Wiring electrofrog points for manual operation under DCC

"Robert Flint" wrote

I've not found it necessary to adopt any special wiring.

John.

As with DC wiring ensure that you only feed from the toe of the points. To properly wire for DCC you would need some sort of switching as DCC short circuit currents are much higher, up to the max current of the booster, than DC and you could burn out the contacts on the switch blades. As John says you can get away with it as I have done. To minimize the risk I have IBJs at the crossing joins so that the section at risk of shorting is reduced.

Chris

Thanks. On a continuous loop how is it posible to only feed the toe as the supply creeps up rounf the other way, as it were!

My plan had been to ensure that every point on the layout was connected to its relevant supply, including the main circuits AND the sidngs, but put insulated fishplates on all the frog connections of the points. Is this correct?

ROB

You have to use insulated rail joiners on the other ends of the switch (everywhere except the toe).

Mark Thornton

For DCC that is correct, only addition is if you have a reverse loop or triangle where you will need a fully isolated section to prevent one rail joining the other. Keith

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You don't need insulated joiners on the outside rails, only on the frog rails, ie 2 per point. Keith

Make friends in the hobby. Visit Garratt photos for the big steam lovers.

"Keith Norgrove" wrote

That's quite correct, but it's not bad practice to isolate all four rail.

John.

The same as DC.

Chris

See the rough diagram of a set of points where the I is where the insulated fish plates are required.

/ I / /

-------/--X--I--

------------------

Chris

Keith Norgrove wrote:-

According to the quickstart guide provided with Bachmann's E-Z Command it's necessary to isolate both rails where two turnouts are joined as a crossover. I am assuming this is best done with a pair of isolating fishplates?

(kim)

Correct, one of those is a frog rail of one turnout, the other the frog rail of the other, so complies with the rule to put two insulated joiners on the two rails of the frog. Keith

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Out of interest, would it be OK to use a small air gap rather than insulated rail joiners, or would it be risky with expansion and contraction due to temperature? I wasn't planning on using any rail joiners if I could help it and wire each track individually but at the same time would prefer a rail joiner to unreliable track!

Most of mine are just that, air gaps, till I get round to fitting cosmetic fishplates. Depends how well you fix everything down, in some cases I have glued a sliver of plasticard in the gap to stop it closing up. Keith

Make friends in the hobby. Visit Garratt photos for the big steam lovers.

"Michael Walker" wrote

I have used this approach in the past - mainly to allow easy removal of pointwork in the event of a fault. You should be alright providing you lay your trackwork when the temperature is high (mid-Summer for instance) as otherwise the gap can certainly close up due to rail expansion.

John.

Thanks to Keith and John for their replies, and the good advice to wait for a hot day to lay track (it's the middle of summer here although you wouldn't know it at the moment!).

"Michael Walker" wrote

LOL - you'd certainly know it was winter if you were here in Blighty! ;-)

Blighty - now that's a blast from the past!

John.