Running Bear's Coffee Shop LV
- Thread starter bnsf971
- Start date
new guy
Active Member
goscrewyourselves
I'm the one
One feeder every 3' - sounds about right. That equates to one feeder per section of flex track and seems to be the "going rule of thumb". Is it needed - NOPE!
There are (possibly) two schools of thought, and neither are wrong. One line of thought is to have a feeder for each section of flex track (every 3') to ensure that all of the track work has power all of the time, avoiding the possibility of a bad rail join somewhere, and that does make sense when you think about it. This line of thought probably falls under the heading of "preventative measures".
The other line of thought is to only use as many feeders as is needed to have power to all of the track. In other words, if you have 100' of track, use (say) 12 gauge wire for the main bus with 18 gauge feeders, then you might be able to get away with only having 4 feeders that will provide power to all of your 100' of track. As such, that is all some people use and do so successfully.
Both lines of thought work - both enable your track work to be powered and that is basically all that matters.
Personally, I like to have a feeder for each section of flex track for the reasons already stated. Sort of an insurance policy. Is it or could it be, over kill - most likely but it will/should/might save a whole lot of frustration and work should a rail join fail at some point causing a loss of power to one part of your track. This really is a case of "the more the merrier"
Trussrod
Well-Known Member
Good afternoon fellow Ballast Tampers and Spike Drivers,
Hi Flo, where's Francine, oh she took the day off, so you have your hands full then. Just coffee for me, black is fine.
What does WW say: Clear at 82.9 °F - Feels Like 82 °F;
Winds are from the SW at 2.7;
Humidity is at 37%;
Barometer is at 29.56 in/Hg
Hi Garry: I read what you said about the fence being Corrugated but until I pulled the image of the Junk yard office showing Dawg closer and enhanced it a bit and enlarged it, could I see the Corrugated sheets that made up the outside face of the fence. These did come in sheets and those were really heavy sheets too. I have an old Barn across the road and up about a 150' from my entrance that is covered with the old Corrugated sheets, roof and sides. I'd bet each sheet weighs between 15 to 20 Lbs. I covered one side of my tool shed roof wit the newer lighter weight Corrugated sheets which worked out very well and made a quick way to repair a leaky roof.
Say Paratrooper: It is an triangle that fits in the corner of the L where the two tables butt together to form a 45* angle across the 90* area to aid in forming a smooth radius for your track to bend across much easier. They can be made to fill the corner as much as you want/need.
Did my description help you to under stand better?
Garry: Thanks for the info I may try that here and there?
Sherrel & Phil: This place does move a lot faster than it did, for sure!
Nice picture of the F units.
Say Chris: You seem new to me so welcome to the forums.
Phill: I'm not so bad myself with a rifle or pistol.
Say Milwaukee: Thank Your Sir, it's appreciated, but just David is fine with me, I'm sure you have done many things to earn respect for too as your showing to me!
Hi Flo, where's Francine, oh she took the day off, so you have your hands full then. Just coffee for me, black is fine.
What does WW say: Clear at 82.9 °F - Feels Like 82 °F;
Winds are from the SW at 2.7;
Humidity is at 37%;
Barometer is at 29.56 in/Hg
Hi Garry: I read what you said about the fence being Corrugated but until I pulled the image of the Junk yard office showing Dawg closer and enhanced it a bit and enlarged it, could I see the Corrugated sheets that made up the outside face of the fence. These did come in sheets and those were really heavy sheets too. I have an old Barn across the road and up about a 150' from my entrance that is covered with the old Corrugated sheets, roof and sides. I'd bet each sheet weighs between 15 to 20 Lbs. I covered one side of my tool shed roof wit the newer lighter weight Corrugated sheets which worked out very well and made a quick way to repair a leaky roof.
Say Paratrooper: It is an triangle that fits in the corner of the L where the two tables butt together to form a 45* angle across the 90* area to aid in forming a smooth radius for your track to bend across much easier. They can be made to fill the corner as much as you want/need.
Did my description help you to under stand better?
Garry: Thanks for the info I may try that here and there?
Sherrel & Phil: This place does move a lot faster than it did, for sure!
Nice picture of the F units.
Say Chris: You seem new to me so welcome to the forums.
