PROGRAM TRACK SHORTING.

[melvin]

Having decided to relay a section of track, part of which includes my program track.

I do not use a separate program track, prefer not to handle my locos on & off.

One end is open, the other enters a point, then onto the main line.

Exit & Entry to the program track is protected with insulated joiners at the frog & outer rail.

The Live Point is a new Peco. The attached frog wire is soldered to a Gaugemaster DCC80 frog switcher.

It shorts even without this.

But, every time a Loco enters or leaves the program track it shorts. 

Out of ideas Guys, any thoughts. Regards.

 

[BoD]

How have you wired the program track?

[RAF96]

The usual setup is to feed the isolated programming track via a DPDT centre off switch, such that one way you are connected to the main track allowing you to drive on and off, centre off gives you complete isolation and the other way connects to your programmer.

 

I use a DPDT switch arrangement with my rolling road, so I can setup a decoder then flip the switch to running to check all is well.

 

[melvin]

9 hours ago, BoD said:

How have you wired the program track?

Direct wired from Program Track output socket from the controller. Observing correct wiring IE

Rail Outer Black.  Rail Inner Red   Hope this helps.

[Ray H]

Have you got the wires to the rails transposed - i.e. one of the two connections from the DCC track power supply go to one rail on the programming track and to the other rail on the rest of the layout.

 

I'd go back to the start.

 

Connect your DCC track power output direct to the programming track with no other connections. Disconnect the programming track if you still get a short and try connecting your DCC track power to a piece of track that isn't fixed down or connected to anything else. There's a problem with your DCC track power output if it still shorts otherwise the problem is with your programming track.

 

Temporarily connect your DCC track power output direct to the rest of the layout. there's a problem with the rest of the layout if you get a short then.

 

Re-connect the DCC track power output direct to the programming track and then connect the programming track to the rest of the layout. Your switching arrangement is the problem if there's no short when you bypass the switch.

 

Let us know how you get on.

[BoD]

1 hour ago, melvin said:

Direct wired from Program Track output socket from the controller. Observing correct wiring IE

Rail Outer Black.  Rail Inner Red   Hope this helps.

 

As RAF96 mentions above, how are you switching between programming output and main track feed for when you run a loco in to your ‘programming siding?

[WIMorrison]

What command station do you use? That is important as some have a dedicated programming track output (I think you have that type) and a separate main track output.

 

Roco do this is on the Z21 and the programming track is at full track except and only when you are programming.

 

So the question is which controller do you have?

[RAF96]

It is not unknown for a controller’s Programming and Track outputs to be anti-phase with each other. In practice this is not a problem as the two outputs would never see each other, but in a set up that just uses IRJs as isolation then the mismatched DCC polarity would be seen as a short, hence why my DPDT switching arrangement  is centre OFF for complete isolation. Most controllers would be damaged if Prog and Track saw each other even if polarity matched due to the current limited characteristics of the Prog output.

[melvin]

OK Lads Holding my head in shame. Yes wires transposed . Never done that in 15 years.

Now where's my pills.

Some interesting comment though. And yes my ZTC 611 does have a dedicated program output Which as you know reduces power to the decoder. Regards.