Wiring question (feeders for DC- converting to DCC)

[nsconductor]

Building my layout, planning to go DCC in the near future and have a few sound engines. Plan to buy the Digitrax Empire Builder DCC set up. For now, I have 3 locomotives, all DCC ready (plug in) but they do not have chips installed. I'm gonna buy a cheap $40 throttle to run for a few months to run test trains since the track is 90% (just lacking small yard and 2 industry spurs). Would one feeder be enough for now to run DC consistently? Layout is roughly 10x10'. All joints are soldered except a few random joints in tangent track for expansion. If I ran 3-4 feeder wires around the layout, would it still work fine with DCC?

 

[Selector]

It would be really quick to wire a layout of the size you describe and not have to do a thing for either DC or DCC...wouldn't matter. Except that your DCC base unit would be that much more able to detect damaging shorts.

Just solder two sets of 18 gauge or 20 gauge wires to each 'half' of the track plan. You can come off the base unit output terminals with a heavier, whatever's handy, wire for a foot or two, and tap into those two with the lighter feeders. If your length for 20 gauge feeders is no more than about 6' each, give or take, you should find that the voltage drop will be minimal, say less than 1/2 volt to the farthest distance of the rails from either feeder pair.

 

[Lateral-G]

Building my layout, planning to go DCC in the near future and have a few sound engines. Plan to buy the Digitrax Empire Builder DCC set up. For now, I have 3 locomotives, all DCC ready (plug in) but they do not have chips installed. I'm gonna buy a cheap $40 throttle to run for a few months to run test trains since the track is 90% (just lacking small yard and 2 industry spurs). Would one feeder be enough for now to run DC consistently? Layout is roughly 10x10'. All joints are soldered except a few random joints in tangent track for expansion. If I ran 3-4 feeder wires around the layout, would it still work fine with DCC?

Here's my layout in a 10 x 14 room:

It is wired for DC/DCC. No blocks or districts.

I used 12 ga. romex for the main power supply bus wires. I only used the black and white wires after stripping off the outer insulation sheathing. (I saved the bare copper ground wire for use somewhere else I may need it)

These 12ga wires connect to the DC output on my MRC Control Master 20 power pack. I then run 22 ga. feeder wire from the rails to the main bus wires. I used a wire stipper to expose a bare section of main bus wire then wrapped the 22 ga feeder around the exposed section and soldered it. You could use commercial connectors if you wanted but that's more expensive.

My turnouts are already DCC friendly (which means the frogs are gapped and powered via Caboose Industries power routing ground throws). I have more feeders than depicted because of the turnouts and the need for gapped rails.

I never had any problems getting power to the rails with this set-up. I could run two or three locos simultaneously BUT since there was only one controller they all moved at the same speed and stopped/started at the same time.

The green wire you see went from the hand held controller to the power pack itself. MRC's unit used 4 conductor phone wire and RJ11 connectors so you could daisy chain phone jacks all around the fascia board and use the plug to move with the train ( the MRC unit has memory when unplugged).

I have since converted to The Digitrax Super Chief DCC unit. All I did was swap out the MRC unit for the Digitrax one. Very easy and painless.

The biggest concern you should have is that your DC power pack/throttle/controller has enough amps to run a large layout. As long as it has that then you should have no worries.

-G-

 

[nsconductor]

Where the best place to buy small rolls of wire, Radio Shack? Figuring on doing it like you did. Run larger gauge feeders from the control box, and run small feeders to the track and solder directly to the inside of the rails.


Now just to figure out how to wire up my wye so it will eliminate the short.

 

[Lateral-G]

Where the best place to buy small rolls of wire, Radio Shack? Figuring on doing it like you did. Run larger gauge feeders from the control box, and run small feeders to the track and solder directly to the inside of the rails.


Now just to figure out how to wire up my wye so it will eliminate the short.

I got my wire spools at RS.

I soldered the feeders to the outside of the rail. This is to prevent any interference with the loco and rolling stock wheels. You could also solder the feeders to the bottom of the rail.

As for wiring the wye look here:

http://www.nmra.org/beginner/wiring.html

http://www.model-railroad-resources.com/members-wiring-wye-tutorial.html

http://www.building-your-model-railroad.com/model-railroad-wiring.html

If you are using DCC an auto-reverser is highly recommended. The Digitrax AR-1 is nice and very affordable.

-G-

 

[flh80]

Where the best place to buy small rolls of wire, Radio Shack? Figuring on doing it like you did. Run larger gauge feeders from the control box, and run small feeders to the track and solder directly to the inside of the rails.


Now just to figure out how to wire up my wye so it will eliminate the short.

I would go to a home store, it may be a little cheaper, or an automotive supply for your main Buss wires. For the track feeds, I use Door Bell wire from a home store (comes in a bundle of red and white together, I put red on one rail, white on the other). It's a solid strand which makes it easier to solder to the tracks, I see too many people use multi stand wire and it gets too messy, plus strip enough insulation off so you don't see it at the track.

 

[jdetray]

I've purchased wire from Radio Shack, and it's fine. I also found the following site, which has good prices and a wide selection of wire types and colors.

Bulk Wire

I have been extremely pleased with this vendor.

- Jeff

 

[TomR]

Where the best place to buy small rolls of wire, Radio Shack? Figuring on doing it like you did. Run larger gauge feeders from the control box, and run small feeders to the track and solder directly to the inside of the rails.


Now just to figure out how to wire up my wye so it will eliminate the short.

The WYE will take one DPDT relay wired to a turnout control switch if done right. My layout has a Wye that has power synced with turnout positions. If I pull into the Wye, I flip one switch and the turnouts transfer and the power corrects. All I do is open the throttle and pull back out the other direction.


For wire......



http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine.aspx?Keyword=hookup+wire

and pick whether you want single or multi-conductor wire.

Also McMaster Carr sells wire, as does MCM Electronics.

Maybe the best place for small quantities is this one:

http://www.parts-express.com/wire-cable.cfm

For signal wiring I use ribbon cable.

For turnouts I use CAT 3 wire which is six conductors in three twisted pairs

For power feeds I use a heavier wire that looks like CAT5, but is a bit larger gauge. While my layout is DC only, I have less than 1/2 volt drop running two DC engines on the same track. My track is probably 100 feet long but is folded back in a loop in a 10 by 20 foot area.

If I had a 500 foot run, I might use number 12. Even number 16 or 18 will handle virtually any load at all possible at 50 feet wire path length.

Tom