Keyboard Shortcuts
Likes
Search
Electrical short
|
I have a layout with two ~ 4 x 8 sections(mining & industrial) powered by an NCE power cab.? Some time ago I did some scenery modifications on the mining section (that did not involve track mods).? When I attempted to resume operations, nothing worked including the power cab. Actions: ?o removed all locos and rolling stock from both sections ?o disconnected the one track link between the two sections ?o disconnected an auto reverser ?o checked spacing on plastic rail joiners around a peco double slip switch ?o then applied buzzer tester to each of test track and industrial section:? no buzzer sound on test track but a very faint buzzer sound on all track in industrial?section (except the section isolated from the double slip switch) ?o routed power cab to test track only and ran a loco with no issues ?o then reconnected power cab to only the industrial section main bus and also reconnected the auto reverser?and successfully ran a loco on all industrial track Questions: why would I get a faint buzzer sound but still be able to run a loco? Have yet to tackle the mining section. Thx in advance for any and all input Ted |
|
Ted,
?
You said you disconnected the reverser.? Was it disconnected when you got the faint buzzer sound?? Do you have an electronic circuit breakers installed?
?
The buzzers are very sensitive.? They will sound even when you have a "high" resistance.? I haven't done a detailed study as to what will trigger them, but I think they will still make a sound with several thousand ohms in the track circuit.? If you have auto reversers, electronic circuit breakers, or frog juicers, I think these all may cause your buzzer to sound.
?
The bottom line is that a high resistance will not inhibit your train from running.? So there is no need to worry about a faint buzzer sound as long as your train is running fine on the track in question.
?
Allan Gartner
Wiring for DCC. |
开云体育Ted, ? You mentioned scenery modifications.? By any chance did these modifications include the use of water and/or other fluids in/on the track (such as laying down ballast)?? If so, you might have a short caused by the moisture.? If so, the issue will resolve itself as the moisture from the glues/etc. evaporates. ? Best regards, ? Steve ? Steve Haas Snoqualmie, WA ? From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Ted Atkinson via groups.io
Sent: Monday, April 7, 2025 12:29 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [w4dccqa] Electrical short ? I have a layout with two ~ 4 x 8 sections(mining & industrial) powered by an NCE power cab.? Some time ago I did some scenery modifications on the mining section (that did not involve track mods).? When I attempted to resume operations, nothing worked including the power cab. |
|
Allan - disconnected all auto reverser wires and the humming stopped. Don't know if this means there could be a fault in the AR or elsewhere.? I do not have electronic circuit breakers installed. On Mon, Apr 7, 2025 at 5:02?PM Allan AE2V via <bigboy=[email protected]> wrote:
|
|
Steve - did not intall?water, ballast etc - no fluids.? Only installed a 'pile' of real pink granite and some vegetation.?? On Tue, Apr 8, 2025 at 1:00?PM Steve Haas via <Goatfisher2=[email protected]> wrote:
|
开云体育Ted, ? If you had the AR connected and got faint buzz, there is probably nothing wrong with the AR.? If your AR was disconnected and you still got a faint buzz, do you have any engines, lighted cars or caboose or cars with sound modules?? Is your booster disconnected as well? In any event, I don’t have a big concern over a faint buzz.? ? You can try this alternate diagnosing approach.? Make sure your booster is disconnected and attach a 9V battery.? Now you should be able to get 9V everywhere you look.? Again make sure you are not trying to go through your AR. ? Allan ? ? From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
On Behalf Of Ted Atkinson via groups.io
Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2025 9:20 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [w4dccqa] Electrical short ? Allan - disconnected all auto reverser wires and the humming stopped. Don't know if this means there could be a fault in the AR or elsewhere.? I do not have electronic circuit breakers installed. ? ? On Mon, Apr 7, 2025 at 5:02?PM Allan AE2V via <bigboy=[email protected]> wrote:
|
开云体育? Ted responds: ? “Steve - did not intall?water, ballast etc - no fluids.? Only installed a 'pile' of real pink granite and some vegetation.” ? OK – we can eliminate that as an option.? It has been the issue multiple times in the past – good to know it doesn’t apply here. ? Best regards, ? Steve ? Steve Haas Snoqualmie,? WA?? ? On Tue, Apr 8, 2025 at 1:00?PM Steve Haas via <Goatfisher2=[email protected]> wrote:
|
|
Allan - tried the nine volt test on the industrial section with a nine volt battery hooked up and got 5-9 indicator via a track voltage tester!.?? Have now turned my attention back to the mining section.? Started with all 3 auto reversers disconnected and not even a hum.? Then I reconnected the power cab to the layout but without connecting to an external power source and without reconnecting the auto reverses - Big Buzzer sound.? At this stage I am going to try and simplify the wiring.? I have 3 main bus lines to the mining section and one to the industrial section. Unfortunately (?) the power cab is input into an terminal block that is daisy chained to all the main power busses, a turntable and 3 DPDT switches which control power to 3 engine houses (so that locos not in use are not running), so it is difficult to divide and conquer re shorts.? With some rework and cutting more gaps in tracks with plastic rail joiners I can group the three buses feeding the? mining section into separate power blocks.? My main issue with that is how to get power to four?power bus lines without daisy chaining / interconnecting the four buses.? Thought about using a DPDT switch on each bus output from the daisy chain & turning them on one at a time to see which bus shorts out.? Perhaps easier than circuit breakers (certainly easier to acquire as I live in the 'back 40' & do not have easy access to an electronics store), nor the knowledge to select a circuit breaker (intend to ask my model rr store tomorrow).? Also, believe that even if I could run 4 lines directly from the power cab to each power district, presumably if one bus has a short it will impact all 4 bus lines.? Any thoughts appreciated. Thx Ted On Wed, Apr 9, 2025 at 10:56?AM Allan AE2V via <bigboy=[email protected]> wrote:
|
|
Ted,
?
While you are at your model RR store tomorrow, check out my book, "DCC & Model Railroading".? It has the latest I have written and graphics on wiring your layout.? Also, check out the track sections of my website at:?
?
DCC Specialties PSXX electronic circuit breaker has an optional buzzer that will sound when it detects a short.? The NCE EB1 doesn't have an optional buzzer, but has very flexible settings like the PSXX, is smaller, and less expensive.
?
Allan
? |
|
Allan,
?
The PSSXX circuit breaker buzzer goes by name of Sonalert. I found at Iron Planet Hobbies.?
|
开云体育Tes, Sonalert is a brand name for buzzers. ?They have been around for decades and are available from miltiple sources.iPhone iTypos iAutocorrect iApologize
On Apr 14, 2025, at 9:29?PM, 3CURLY3 via groups.io <3CURLY3@...> wrote:
|
|
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Apr 15, 2025, at 8:01?AM, Allan AE2V via groups.io <bigboy@...> wrote:
|
|
Be aware that most electronic "buzzers" are high frequency piezzo oscillators. Some of us have trouble hearing their "screech"...? I think there'd be a market for a lower pitched device, and they shouldn't be expensive given today's electronics. The? model airplane guys have the same problem, and have lower pitch devices to put in their models, should they get lost. Don W -- Don Weigt Connecticut |