I need your electrical expertise please!
#1
Okay, so I've thought this over, drawn a couple schematics and it's still confusing me.
I have an isolated circle of track with two sets of feeders on opposite sides connected to a bus line which is connected to my DCC system. I want to be able to flip a switch (DPDT?) and run the same circle of track but instead, controlled by a DC power pack. Can it be done? Every time I draw the schematic, I end up feeding DC back into the DCC side. Can some genius sketch it for me?
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#2
Draw your schematics of the tracks and feeders until you end with two wires only to be connected to DCC or DC. Connect that two wires via the DPDT switch either to DCC or DC power.

e.g. 1P and 2P (left side) are wired to the left and right tracks, both 1T are connected DC and both 2T are connected the DCC output

[Image: 517edbabce395fd51d000000.png]
Reinhard
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#3
Okay, cool. I'm still having a hard time wrapping my brain around this one but that helps. I think what was messing me up was trying to figure it out with my leaders connecting to the bus line in two different places. It makes more sense to connect the feeders together and only tap in to the power in one spot.
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#4
TrainNut Wrote:Okay, cool. I'm still having a hard time wrapping my brain around this one but that helps. I think what was messing me up was trying to figure it out with my leaders connecting to the bus line in two different places. It makes more sense to connect the feeders together and only tap in to the power in one spot.
Yup, you cannot connect two sets of leader wires to your power bus, two inputs (DC and DCC), one output. Use a heavy-duty DPDT switch, 5 or 10 amps would work.
Don (ezdays) Day
Board administrator and
founder of the CANYON STATE RAILROAD
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#5
Well it took me forever but I finally got it figured out. For a while, I kept getting feedback between the two systems. I finally figured out that I grabbed the wrong pair of feeders on the far side. Didn't help that it was dark and a little cramped inside the mountain. Once I switched feeder lines to the right ones, everything works perfectly. I even hooked up a red light to the accessory position of the DC power pack to remind me when I forget and leave it on!
ezdays Wrote:Use a heavy-duty DPDT switch, 5 or 10 amps would work.
Hmmm, well I used a Miniature Bat Handle Toggle On-On DPDT with a rating of 5A 125V AC/28V DC, 2A 250V AC. Will that work or should I change it out when I get around to putting the fascia on?
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#6
Good job! That should be good enough except you run a huge DCC booster and an unusual powerful DC pack. But even than would it be not critical because it is not likely you operate the switch when a remarkable electrical current is flowing through the switch.
Reinhard
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#7
Okay, now...
Disclaimer... I did do a search and did not find much.
I would like to use a 2P rotary switch (at least 12 positions) to control the tracks around my turntable. I described what I wanted to my local electronics store and they responded with some serious head scratching. Can anyone clue me in as to where and which one I should get? I'm using DCC if that matters.
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#8
I don't know of any 2p12t rotary switches I hear that they can be made by stacking 2 1p12t mechs, but I don't know.
Any reason you need 2 poles? I just switched one rail on my TT, but I use DC.
David
Moderato ma non troppo
Perth & Exeter Railway Company
Esquesing & Chinguacousy Radial Railway
In model railroading, there are between six and two hundred ways of performing a given task.
Most modellers can get two of them to work.
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#9
I assume the topic of switching the entire layout between DC and DCC is close and we are now discussing how to handle the bunch of tracks at the turntable.
Those tracks are part of the layout and generally fead by the some two wires you connect to the one (left) side of the DC/DCC switch (1P and 2P).

Just use a one pole rotary switch to feed one rail of the one track you are using at a certain time. The rotary switch is required running DC and does not harm the DCC operation (except no sound of engines on the not selected tracks).
All this happens to the left of the DC toggle DCC switch! The 1T and 2T connectors are connected to the DC and DCC power supplies only!
Reinhard
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