DCC Power Supply/Controller Installation--Photos Please!

[1trakmind]

Hi Rick!

I hope you will enjoy your new DCC control as much as mine. It is the only way to go. Just follow the instructions step by step and you won't have any trouble.

[rrinker]

BRVRR

Randy,

The Big Red Button is for a diesel horn mounted under the layout. A necessity before sound equipped locos became routine on the BRVRR and my grandchildren were a little younger. There is a Big Black Button right next to it for an under table steam whistle.

Neither gets used much anymore, but I haven't gotten around to removing them from the layout.

 

 Ah, I used to have those sort of things - although very old ones. The diesel horn was an American Flyer built in to a metal billboard, the steam was the cheapy Tyco plastic billboard one. The Flyer was just too clunky to sit on the HO layout so that one was underneath.

                             --Randy

 

[BRVRR]

Randy,

The Big Red Button is for a diesel horn mounted under the layout. A necessity before sound equipped locos became routine on the BRVRR and my grandchildren were a little younger. There is a Big Black Button right next to it for an under table steam whistle.

Neither gets used much anymore, but I haven't gotten around to removing them from the layout.

 

[rrinker]

 Rangerover: Holy Frijoles!

 Allan: Big red buttons - I like big red buttons, what's that one do? (left of the Atlas controls)

 

                                        --Randy

 

[Rangerover]

 

[BRVRR]

Everything on my layout is plugged into one power strip with surge protection. That includes the wall wart for the Zephyr, two MRC 1300 power packs and a couple of small power supplies for crossing signals and structure lighting.

Here's a photo of 'main control' which is installed in a small drawer under the train table.

I also have a DT400 plugged into the Zephyr for additional throttles and mobility.

My programming track is disguised as an abandoned siding on the front of the layout, but it is completely isolated from it.

There is more on my website.

 

[WSOR 3801]

 Much simplicity here.

Zephyr wall wart plugs into the extension cord.  No power switches, or anything else that needs power.  The programming track is the EZ-track terminal section.  No extra controller plug-ins yet, just plug into the back of the Zephyr.  For the size of my table it works.  

[pastorbob]

I can't show you photos as my NCE DCC is a simple shelf under a portion of the layout.  A terminal strip is attached, and I have the command station, power supply and 4 boosters all sitting on the shelf, along with a power supply for the Tortoise switch machines.  Just components, sitting on a shelf.

The programming track is completely isolated from the layout and located at my workbench.

The "control panels" are disbursed around the basement, as the layout is large and three decks.  All control panels are local panels, with a diagram of that area and the throws for switch machines.  I have regional track diagrams hanging from the ceiling using the metal white boards from MicroMark, track diagram and lettering also from MicroMark, but no switch throws on them.  There is no central main control panel, it is obsolete as far as I am concerned with DCC and would be impossible to decipher..

Bob

[jbinkley60]

fkrall

I'm ready to select my DCC system and am looking for examples of installations for the main controller and power supply.

Any pictures, words of wisdom, or referrals to articles out there?  I assume I'll need to allow room for the power supply to breathe, but other than that, I don't have a clue.

Thanks.

Rick Krall 

Here's a couple of pictures of mine.  The power supplies are mounted behind on a shelf.

 

[nbrodar]

fkrall

Thanks guys; good suggestions. MisterBeasley--I'm labeling and coding everything, including the terminal block/wire combinations.  Point well taken. I like the DPDT idea for the programming track, too.  MIT at work here no doubt!

Nick--Your installation is neat and tidy--I like it. On a related subject, I also like your control panel.  How did you do your diagram & lettering?

Rick Krall 

 

Rick, 

Thanks

The panel is 1/4 inch A/C plywood, painted with medium green latex wall paint.   I used Pactra striping tape for the track lines, and Presto stick on letters, for the lettering.  Both are getting harder and harder to find.

I make my own terminal blocks using sheet metal screws and washers:

Nick

[luvadj]

I recently added an Atlas Commander/Generator set to my patio layout. I wanted to remove and store the Commander and program track when the weather is inclement. 

 The Commander was mounted on a frame I tooled together at work and was zip tied down to it. The mount is angled and slotted so it could be hung on the table edge with screws like the back of a power strip that could be hung up somewhere.  I mounted the Generator under the layout.

As for the programming track, since I don't have a siding to gap out, I took a piece of flex track and mounted it to a piece of wood. Two pieces of all-thread correspond to 2 holes drilled in the table for easy removal. I made all the connections with Molex connectors ( the same kind of white plug that hooks up hard drives and CD-Roms in computers). All I do is unplug the molex plugs, unhook the Commander, pull the programming track out and the layout is ready to store.

In one of the pictures, there's a on-off-on DPDT center off switch thats wired to both DC & DCC so it's a simple matter of switching to whatever mode I want to run. A bonus is that the switch is lighted so I always know if there's power.

[C&O Fan]

Like Mr Beasley all my stuff plugs into one surge protector so i can throw one switch to power

every thing

I built a simple control pannel to allow for switching between DC and DCC

The around the room layout has 2 plug in pannels for the UT-4 throttles

and i have one Vari Pulse DC hand throttle

 

[fkrall]

Thanks guys; good suggestions. MisterBeasley--I'm labeling and coding everything, including the terminal block/wire combinations.  Point well taken. I like the DPDT idea for the programming track, too.  MIT at work here no doubt!

Nick--Your installation is neat and tidy--I like it. On a related subject, I also like your control panel.  How did you do your diagram & lettering?

Rick Krall 

[nbrodar]

 I use CVP's EasyDCC.   The command station is mounted on my main control panel:

The power supplies, booster, and throttle bus controller are mounted on a shelf below the control panel:

Everything is plugged into a power strip attached to the leg off to the left.  So one switch controls all the layout power.

Color code, color code, color code.  I use red and black for the track bus, green for the accessory common, and white for the accessory control.

Nick

[MisterBeasley]

I have all my layout's power supplies plugged into one terminal strip.  That way, I can just flip one switch on the strip and bring everything on line at once.

Each plug going into the strip is labelled with a tag, so I can tell which one to pull if I want to take one component off line while keeping the others powered up.  I've used cable ties to keep all the wires in place and neat.

Remember that you will occasionally need to get to the terminals on the DCC unit.  Don't mount it somewhere which is too hard to get to.

Get in the habit of color-coding your wiring early.  Use red and black for your track bus.  It's kind of the standard way for DCC.

If you are using tethered (wired) throttles, then install a control bus if your layout is large enough.  That way, you can move the throttle as the train makes its way around.  This is one of those things that's a lot easier to plan and execute now, rather than after you've started putting in scenery.

Figure out where you will put your program track.  Some of us use a conveniently-located siding, and provide a double-pole, double-throw (DPDT) toggle to flip the siding between track and program mode.

 

[fkrall]

I'm ready to select my DCC system and am looking for examples of installations for the main controller and power supply.

Any pictures, words of wisdom, or referrals to articles out there?  I assume I'll need to allow room for the power supply to breathe, but other than that, I don't have a clue.

Thanks.

Rick Krall