As I contemplate laying track I am thinking of the following procedure for making sure that the juice is flowing through the soldered joints.
1. Lay up to 12 ft of track.
2. Connect a DC transformer to track with alligator clips clipped to the track.
3. Place an un-decoded locomotive on the section of track and make sure that the locomotive runs acceptably on the section with the DC transformer.
Does this make sense? I am going to be wiring for DCC and I am not all that concerned about the feeders and the bus until a power block is all wired. But I am concerned about the electrical current through the soldered joints between track sections. I also intend to use a buzzer to ensure that the DCC wiring is wired correctly.
Bear "It's all about having fun."
Running a loco will work, but different locos draw different amounts of current, especially older ones. I think I would just use a meter to check for voltage loss over the length and through the solder joint.
Good luck,
Richard
You could just measure the resistance. Measuring voltage loss isn't going to mean much without a load, so the loco idea actually has some merit. I think once you test a couple of soldered joints you will probably realize that it isn't really necessary to test every one.
Jeff But it's a dry heat!
If you are not worried about the feeders then why are you worried about the solder joints? If you put a feeder every 4 or 5 feet ish maybe up to every 8 feet you should be just fine, solder joints or none. Solder conducts very well, I would be more worried about the joints that are not soldered since those have to rely on the amount of contact as well as the amount of dirt and corrosion that may be in that joint.
Massey
A Veteran, whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve, is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."
If your drops can be disconnected from the bus, or aren't connected to start with, that's where I'd connect the analog DC pack. Might as well check ALL the connections, including the drops.
I power the track and run a locomotive just as soon as the track is laid and the caulk has set up, but not to check conductivity. If D50380 can navigate the newly-laid rail I can be confident that anything else I own will have no problem. (Unweighted pilot truck, very light tender with one mis-drilled sideframe.)
As for rail joints, I never solder them - but I do solder a jumper around every one. Whatever problems I might have, conductivity isn't one of them.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Bear,
Even with all soldered rail joints - that really is not enough for a full 5 amp load from a DCC system. Review the 'Wiring for DCC' section on resistance for various gauges of wire and rail:
http://www.wiringfordcc.com/trakwire.htm
A good rule of thumb is to do the 'Quarter' test: With you DCC system hooked up to the track, hold a quarter to the rails at the furthest section away from the DCC system. The system should shut down immediately. If it does not shut down or takes time to shut down, you have a high resistance solder joint some where in you construction.
I have a wire 'bus' under the layout that follows the trackage. I also have a 'feeder' from every section of track to the bus(that is every 3-6'). I do solder some of my joints, but most are just mechanical joints so that there is expansion in the track system The humidity varies from 35-60% in the layout area, and the temp swing is 55-70 degrees.
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
If you're going to use DCC then I suggest you test with DCC.
My last layout (first with DCC) I started laying track and wiring from where the DCC unit was. As I did each section - about 4-6 feet with 1-2 turnouts, I did the quarter test and then ran a locomotive with a couple of cars.
Enjoy
Paul
Bingo ROOSTER
We all have our ways I guess.With the heating during winter and the summer air conditioning,I have to care about rail expansion so I never solder a single joint.I prefer having a separate feeder for every section of track (36" flex) and even the shorter ones.It also has other advantages as any section of track is easier to replace,modifications are also easier and replacing a turnout also is.I also think there's less resistance in the buss wiring than in given lengths of track,the difference is likely minor but I trust this more...but that's me.I don't feel that installing feeders is that much more work than soldering joints anyway.
Thanks everyone. This is the final layout, more or less. There are some minor tweeks in the works. I am not sure if I should be posting this subject on this forum or the DCC forum, though. My original post was based on my concern about whether or not my soldering is up to snuff. Some additional info. I am going to go with the NCE PowerCab with one additional throttle. Bus wires will be 14 AWG and the feeders will be 20 AWG. To keep the bus less than 30 feet I plan on four power blocks: Starting in the middle just south of the Maricopa Yard, one bus will loop along the outer mainline taking in the meat packing area on the west and terminating at the very S edge of the SW loop. A second bus will loop immediatetly W of the Maricopa Yard taking in the E spur of the meat packing area and terminating where the first bus terminated. Likewise on the E side of the layout. I plan on using plastic rail joiners for the gaps. Rathder than solder the feeders to the bus, I am going to use terminal strips. The quarter test will be performed.
Looks like a good layout. The only thing I see is there is no real reason to run opposing trains since all of your industries feed off the same direction. While this is fine it does make things a little dull after a while.
bearman I am going to go with the NCE PowerCab with one additional throttle. Bus wires will be 14 AWG and the feeders will be 20 AWG. To keep the bus less than 30 feet I plan on four power blocks: Starting in the middle just south of the Maricopa Yard, one bus will loop along the outer mainline taking in the meat packing area on the west and terminating at the very S edge of the SW loop. A second bus will loop immediatetly W of the Maricopa Yard taking in the E spur of the meat packing area and terminating where the first bus terminated. Likewise on the E side of the layout. I plan on using plastic rail joiners for the gaps. Rathder than solder the feeders to the bus, I am going to use terminal strips. The quarter test will be performed.
