Whaddaya know, I actually did something besides post on forums

[rrinker]

 I built my DCC shelf for the main power connections on my layout. Now I have to built the 'brackets' to mount it underneath.

Here is a overall view. On the left edge are connections for power for the PM42, and DCC in from teh booster. On the bottom left edge are the connections for Rail A and Rail B for sections 1-4.

In the middle is the booster. The terminal strip at the top center, from left to right is Rail A/B out, no connection, ground, and power in to the booster.

Here is a close-up of the PM42 side. Not installed is a short loconet cable to connect the booster and PM42. Each of those terminals is a ring terminal, not a spade (so I had to take the screws all the way out) and they are all crimped AND soldered - I do not trust crimp on connections. Short lengths of #18 wire feed the PM42 to the terminal strips - not a problem with such short lengths. The feed fromt he booster to the PM42 input terminal strip is #14. #18 is about as big as will fit in the edge connector solder eyelets, even that needed a little squeezing with pliers - the holes are oblong so flattenign the wire slightly allowed it to slip right in.

Another overall view, at an angle. I haven't figured out how to fasten down the MF615 power suppyl yet, but since it has holes in each of the 4 feet under it, I will probably mark the locations and put 4 screws in place to lock it in. The space to the left I kept open to allow room for a small circuit board with individual fuses so I can feed a fairly hefty power supply in and tap off multiple current limited circuits for lights and so forth.

Last one is the booster area in the center. From the lft, the terminals are power in A, poer in B, ground, no connection, rail A out, and rail B out. The rail conenctions are all #14 wire. I didn't have any black #14 so I doubled up some #18 black for the inputs - it's not even 6 inches of wire so I'm not worried about voltage drops. The green wire snaking over is the ground connection for the PM42. The little green wire on the DB150 connector is to configure it as a booster. I am using my Zephyr as the command station and the DB150 will power the track via the PM42. The Zephyr's track outputs will feed my stationary decoders.

The only reason I have a MagnaForce power supply is because I won it on eBay for $20, new in box. If I had to pay full price I probably would have gotten NCE's, which is usually $10 cheaper than the identical item from Digitrax.

Those little mounts for tie wraps I also use under the layout to tie up the bus wires. The sticky side is not strong enough to hold them worth a darn, but they have a hole in the middle that I run a small wood screw in to solidly mount them. The 'lip' for the tie wrap to go through butted up nicely against the case of the booster so I have one on each side plus one in the back which pretty much locks the DB150 in place, although I ran the tie-wraps over it to keep it from falling off if I tilt the shelf.

                                    --Randy

 

[Motley]

Wow that is very nice wiring work. Very clean and organized. Great job Randy. (now back to helping us noobs)

[superbe]

Randy,

A very neat piece of work. Now we you can do as you say.

Thanks for all of the help.

Happy Railroading

Bob

[Hamltnblue]

Looks Good

For the power supply they make tie wrap hold downs that you can anchor with self taping screws.  If not then you can put 2 sets of screws through the plate with fender washers.  Tie wraps can then slide and secure under the washers and over the supply to hold it in place.  if upside down don't forget to make sure the supply has ventilation (as you know sometimes on supplies there aren't holes underneath and heat will trap inside)

Edit: Looking again I see you are using the hold downs with the DCS.  Just use the same with the supply and drive screws through them for added strength.

[rrinker]

 Yeah, the tie wraps would catch nicely in the slots in the case, too. The ones for the DB150 are screwed down - like I said, the adhesive ont he back is good for once thing - holding them in place while you put the screw in the middle. Absolutely useless for holding anything in place alone.

 It's not goign to be mounted upside down - I plan to make a pair of U shaped arms to screw to the bottom of the benchwork (my supports are on 2' centers - and the shelf is 26" wide...planned that way ) and slide the shelf in, with it hangign down about a foot or two fromt he bottom of the benchwork. No fancy hinges or anything, so it will need to be tilted a bit to slide it in and out (I don't expect to have to do that often - with enough overhead clearance I can easily attach the bus wires to the terminal strip at the back).

 The only thing I'd like to get yet are some 90 degree angles to mount the PM42 edge connector in a more solid fashion - right now the whole thing is held in place by the wires and by some double-sided tape. Wish I still had pieces of my old Erector set from when I was a kid - mine was still metal. The only angles I can find in the big box stores are much too large.

                                                --Randy

 

[Seamonster]

rrinker

 

 The only thing I'd like to get yet are some 90 degree angles to mount the PM42 edge connector in a more solid fashion - right now the whole thing is held in place by the wires and by some double-sided tape. Wish I still had pieces of my old Erector set from when I was a kid - mine was still metal. The only angles I can find in the big box stores are much too large.

                                                --Randy

 

Keep looking. I got some right angles that were 2"X2". I think they were in the same section as cabinet hardware, hinges and drawer pulls. They had both kinds of angles, flat right angles like you would use to reinforce a corner and in the other direction like you'd use to mount a small shelf to the wall. They came in 2", 3" and 4" sizes either metal or gold coloured. They're out there, so keep looking.

[farrellaa]

Nice work Randy! Very neat and organized. I like to do mine this way too. I just finished the control panel frame and panel blank for my turntable and yard. I plan to hinge it so I can tilt it out where it will be easy to work on when ever I have to. I also have a similar situation with a power supply on the main panel, and plan to mount it to a piece of 1/8" aluminum (about 1" larger than the ps) and then mount the aluminum to the panel with some washers for standoffs. Just a thought that you might do the same with yours as it would be easy to fab and easy to install or remove when needed.

 - Bob