OK, so I've built a couple of layouts before, but many years ago so I think I'm losing my mind. I just finished wiring my new N scale layout and I'm getting overload indicators on all three cabs. I want to troubleshoot this with the most basic of questions. First, I ran a common, bare copper ground wire around the entire layout and soldered all of the common track wires to it. I assume that is OK. I then soldered all of the Atlas common turnout wires to that same bus...now, is that OK? I also hooked up all the common wires from each cab with jumpers....meaning I hooked up one terminal from the variable DC, fixed DC and fixed AC all together...it that OK? I just want to get a start on what's wrong here. I had previously wired a amuch more complicated layout in the late 80's and it worked perfectly. I thought I copied that but maybe I'm wrong!
DC Wiring Problem...HELP!
- Thread starter ecarfar
- Start date
Rico
BN Modeller
"I hooked up one terminal from the variable DC, fixed DC and fixed AC all together...it that OK?"
I believe that is a big no-no! Try disconnecting the AC and see if that fixes it.
If not disconnect all but the variable track power and see what happens.
Best I can do before my second cup of joe!
I believe that is a big no-no! Try disconnecting the AC and see if that fixes it.
If not disconnect all but the variable track power and see what happens.
Best I can do before my second cup of joe!
Thanks Rico, that might be my plan when I get home tonight. Remove all the wires except the variable dc and see if a train runs. The reason i conected all of the terminals together is because I'm using a common bus around the entire layout and thought all the grounds (for rail, switches, lights) all end up connected anyway....
Wastrel
Member
Another thing would be to ensure that any accessories, ie turnouts, are on their own circuit. Do not share commons with track and accessories, ever. Sure it may work, but why add the headache. It's hard enough sometimes to track down a short with just track in the equation, add in accessories and you compound the problem.
Personally I wire the track as a circuit, switches as another, lighting as a third, any sound effects as yet another, and so on. By isolating each type of system to its own circuit I can quickly track down a system fault.
Personally I wire the track as a circuit, switches as another, lighting as a third, any sound effects as yet another, and so on. By isolating each type of system to its own circuit I can quickly track down a system fault.
Thanks..the more I think about this problem the more I think that's where I'm headed. Putting the switches on a separate ground will be the most difficult but it's not the end of the world. thanks.
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Cjcrescent
Master Mechanic
NONE of the cabs are to be wired together, and NONE of the "extra" terminals on a power pack are to be wired together. Since this is DC wiring, it sounds like you are trying to do whats called common rail wiring. It works, but it requires that only one rail is wired to a common bus. The other rail has to be gapped in strategic places and then connected to electrical switches that will allow you to select which cab you want to use. None of the other terminals are to be so wired.
I would strongly suggest that you buy a DC wiring book from either Kalmbach, or Cartsens publishers. Otherwise trying to remember what goes where, after many years, can be confusing.
