I would like some input on the best guide for wiring DCC. Not interested in huge club layouts, just the small occasional home user playing with grandchildren. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
Sam,
It would be helpful to know 1) what will your layout look like and 2) what do you want to accomplish with your DCC system - e.g. operate turnouts, etc?
DCC wiring can be as simple or as complicated as you want. Essentially all you need is 2 wires - just like DC. It's better though if you have wires soldered to each piece of track and not rely on the rail joiners to solely provide electrical continuity to your layout. Eventually those rail joiners will loosen and you could end up with dead sections of track.
A bus wire (i.e. usually two 14-16 AWG wires that follow your track) and feeder wires from that to each section of track is the recommended approach to wiring a DCC layout. While the wiring doesn't need to be complicated, it should be bullet-proof in order to run your trains without hickups.
Again, answering the two above questions will be helpful in guiding you along your project.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
try this site lots of good info that you are asking about good luck www.wiringfordcc.com/
Here's what I would do for a small HO home layout (and I assume that's a bedroom sized one, or roughly 100 to 144 sq ft.):1). Run a 14AWG 2-wire multistrand bus under the mainline track. I recommend red and black for wire colors as they seem to be pretty standard for DCC. Wire spools can be had at Home Depot or Lowe's. Use nylon loops to run the wire through, or drill holes in all the cross members.
2). Every three track sections (approx. 9 feet), solder 20 or 22AWG multistrand feeder wires to the rails and connect them to the bus below through the roadbed. ScotchLoks ("suitcase connectors") are okay for this bus connection in more temperate layout environments, but don't use them if you live near the ocean or have an unheated layout room. They tend to corrode or work loose. Otherwise, you'll probably have to solder them.
3). For a more robust wiring contact, you can "daisy chain" the intervening track sections by soldering small jumper wires of the same size as the feeder wires, and I would drill them through the roadbed for better appearance. Or, you could solder feeders to every track section.
4). Once the layout is one giant block, connect the DCC outputs to the bus. I use "B for Black" so I can remember it, so Rail A is Red and Rail B is Black.
That's it for small layout DCC track wiring, really. The only thing left is the throttle bus cable. Run that around the perimeter of your layout, leaving a 12" loop of wire at every location you think you'll have a throttle jack. Once you've done that, add the throttle jacks, cut the throttle bus cable and add on the modular 6-pin phone/data crimps. Connect them to the jacks.
If you have any reversing sections like loops, wyes or turntables, you can get automatic reversers or you can use a DPDT toggle to do it yourself. These locations would get their own 14AWG bus isolated from the rest of the layout.
If you're layout is even smaller, like 4x8', then I wouldn't even bother with the 14AWG bus. Just connect the DCC system to the track and have at it.
DanO22 try this site lots of good info that you are asking about good luck www.wiringfordcc.com
try this site lots of good info that you are asking about good luck www.wiringfordcc.com
He could reach the site here, but that may be more than be bargained for as a newcomer to DCC.
http://www.wiringfordcc.com/
Rich
Alton Junction
I agree with Rich that some of the information at Alan Gartner's site can be overwhelming and intimidating to a new user.
This site has some good information:
http://www.dccwiki.com/DCC_Tutorial_(Basic_System)
And there is more detailed subjects here:
http://www.dccguy.com/?page_id=10
Larry Puckett who has authored some DCC books has a great deal of information at his site presented in an understandable fashion. But, you have to look for it.
He suggests using the search box in the upper right of his pages.
Hope that helps, Ed
Start at the beginning:
https://www.nmra.org/beginners-guide-command-control-and-dcc
Take Care!
Frank
When I first got into DCC 14 years ago, I didn't need or read any book or consult any DCC web site. I simply purchased a DCC system (NCE), and the instructions that came with the system were quite adequate. You do not need to be an electrical engineer to set up a DCC powered layout.
richhotrain When I first got into DCC 14 years ago, I didn't need or read any book or consult any DCC web site. I simply purchased a DCC system (NCE), and the instructions that came with the system were quite adequate. You do not need to be an electrical engineer to set up a DCC powered layout. Rich
Same here.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
richhotrainWhen I first got into DCC 14 years ago, I didn't need or read any book or consult any DCC web site. I simply purchased a DCC system (NCE), and the instructions that came with the system were quite adequate. You do not need to be an electrical engineer to set up a DCC powered layout.
I'll join in, same here! But, it was in this forum, along with some reading, that I learned about bus wire and feeders, and the tip on isolating both rails, as I was setting mine up for the block and cab control system, since everything I had was from previous layouts, and DC.
Now it's DCC, and with a quick change, DC, if I want to. (Disclaimer: Very important to also point out, that with this type of arrangment, NEVER try to run both at the same time, Thankyou).
Figure I better throw that in there.
Mike.
My You Tube