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Advice on power districts and breakers for Abbotswood Junction


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  • RMweb Gold
22 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said:

More than the Royal Navy!


And I do suffer from occasional prop shaft failures …. 

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  • RMweb Gold
2 minutes ago, Phil Bullock said:


And I do suffer from occasional prop shaft failures …. 

But CV29 is easy to set up so they always go the right way!

 

Andi

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Since you are running reasonably close to the full load of the ECoS you might like to think about getting a booster and feeding the the fiddleyard via the booster.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold
On 09/03/2024 at 08:53, Suzie said:

Since you are running reasonably close to the full load of the ECoS you might like to think about getting a booster and feeding the the fiddleyard via the booster.


We have a 7 amp power supply for ECoS - so far it’s only been the IP-CBs that have been tripping. That might come later though as if we split the fiddle yard roads we could have up to 48 locos on the layout. But prefer to work incrementally whilst on a learning curve.

 

Here are the IP-CBs installed

 

 

IMG_0347.jpeg.ca3615e55f999038730a0b35654bea03.jpeg

 

and their above board control panel …

 

IMG_0346.jpeg.5435eb713092eaab409a3e9b7687969e.jpeg

 

 

IMG_0345.jpeg.90ad0047f205820a4d90a09719eb104b.jpeg

 

I have run the indicator LEDs and reset switches up on to the panel. There’s also a disconnect switch on the panel for each IP-CB. 
 

Just got to run the additional buses around the rest of the layout now….

 

Definitely not an installation for @Clive Mortimore Clive “two wires” Mortimore 😉

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There is a lot of wire and choc-blocks in line with the DCC feed from the ECoS to the track. I think that simplifying it might help a bit - much as it goes against the grain for making fault-finding easy.

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  • RMweb Gold
4 hours ago, Suzie said:

There is a lot of wire and choc-blocks in line with the DCC feed from the ECoS to the track. I think that simplifying it might help a bit - much as it goes against the grain for making fault-finding easy.


I have shared your aversion for chock blocks! But have overcome it…. Handy for keeping wiring in place too! 

It’s all colour coded and am now installing colour coded LEDs on each board so if any bus goes down I will know … and have an idea where to start fault finding. 


IMG_0348.jpeg.8c0a61c345d82af3c47c0125b8aca823.jpeg


Red… accessory bus

Green …. Scenic area track power 

Blue …. Fiddle yard north end track power

Yellow…. Fiddle yard south end track power 

 

Also following @WIMorrisons advice and powering frogs using the accessory switch on the Cobalt point motors powered off the relevant track power bus. 

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  • RMweb Gold

I've started using bootlace ferrules for terminating wires - as long as they are crimped properly they can be used in chocolate block or similar and not have issues.

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  • RMweb Gold
17 minutes ago, Bucoops said:

I've started using bootlace ferrules for terminating wires - as long as they are crimped properly they can be used in chocolate block or similar and not have issues.


Can I ask what issues you have had … in the interests of avoiding them ! 😉

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  • RMweb Gold
Posted (edited)
4 minutes ago, Phil Bullock said:


Can I ask what issues you have had … in the interests of avoiding them ! 😉

About the worst thing you can do is to tin wires that are going into any sort of screw terminal. Over time the solder will flow and the joint become loose. If you don't have ferules then strip the wire, twist it and then fold it back on itself before inserting into the terminal, this will result in a secure joint.

 

Andi

Edited by Dagworth
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  • RMweb Gold
Just now, Dagworth said:

About the worst thing you can do is to tin wires that are going into any sort of screw terminal. Over time the solder will flow and the joint become loose.

 

Andi


Cheers haven’t done that! Where 2 or more wires go in to the same terminal there’s plenty for the screw to clamp on to … with a single small diameter wire I strip the end then wind the stripped core back up around the end of the insulation to give the screw more to bite on.

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  • RMweb Gold
Just now, Phil Bullock said:


Can I ask what issues you have had … in the interests of avoiding them ! 😉

 

Bare stranded copper wires are crushed by the screws - as there is the possibility of settling over time they can become loose. Also, tightening a rotating screw onto copper strands can weaken them so they break off with relatively small amount of flexing. 

 

I think it looks a little neater as well?

 

PXL_20240326_203411519_MP.jpg.dec6bb0310293572286b855aa232694b.jpg

 

I've been putting together a few boxes like this for modular playing - it gives the components some protection whilst testing configs etc.

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