I understand the principles using a automatic reverser in a DCC circuit. By looking at the diagrams from a number of manufacturers it looks like a reverser is really an extension of the DCC power buss. All my reverse loops will be in excess of 8 feet. In that case am I right to believe that I need to extend the buss from the reverser using the same gauge wire as I would use for the normal power buss to provide power every three feet or so connected to small gauge wire for each section..
You only need four wires to connect the reverse loop module/switch to the reverse loop. Two wires go from the track in the reverse loop to the module and two wires go from the track outside the reverse loop to the module. You don't wire your track in the module with feeders every three feet. You don't wire the track in your reverse loop to the common bus lines or you'll short out your system. See my blog on reverse loop wiring.:lightning::lightning: http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/blogs/viewblog.php?entry=348 Stay cool and run steam.....
Bob Thanks I do understand that portion of it, and yes I did refer to your reverse loop information, as well as digitrax and Tonys Trains. More than likely I was not clear in the manner I posed my question. I have heard it said that one should drop power feeders to each section of track.For flex I would assume that would be approximately ever three feet, for sectional track every section as I understand you have done with Untrack. Since a reverse section is double gapped, the connections from the reverser to the reverse section provide the required power to the reverse section with the correct polarity. The question I was attempting to ask is since I have sections that are longer than eight feet and I want to ensure reliable power in the reverse loop, I should I would think use the reverse section outputs connected to the rails for every section in the reverse loop. Therefore I would not use 22 or 24 gauge wire but rather continue with the same gauge wire 12 or 14 as used for the regular bus from the reverser output to each track section in the reverse loop. I hope that was clearer
Owen: Each of my four reverse loops on the JJJ&E are over eight feet long. Only one set of feeders is necessary within the loop. I'm using 22 gauge wire for the feeders. There is no power loss within any of the reverse loops as I measured the voltage through the loops on many occasions with a Tony's RRampmeter. These are the only areas on the JJJ&E, where every section of track is not powered by a feeder. However the entire loop is powered by one set of feeders. Stay cool and run steam.......
Bob Thanks as always I value your counsel and input. I can see no reason though for it not to work this way if I decided to drop a feeder every section.
Owen, if I understand corretly, you essentially want to make another buss for your reverse loop. It can be done. The drops in the loop would all connected to two coomon wires and then those common wires would be connected to the output of the module. But this buss would be separate from your main buss. As far wire gauge goes - you should use the weakest link theory. If the wire gauge on the module is only 16 or 18 gauge, then that's all the larger your buss wire needs to be. You can go higher if you want but you wont be gaining anything by doing so. The module wire would be the weakest link. Eric
Eric Thanks for your input, I thought that it would work but had to ask the question. I had not thought about the reverser being the weak link, good point. I am pricing out the Digitrax AR1 vs PCM42. I think I will go with the PCM42 it is a little less expensive, than purchasing 4 AR1 and given your input this may be the right way to proceed. I will set the PCM42 up as a reverser locate it next to the boosters and then run large gauge wire to the reverse loop/sections and drop feeders every three feet. Since I have one AR1 I will use that for the turntable. Thanks again
for what its worth I have a pm42 with 1 output set for a reverse loop. it works fine. I have a mrc on a reverse loop and it works fine. I just installed AR1 and it does not work that great. I have tried everything according to the manual and I might end up replacing it with a mrc unit. I,m not bashing digitrax but I did give the AR1 my best shot. glenn
This is sometimes referred to as a "sub-buss". Given an 8 ft (or longer) reversing section, relying on the conductivity of the rails, while it may work, is not optimal. I would implement a sub-buss on the output of your AR and drop feeders from your reversing section to the sub-buss using whatever convention you have adopted for the rest of the layout. Not strictly true. Small wire does not limit current, it only has higher resistance per foot. A short section of small wire is OK (to a point), so long as the rest of the buss does not have excessive resistance (just as is the case with large buss wire and small gauge feeders). If you run #14 for your buss, I would use the same for the sub-buss, for convenience if for no other reason.
