Wiring help...

[silentman]

Have been reading old posts for about two hours on wiring a layout and still unsure of myself. Let me throw this out there and tell me if I am on the right path (Sorry as I know you guys can do this in your sleep).

Simply I want to run two loops independently of each other using a zw. I just want to start with the first loop, pretty basic 10x12 with a couple sidings to start. Do I run  a wire from the A post to the center rail with about 4-6 different spots spaced out for feeders to drop down to the "bus" wire? Than run a  wire from the U post to the outside rail and do I need to drop feeders down for the outside rail like I will do with the center or just solder the one wire to the outside rail from the transformer's U post?

One more thing, should I end up at a terminal strip with the wire from the center rail to tie in the sidings? I figure I need to put a fiber pin at the beginning of the sidings, run a wire from the center rail to a switch (single or double?) and tie into the terminal strip?

Hope this makes sense and thank you.

 

 

 

 

[steve24944]

I run a set of wires for each track block ( 1 wire to the center rail and the other wire to the outside rail ) back to my ZW Transformer.   I use fiber pins on the center rail to make blocks - but all outside rail are connected. ( except for outside control rails for signals )  It's a good idea to wire the outside rail each place you wire a block so you don't have any loss of power due to possible loose pins. 

I have my  A post and D post wired into Atlas selectors for block control, so for any given block I can choose the A or D throttle.  These wires go to the center rail,  All the wires from outside rails go to the U post.  ( I use the B + C posts for accessories, switches etc.. )

Multiple terminal strips are a good idea for making connections at your control panel and under the layout.  I have long 8 post strips at my control panel, then run my long length of wire to a 2 post terminal strip under the layout where the wire goes up through the plywood to the track connection.

Steve

 

[cheech]

You pretty much have it. Do use terminal strips, it will make the wiring less difficult in the end to get the drops further down the layout. 

A post to the terminal strip, to the center rail in multiple spots gives you power

U post to a separate terminal strip to the outside rail does the same to complete the circuit.

If you want to add insulated rails as indicated in the above post, just remember, drop power to the insulated rail and to the tracks before it and after it to get the continuity.

 

hope this helps

ralph

[lionelsoni]

First of all, be sure to use wire that can safely carry the rated current of your transformer's circuit breaker.  For a real ZW, this is 14 AWG and 15 amperes.

I run a short tap from the rail down through the table, then connect it to the two wires of the bus (one from the transformer, one to the next tap) with a wire nut.  Whether and how many taps you need depends on the size of the layout, the quality of your rail joints, and whether the loop is divided into blocks.  It is possible with good (soldered) rail joints and a complete loop to do without feeders entirely for a surprisingly large loop, because the track is fed from both ends.  Even with blocks, the outside rails of a loop can always be fed from both ends.  The outside rails are doubled anyway, and therefore tend to need fewer taps.  Connecting outside rails between your two loops every so often where they are near each other is a big help too.

Use a single-pole-single-throw switch in series with a feeder to the center rail of each siding that you want to isolate.  Connect the switch to your transformer's A terminal rather than to the main-line center rail--they are electrically the same.

I don't see an advantage for terminal strips here, except perhaps at the transformer, to fan out the A and D terminals to switches to feeders for multiple sidings.

If you think you would ever want to connect the two loops' tracks together, you should plan on block wiring now, to avoid a lot of work later.

[silentman]

Thanks again I guess my biggest dilema is trying to figure out whether I want to connect the two loops or keep it simple. I was going with simple but may regret that.

[balidas]

For now just go with simple and get things running. You can and will change things as you go.

[lionelsoni]

It's pretty easy to make block gaps in the center rail when you're laying the track, then solder bare-wire jumpers across the gaps.  Then you can do all the rest later if you want a block setup, without pulling the track up.