Sorry if this is redundant, but I've been unable to find a definitve answer on some wiring runs. Not talking a bout twisting power district busses or anything, but can you zip tie a Loconet DCC cable alongside an AC extension cord? (You may ask why, simple cable tidiness is the answer).
As an aside, if anyone has a list of do's, dont's and doesn't matters as far as parallel and non-parallel run best practices for AC, track bus, DCC bus, CAT5, low voltage (I.e structure lighting), etc. that might be a handy reference. "Egon: We need to cross the beams. Venkman: You said that would be very bad. Egon: I know." --Ghostbusters.
No, don't cable those two together. AC or the DCC bus can induce voltages in low level signal lines like Loconet. Running wires in parallel is generally bad. ANd when they need to cross, you should use wire staples or some other method of securing the wire to route the crossing wire at 90 degrees - say you have a track bus down the middle of a section of benchwork, and the loconet is along the left edge to feed fascia panels, then it needs to move over to the right edge to connect to a stationary decoder. Rathern than angle it across, attach it past the last panel and turn a 90 degree angle, run straight scross the benchwork, then 90 degrees again to follow the opposite edge.
With low voltage circuits, you don't have to keep them feet apart, but don't cable things together. If you have say L girder, with a foot overhang ont he outside between the girder and fascia - you can run one line down the inside of the girder, anotehr down the inside of the rear girder, one down somewhere between the girder and the fascia, etc. That's plenty of distance to keep induced signals down.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Household AC and [relatively] low power DC lines should be kept apart, in your case a minimum of four inches, not ziptied together in one bundle ..
Cool, thanks all for the simple, clear info. Sometimes the wealth of technical detail on an internet search can obfuscate more than inform, nice to know we can always come here and get some clear answers.
I would keep them apart. In my MCSE Networking certification course, they warned about interference with Ethernet cables. If they are not shielded, there could be interference with the data. I would keep them apart. Using shielded cable would not be a bad idea.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Like I learned as an apprentice audiofile in the 70's, power cords on one side of the rack and signal cables on the other side.
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