I am currently planning a 3 deck layout that is point to point with a lift-out bridge on the lower staging level to allow for restaging and continuous operation. The linear run for a buss would be about 38' per deck.
My question is, how would it be best to wire for DCC?
1.) Should I have a buss for each deck that is in turn connected to the main power supply individually?
2.) Can each buss be wired as a loop? By this I mean as the wire comes all the way around back to where it started can it then be soldered to its origin and form a continuous loop with the main power supply teed off of it?
3.) What gauge of wire would be best for the buss and feeders to reduce voltage drop?
I plan on only having two operators at one time with a maximum of 4-6 engines under load at any one time.
Any input would be helpful!!
Dustin wrote: I am currently planning a 3 deck layout that is point to point with a lift-out bridge on the lower staging level to allow for restaging and continuous operation. The linear run for a buss would be about 38' per deck.My question is, how would it be best to wire for DCC?1.) Should I have a buss for each deck that is in turn connected to the main power supply individually? I'd look at the layout and see what method would give the shorests bus. I'd think about zigzagging, although three busses might make for easier debugging.2.) Can each buss be wired as a loop? By this I mean as the wire comes all the way around back to where it started can it then be soldered to its origin and form a continuous loop with the main power supply teed off of it? The best practice suggests not, for all practical purposes it can be. 3.) What gauge of wire would be best for the buss and feeders to reduce voltage drop?I'd use 14 gauge for the bus, 20 or so for the feeders.I plan on only having two operators at one time with a maximum of 4-6 engines under load at any one time. Any input would be helpful!!
I'd look at the layout and see what method would give the shorests bus. I'd think about zigzagging, although three busses might make for easier debugging.
The best practice suggests not, for all practical purposes it can be.
I'd use 14 gauge for the bus, 20 or so for the feeders.
Jeff But it's a dry heat!
I would wire the DCC into a junction block. I would then take a buss pair off for each level. I have been told that loops are bad, I don't know why, nor do I plan find out. Besides it is easier to not have a loop.
After you get the DCC up and running, I bet you will have four going at a time if you have the throttles.
Thanks Art,
What is a junction block?
Do you think I should split each deck such that it is divided... say... into halves such that the main busses from the power source will supply two lines each per deck so that the linear run of each buss is 20' instead of 40'.
20' 20' 40'
<------------||-----------> <---------------------------------||
This instead of This
I hope my cryptic drawing makes sense! I'm interested in doing a wiring job that makes electrical sense and will make diagnosis really easy. I'm aiming to have the underside of my layout as spaghetti-bowl free as the top!
(I KNOW I'll run more engines than stated)
Thanks again,
Block of plastic with a series of scews that allows easy connections. I get them at an electronics surplus store. The black strips at each edge. These have a solder joint and a row of screws. Some have two sets of screws.