?

[thatboy37]

another question on wiring. this time it is the same thing as last time as when i turn up the power it short circuits on me. well i checked all the wiring to make sure that i didnt cross any wires this time and so there weren't any crossed up or connected wrong. i go over to turn the power on again and it shorts out. if its not the wiring then what could it be if any of you could help me i would greatly appreciate it. thanks in advance

[dbaker48]

Reggie,
I know that their are many who know more than I do, but apparently they have gone to bed.  You may have a section of track that the rails are shorting with the ties.  I would suggest disconnecting the track a couple of lengths away from the transformer, and see if the short still pursists.  If not, connect a branch or segment at a time and see if it returns.  OR even safer you may be able to do a continuity test on the disconnected sections to see if they show a short.

[Roger Bielen]

Reggie,

As Don said a continuity test is a quick way to find/confirm a short.  If you don't already have volt/ohm(continuity) meter it is well worth the investment in saved aggrevation.

[csxt30]

Reggie : I have found some shorts to be just a nail or screw or something fell in between the tracks. Just my thought, cause that has happened to me before & hope you find the problem & let us know what it was !!

Thanks, John

[thor]

Reggie, I know you have a large layout so without having a diagram its hard to guess but if it was working fine before and now its shorting then obviously something has occurred whilst operating.  The most likely cause is something bridging between two conductors, perhaps a screw fell out on a switch or maybe one strand of multistrand wire has curled over and is touching its neighbor.

One of the advantages of wiring a layout into sections or blocks, is that you can arrange it so that each section can be isolated and tested by simply throwing a switch. Another thing that occurs to me if you leave several locos on the track, is perhaps a truck has derailed though it could as well be caused by a wagon wheel.  I'd first look to make quite sure all my rolling stock was properly on the track.

[thatboy37]

well i took line 4 a loose and tried to turn power on it did the same thing. next i took loose line 3 turned on power to 1 & 2 it worked fine. well the case is before i hooked up line 4 lines 1, 2, & 3 worked fine. then when i connected line 4 to 1, 2, & 3 thats when problem started when i turn on the power it shorted out. now when i try to connect line 3 to line 1, & 2 it shorts out. could that be because it is so close to and tied into line 4 possibly where the problem is. help please

[phillyreading]

Reggie,

Recheck your wiring to all track sections, the U post on a multiple transformer should go to the outside rail, the A B C or D post to center rail.  Constant voltage supply to switches should come off a letter A to D post.

From my experiance I do not phase two transformers on a layout, I keep the tracks separated from differant transformers.

Lee F.