batrapyr Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Sometime ago I acquired a (large) Z gauge layout that had previously been exhibited but had been mothballed for a number of years. As can be seen from the track plan (schematic), it comprises 4 baseboards each with its own control panel. Handheld controllers plug in via a couple of 6-DIN sockets. It is, obviously, DC and cab control is employed. To an inexperienced modeller, like me, this was an ideal project where I could learn about things like electrics and I have to confess that my first impression of the wiring loom, under the baseboards, was one of bewilderment. There were wires of every colour of the rainbow and I set out with the intention of figuring out what each wire did and then labelling them. I quickly discovered that there were 3 separate circuits. The first was for the points; the second was for the uncouplers and the third was for the track power (using two separate feeds). I have managed to work out the two baseboards, with pink and grey backgrounds. There are separate 'zones' and I have given the track a different colour for each zone. They are electrically isolated and are controlled by appropriate (centre-off) switches on the control panels, thereby providing cab control. The other two baseboards are where I have a problem. The previous owner had started to dismantle the layout and had removed the control panels for the two left-most baseboards. I am in the process of reinstating the missing control panels and I have all the necessary wire, switches, etc. however I need to work out where the isolated sections would be. Any suggestions would be warmly welcomed! Barry Denyer A novice modeller & an electrical numpty Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasatcopthorne Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 Firstly, why do you want cab control. Is is because a second person will be driving at the left hand end? Is the fiddleyard on a second controller so that someone else can move trains around there while you work trains in the pink section? Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus1 Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Simply, the cab control enable either controller to work anywhere on the layout. You will only find what goes where by tracing the wiring using a meter preferably with a continuity buzzer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham108 Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 You should be able to identify the sections by looking for insulated rail joiners (plastic fishplates) or gaps in one or both rails. Graham 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chimer Posted January 20, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 20, 2021 It would be easier if I knew what I was looking at .... I'm guessing the left hand end is a 4 platform terminus, run round on the top two platforms, with a double track main line to the (red) fiddle yard and a single track branch to a rather large branch terminus (mostly green) with a couple of carriage sidings? With no scope for freight operations? Sectionalising the left hand end would rather depend on what you would want to be able to do at the same time. I could probably tell you how I would do it starting from scratch, but whether that would bear any resemblance to how it's actually been done is another matter entirely .... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCB Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 On 15/01/2021 at 06:48, batrapyr said: Sometime ago I acquired a (large) Z gauge layout that had previously been exhibited but had been mothballed for a number of years. As can be seen from the track plan (schematic), it comprises 4 baseboards each with its own control panel. Handheld controllers plug in via a couple of 6-DIN sockets. It is, obviously, DC and cab control is employed. To an inexperienced modeller, like me, this was an ideal project where I could learn about things like electrics and I have to confess that my first impression of the wiring loom, under the baseboards, was one of bewilderment. There were wires of every colour of the rainbow and I set out with the intention of figuring out what each wire did and then labelling them. I quickly discovered that there were 3 separate circuits. The first was for the points; the second was for the uncouplers and the third was for the track power (using two separate feeds). I have managed to work out the two baseboards, with pink and grey backgrounds. There are separate 'zones' and I have given the track a different colour for each zone. They are electrically isolated and are controlled by appropriate (centre-off) switches on the control panels, thereby providing cab control. The other two baseboards are where I have a problem. The previous owner had started to dismantle the layout and had removed the control panels for the two left-most baseboards. I am in the process of reinstating the missing control panels and I have all the necessary wire, switches, etc. however I need to work out where the isolated sections would be. Any suggestions would be warmly welcomed! Barry Denyer A novice modeller & an electrical numpty Sounds like a well thought out scheme. Separate circuits for points are just plain common sense especially with DCC, you really don't want points power tripping because a loco is across an isolator and you can't change the point to clear it because the power is tripping..., DC Handhelds are also so much easier to wield than DCC, I operate mine one handed, one in each hand and forget which is which., when running two trains or on occasion banking. You can have an almost unlimited number of controllers or Din Sockets for hand helds with cab control. The OP's seems to have just two controllers selected by DPDT switches, mine have 6 way rotary switches but double gang rotaries around 20 way are avaiable and that's far from the limit. I will blow up your drawing and see if I can make head or tail of it later, but it looks souns. Multicoloured wirng is availabe from car scrap yards, best lengths are along panel vans, Trannies and the like. Its what I use. Where are you based? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John ks Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 (edited) If I understand you correctly then this is what I would do If I counted correctly I have set up 11 extra blocks Each requiring a DPDT Centre Off switch I have only shown 2 of the 11 blocks connected to switches The red lines are IRRJ's in both rails EDIT Seems i had a seniors moment, Drawing corrected Thanks to bartram108(next post)for showing my mistake John Edited January 21, 2021 by John ks mistake Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham108 Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 (edited) John Are you sure you have the wiring of the DPDT switches correct? Assuming green (C1) is +ve and blue (C1) is -ve, and grey (C2) is +ve and orange (C2) is -ve, then the 2 wires from each controller need to go to either the top 2 poles or the bottom 2 poles respectively. And the polarity needs to connect to the same side at each end so when you throw the switch either up or down then power is fed to the red / black wires connecting to the track consistently. So you need to swap the blue & grey connections on your diagram. Graham Edited January 21, 2021 by bartram108 Add name 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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