dseagull Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 DCC, Peco Electrofrog points. The layout is wired as normal - two bus wires, with individual feeds to track, and Insulating Fishplates on both bits of track coming off the frog. Basic Trackplan here: It all works, no shorts. However: On Two areas of the layout, locos are either hesitant (top, scenic section) or don't progress over the points. - These are marked on this plan in Green. The Red dots indicate locations of insulating fishplates. Can anyone tell me why this would be the case? - and, more importantly, how to resolve it? Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Resolve it by having droppers to the bus on every stock rail of every point - OK it is not essential for Peco style wiring - but for absolute correctness I would never rely on fish plates to transfer good supply. (applies to DC and DCC - the wiring is the same) But in this case start with the rogue points. My first guess at the cause of the problem is a dry joint that is intermittent when the loco passes - especially if laid on a uneven board, board joint or foam underlay. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 You don't mention frog switching. If you are relying on blade contact to feed power to the crossings of the Electrofrogs then this can be unreliable, leading to an intermittent dead area over most of the length of the point. If so you need to feed the frog via a switch that moves with the point, and usually also isolate the blades from the frog and bond them to the adjacent stock rails. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dseagull Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 Kenton: Thanks - It may well be that. Actually, what I neglected to mention (as I've only just been and checked again!) is that two of the points are 'ex-tortoise conversions' and as such have no spring. Maybe the Blu-Tac to hold them in the correct place for Testing is less reliable than I thought.... Originally I wasn't going to 'waste' my small collection of Hare Decoders on the off-stage points, but if it's going to be more reliable, I think I will. Edwin: Thanks - I've always known that it is the most reliable solution, but have never used it before (Probably because the thought of additional wiring makes me cold). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crewlisle Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 If you are using Code 100 Electrofrog points for DCC there is no need to change the frog polarity. This is a myth - Code 75 probably but Code 100 not required. I speak from many years of exhibitions as I have 32 Peco Code 100 Electrofrogs on my DCC layout and providing the contact surfaces on the inside of the moveable rails are kept clean, movement not fouled by small particles of ballast under the moveable rail or the small contact tabs on the underside of the rails, you should have no problems with the power supply. Power is fed via the point blades with no polarity switches or additional wiring. The only polarity switches on my layout are on the live diamond activated via two Peco PL-13 accessory switches mounted on the adjacent point motor. I use an auto reverser for my reversing loop. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dseagull Posted October 12, 2011 Author Share Posted October 12, 2011 Kenton was correct - swapping out the ropey points for good ones has done the trick - all now working well! Thanks all for the assistance :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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