If you have a volt-ohm meter, you already have a continuity tester. Just set to the lowest resistance range and watch the needle go to zero when you have continuity.
OK. Help me understand. On one section of track there are 2 rails. Let us call them track A and track B. If I join 2 sections together, do I then touch one probe on track A of one section and jump over the joiner and touch the other probe on track A of the next section.? Or do I check A and B within one section? This may be elementary to you, but it is new to me.
Moses45 If i got a continuity tester would that be useful. If I put one lead on track A and another on track B, could I check sections that way? Like I said, I am learning as I go. As a previous poster said, assemble track and test and the add more and test again. This will be my M.O. in the future.
If i got a continuity tester would that be useful. If I put one lead on track A and another on track B, could I check sections that way? Like I said, I am learning as I go. As a previous poster said, assemble track and test and the add more and test again. This will be my M.O. in the future.
Yes. From a Google search. Scroll down a little.
http://www.dccwiki.com/Wiring_tools
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
This is where automotive lamp current limiters shine - literally, if they are connected to the rail that's shorted.
About an eternity ago, when metal window screen was a common scenery base, one modeler created some all-but-impossible-to-find shorts when his long spikes contacted the screen wire under his roadbed. I believe the cure was to apply a LOT of amps to the rails, and watch for smoke.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Moses45I just expanded my Virginian layout by adding 150 feet of track. I turned my Digitrax contoller on and it indicates a short somewhere in the track.
This is why you should lay a few feet of track, solder a couple of feeders, then check. If OK, lay some more. Then repeat the process, checking _every time_.
As others said, a track diagram may show where you have created a problem that needs gaps. Or you crossed feeders somewhere.
Start with the first turnout you added, and set it for the straight-through routing. If the short doesn't go away, move to the next one.
Peco Insulfrog turnouts are power routing, so when you throw it for one direction of travel it cuts off power to the other route. Even so, I ALWAYS put insulated rail joiners on both rails that diverge from the frog to prevent problems like you are experiencing, and then add separate feeder wires beyond the frog.
With over 50 Peco Insulfrog turnouts on a large HO scale club layout, we have never had a problem with one of them causing a short circuit.
Moses45 Beyond that what is good procedure to find the short?
divide and conquer
i know this may be difficult, but if you can isolate sections of your layout into smaller and smaller sections, you can use your ohm-meter to locate the the section with the problem. Of course it's the last section you check.
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
I will perhaps get some photos posted. There are no metal objects on the track. Almost every joint is soldered. I ran feeders every 6 feet. I will double check the feeders Thanks.
I think a diagram of what you installed would be in order. I presume that you didn't just install a straight length of track. Also, take a look around and make sure that you didn't leave a metal tool across the rails. Also show us where you put your track feeders.
And if you tapped your feeders off a track bus, make sure that you didn't get some leads swapped someplace.
I just expanded my Virginian layout by adding 150 feet of track. I turned my Digitrax contoller on and it indicates a short somewhere in the track. First off let me tell you I used mosly Peco Insulforgs and a few Atlas switches. I did not use plastic connectors to insulate them. Was this a mistake. I had heard I dont need to isolate them. Beyond that what is good procedure to find the short? I do own a volt-ohm meter, but I am the picture of ignorance about electricity. But, with your input I will attempt to learn.