I am going to go with the NCE PowerCab with one additional throttle. Bus wires will be 14 AWG and the feeders will be 20 AWG. To keep the bus less than 30 feet I plan on four power blocks: Starting in the middle just south of the Maricopa Yard, one bus will loop along the outer mainline taking in the meat packing area on the west and terminating at the very S edge of the SW loop. A second bus will loop immediatetly W of the Maricopa Yard taking in the E spur of the meat packing area and terminating where the first bus terminated. Likewise on the E side of the layout. I plan on using plastic rail joiners for the gaps. Rathder than solder the feeders to the bus, I am going to use terminal strips. The quarter test will be performed.
I guess I'm confused, especially by what you are calling "power blocks". To me that means that you're going to be using an additional 3 boosters besides the power supply that comes with the PowerCab. I don't that that's what you meant. And if it is, that's way more than necessary for the railroad you show.
I think you meant to say that you are going to run four separate busses, but I could be mistaken. In any case, if it were me I'd just run two separate busses, one clockwise from the middle, and one in the opposite direction. If you run them right down the middle of the benchwork, you should be easily able to tap off of them to go to the terminal strips you have in mind.
Just my opinion, of course.
Maxman, you are correct about what I was planning on doing...4separate busses. Running 2 busses as you recommend makes sense...but, it seems that there may be a few feeders that maybe more than 12 inches long, especially in the SE loop. Alternatively I suppose I could run a separate bus off the main bus in the SE loop (an inverted "Y" if you will) to deal with this if it could be an issue. Otherwise, I am sold on the idea.
bearman Maxman, you are correct about what I was planning on doing...4separate busses. Running 2 busses as you recommend makes sense...but, it seems that there may be a few feeders that maybe more than 12 inches long, especially in the SE loop. Alternatively I suppose I could run a separate bus off the main bus in the SE loop (an inverted "Y" if you will) to deal with this if it could be an issue. Otherwise, I am sold on the idea.
Are you concerned about the feeder wires from the terminal strips to the track, or the feeder wires from the buss to the terminal strips? I'm assuming that you'll put your terminal strips in proximity to the drops from the track, so you should be able to get all of those situated where you want them. If you are concerned about the feeders from the buss to the terminal strips being #20 and more than a foot long, you can always use heavier wire, say #18, from the strips to the buss.
I personally don't see a concern about #20 feeders more than a foot long, so long as the length is kept reasonable. I think you can go at least twice that without a problem. So long as your wiring passes the quarter test you should be good.
Then it will be two busses.
It suddenly occurs to me now that I am starting to lay track. There are going to be two busses per maxman's suggestion. Should the two sections of the layout be gapped corresponding to the portion of the layout which is associated with each bus?
Jacktal We all have our ways I guess.With the heating during winter and the summer air conditioning,I have to care about rail expansion so I never solder a single joint.I prefer having a separate feeder for every section of track (36" flex) and even the shorter ones.It also has other advantages as any section of track is easier to replace,modifications are also easier and replacing a turnout also is.I also think there's less resistance in the buss wiring than in given lengths of track,the difference is likely minor but I trust this more...but that's me.I don't feel that installing feeders is that much more work than soldering joints anyway.
The LION solders his joints. This gives the track greater stability. This is especially so for switching plants.
I will assemble and solder together several switches and crossovers into one unit with gaps and wires as I require, and then import it to the layout, mark where the actuator holes need to be, drill the holes and then mount the unit.
The LION finds that he needs to solder flex track as he installs it lest gaps form when he bends it and him not see it until the train derails.
Granted, this is a pain in the posterior anatomy (tail) when you need to remove tracks. I cut the joiner with a wire clipper, use the solder iron to remove the remains of the joiner, and a file to profile the end of the track. I always gripe at myself for using solder when I take it apart, but I still always use solder when I put it together.
I do not put a feeder to *every* section of track, but there is a feeder every several sections or about 10 feet.
My trains are also soldered together ☺ that is I use draw bars instead of couplers, and hard wire for both lighting and motors (4 conductors) and thus my trains have 48 wheel pickup. Very forgiving of poor conductivity along the ROW. But alas... I gues that not everyone has discovered th joy of modeling subway trains! ☺
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
IRONROOSTER If you're going to use DCC then I suggest you test with DCC. My last layout (first with DCC) I started laying track and wiring from where the DCC unit was. As I did each section - about 4-6 feet with 1-2 turnouts, I did the quarter test and then ran a locomotive with a couple of cars. Enjoy Paul
I agree. I just use a 12 volt incandescent bulb wired to two alligator clips that I use to test conductivity on the rails.
Testing with an old loco and DC transformer just seems like too much extra effort.
Rich
Alton Junction