I have just gone DCC with a Digitrax dcs52 station and have temporary shorts at Bachmann and Peco turnouts, the Pecos are manual and the Bachmann are electric. The train stutters and I get a beep from the station indicating a shortbut thetrain continues on. Any recommendations
I don't know much about DCC, but does it occur regardless of which locomotive you use and with all of your rolling stock? I ask because an out-of-gauge metal wheelset can sometimes cause this to happen.
I still have my switch problem in only certain configurations, all switches which are a mix of electric Bachmann and manual Peco sl88 and sl89s, it seems that when the short seems to happen when the crossovers are configured a certain way and a loco crosses and it seems to be with the longer 12 wheel engines, all 4 trains momentary stop---a beep from my Digitrax dcs 52 and then all trains continue on their way. All switches are insulfrog. I can have so many configurations that I have not figured out which causes the momentary short. By the way I have added a DT402 to the mix and what a great move, ordered a up5 to give more reach
how can a reversal occur, better yet what is a polarity reversal in HO terms? I disdn't think that could happen with insulfrogs
It is very easy to reverse polarity, it is simply a wiring error. Without seeing how your track is laid out, it is difficult to diagnose remotely, but the easy way to check is, with the power off, check for continuity across the legs switch. All an Insulfrog does is make the frog electrically dead, it doesn't correct wiring issues on either side of it.
Look at your frog points. I have seen where the width of the wheel tread will touch both rails right at the point. There is insulation there but the wheel will still touch both rails. A little nail polish will cure for a long time. This is of course if you are using metal wheels.
Okay, problem solved, I watched a youtube video that showed a spring wire between the in and out rail between the point and frog where the rails are stationary and the short has gone.
