long way. You really need more feeders. If you are not using a track bus that runs along with your track in your configuration, you should be. A track bus made of heavy copper wire will conduct power much better than nickel silver rail.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Install more feeders. I've never heard anyone say, or seen anyone type "I've got to many feeders and too much electrical conductivity".
Installing a feeder at a joint will power 2 sections of track (one left and one right).
Terry
Inspired by Addiction
See more on my YouTube Channel
Lastspikemike ... I'm pretty sure ten feet of nickel silver rail is considered at the upper limit of conductivity without voltage drop.
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I'm pretty sure ten feet of nickel silver rail is considered at the upper limit of conductivity without voltage drop.
The voltage drop starts immediately upon distancing from the output. What we want to avoid is excessive voltage drop such that the signal is corrupted/occluded by too low a voltage.
I have successfully run a five track staging yard, off-layout, from a single pair of 22 gauge feeder wires. The total track lengths of all five ladders was in the order of 12 feet, and a coin test to induce a short worked well every time I thought to attempt it.
Otherwise, your advice is considered to be accepted wisdom, and I agree that one should always be oriented to adding feeders, and that there can be no good reason to remove them unless what remains in the way of feeders will not contribute to voltage loss. Our OP might only need to solder two or three joiners in order to vastly improve his layout's operations.
PennCentral99 I've never heard anyone say, or seen anyone type "I've got to many feeders and too much electrical conductivity".
I've never heard anyone say, or seen anyone type "I've got to many feeders and too much electrical conductivity".
True...
Thank you everyone for your insight. I have been using 16 gauge wire and have 3' sections of flex track. (Mostly). I guess I will break out the soldering iron... I don't plan on switching to dcc but If I did it would be with the tech 6. If I were to buy one, could I just hook up all the feeders to the transformer and be set?
There is little to add, except that power surges where not happening and will not happen even if you put a feeder at every tie.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Thank you everyone. I am sticking with dc for now due to budgeting issues but most of my fleet is dcc ready.