advice needed to a new person (poss dcc)

[Phil Clarke 1980]

hi all iv just bought a guagemaster dc controller  (excellent now have no running problems at all ) but since having it (about a week ) im getting bit frustraited with only being able to use one loco at a time so im pondering wiring up to go dcc maybe not now but eventually due to finantual cercumstances I cant afford to go the whole hog and buy a dcc controller or convert my locos at the mo but I thought if I get it ready to go as it were id just need to get the controller ( wire is cheap right?) only problem is im not very confident at the old wiring side of it and am confused buy all the different ways to connect dropper to the track? which is bes?t solder scotch clips choc blocks I have a the mo  pre wired rail joiners would a few more of those surfice? then theres the bus  ( up until recent I just thougtht a bus was a Leyland national ) but havin read furums and watched youtube I know different again as above solder scotch clips or chock blocks iv prob made myself sound like a right idiot im not my trade is mechanic so I got a fairly good idea of how to.  my question well more of a plea is is there anyone in Redditch or surroundin area who has dcc and could assist me in the wiring aspect of it or would be kind enough to show me there layout as iv never seen one in action other than youtube

 

thank you for you help with my matter

 

Phil

[Brian]

Hi

Firstly you don't have to convert all your existing DC locos to DCC immediately. When I converted to DCC I had some 80 plus locos and initially I only converted around 10 of my best running locos. All the others were either left stationary in totally isolated sidings where no DCC could reach them until I re wired the sidings later on. Or they were removed from the track and some of the ringfield tender drive locos were sold and cash gained used to buy new DCC ready locos.

 

If you went out and purchased say a train set from Hornby that's DCC fitted, you would receive in the box the DCC console, a plug in power clip to allow the DCC console to connect to the rails, some Electro point clips which two are fitted to each Hornby Insulated frog point, plus of course the loco and rolling stock and the track parts.  All the DCC power being passed console to track clip then rail to rail via the metal rail joiners (Fishplates).  No droppers or DCC bus pair of wires are mentioned. The set and basic layout works ok until eventually the metal joiners become weak and a poor (High resistance) contact rail to rail.

So to overcome this the option is to add dropper wires and install a DCC bus pair of wires onto which the droppers connect.

How you instal the droppers and how many is up to you. Some will solder the droppers to the rails outer web area while most others prefer to hide the dropper wire completely and solder them to the rails underside before track laying commences. While some will opt to use the metal joiner (Fishplate) as the connection for the dropper wire. But this later method can lead to problems with high resistance rail connections later on! 

How many droppers? Ideally every piece of track has a pair of droppers fitted including all points too.  Whether you decide to carry out this work is up to you, but it will give the very best possible power and data transfer to the rail. If you decide to have less dropper connections its your choice and you might only fit droppers to every other section to track or every third section etc. Dropper wire size?  You can use 7/0.2mm equipment wire but keep its overall length to around 300mm or use 16/0.2mm wire which can be longer up to around 500-600mm overall rail to bus wire.

Bus wire size and type are the next things to raise its head above the parapet!  If your layout is a stay at home never to be moved type, then you can use either flexible wire or solid core wire for the bus pair.  If its portable I would strongly recommend the use of flexible wire only, as solid will eventually break due to its movement in transit etc. Actual wire size is dependent on the overall size of the layout and the maximum power (Current) your DCC system can provide. Normally 32/0.2mm equipment wire or 1.0mm² solid wire is about the smallest recommended. Don't forget if you use a larger wire size than needed for the bus wires it wont hurt at all. Its just possibly a little more difficult to initially instal. In fact with a bus pair bigger is best IMO.

Connections Bus to Dropper... Here the very best option is to solder the two together. You can use terminal block connectors sold in 12 way strips and then cut down to the number of ways needed. Or use the so called suit case connectors. But here you must ensure their colour (size) of the connector is suitable for the bus wire and dropper wire size. Too small and it will cut into or through the bus wire, too large and it will be loose and become a poor connection eventually.

[Super D]

As a devout DCC'er I concur with everything said but would add that I would add droppers to the heel of each point also.

 

Derek

[Phil Clarke 1980]

thank you very much for your replys I must admit the thought of going and buying a dcc train set that's seems blooming obvious way to get started as said its all there reading the different articals and the reply I thing I will do the bus wires and droppers to every section of track altho a slight upheavel it will save having to do it at a latter stage when as said the fish plates become lose and problems arise all great advice first thig is first I shall see if my car sell then invest in a dcc set (like the idea of the Bachmann sound one with the class 37 hattons £250) hope I sell the car (well I don't really but its fuel economy is shocking )

 

if anyone wants to buy a bmw e34 530i 12 moths mot 5 months tax please let me know lol

 

 

thans again for all your help

 

Phil