Phill: I'm not so bad myself with a rifle or pistol.
Say Milwaukee: Thank Your Sir, it's appreciated, but just David is fine with me, I'm sure you have done many things to earn respect for too as your showing to me!
Last edited by a moderator:
I'm no electrician, but I have been told by the best that 80% of electricity "flows" on the surface of its conductor.
Now, I don't know diddly damn about DCC .. But my last HO 6x12 folded loop only had two feeders and I soldered every rail joint --cutting gaps where they were needed for turnouts. The main feeders were made from an extension cord .. Wiring for switch machines was salvaged telephone wire - non stranded.
I know that I am a dinosaur, but it all worked at that time. I just wish I could remember how I built the power pack.
It was all home built with a large four inch open coil 110 volt rheostat.
Where I was going with this is anyone's guess?
Oh look .. A squirrel!
Now, I don't know diddly damn about DCC .. But my last HO 6x12 folded loop only had two feeders and I soldered every rail joint --cutting gaps where they were needed for turnouts. The main feeders were made from an extension cord .. Wiring for switch machines was salvaged telephone wire - non stranded.
I know that I am a dinosaur, but it all worked at that time. I just wish I could remember how I built the power pack.
It was all home built with a large four inch open coil 110 volt rheostat.
Where I was going with this is anyone's guess?
Oh look .. A squirrel!
BigE
Active Member
One thing for sure.... no can ever call me a procrastinator.
This was all done in less 3 hours.
I've never even touched plaster cloth before now. Once I got a handle on it I was about done.
A little over 2 rolls of WS C1203.
I laid sheets of paper towels on the frame and sprayed them with water then simply laid the wet plaster sheets right on. Easy peasie!!
Most likely I will do as suggested and put down a skim coat of hydrocal all over - just for strength if nothing else.
This was all done in less 3 hours.
I've never even touched plaster cloth before now. Once I got a handle on it I was about done.
A little over 2 rolls of WS C1203.
I laid sheets of paper towels on the frame and sprayed them with water then simply laid the wet plaster sheets right on. Easy peasie!!
Most likely I will do as suggested and put down a skim coat of hydrocal all over - just for strength if nothing else.
Sherrel, electrons flow along the surface of the conductor, usually wire. The thicker the wire, the more electrons can flow along its surface. Multiple stranded wire can use many smaller conductors to do the same work as a single, large, thick, not-very-flexible conductor.
BigE
Active Member
Ditto what Terry said. They taught us that in my first semester of electronics in college. There is a reason based on physics why that is but I don't recall. I can still explain transistor theory for some reason though.
Genetk44
Active Member
lololol...thank you for causing me to blow my beer out my nose!!!!!
new guy
Active Member
BigE
Active Member
Yeah, didn't you say something about how cool those LED lights made it look like it was glowing radioactive. I think it was a day-time pic where I just had the vertical ribs stuck down. Maybe that one early foggy morning. I remember the pics just not when exactly. Only a week or so ago.
One thing is for sure, is I have a built-in mechanism to testing light-proofing the thing!!
You ought to see how bright it is inside looking in from the back openings.
new guy
Active Member
The final outcome will be fantastic! 'Glowing' tunnels! It'll make folks wonder WHAT is going on In there!
new guy
Active Member
Another 8 footer went onto the wall tonight. Making the last corner turn and it REALLY is starting to take some shape! Got shelf on all four walls now!
I put a couple shots on the thread of the way we are attaching it to the wall. Going to run thru the last of the 12 foot 1x4's QUICK, moan-day morning I'll get another bunch.
I put a couple shots on the thread of the way we are attaching it to the wall. Going to run thru the last of the 12 foot 1x4's QUICK, moan-day morning I'll get another bunch.
GENETK44 .. Sometimes I have a thought and before I can two finger peck it down .. I've got alligators up to my armpits and it's sort of hard to remember that the objective was to drain the swamp!
Trussrod
Well-Known Member
Say Sherrel: That's quite a quote! "Alligators up to your armpits trying to remember for all the distractions you were supposed to drain the Swap"! LoL
Transistors and printed circuits was why I lost interest in radio and electronics at about 12 I think. I liked to see the little filaments in the glass valves (tubes) flickering. Looked like something was actually happening.
