Wiring For DCC in the Garden

[CME & Bottlewasher]

Hi all :wave:

At last we have started on the garden section of Down Ampney

The garden is on a bank and falls in three different directions so some parts of the line will pass through a rockery at low level and other parts will be carried accross the garden on viaducts. Suffice to say a few challenges to over come :scratch:

I would like to know if anyone has experience of installing DCC in/on a garden line/railway.

We are using 'raised baseboards' with to good old mineralised roofing-felt on top. The main issue is whether or not to wire in a BUS BAR (which could be probelmatical) or just to take the easy way out and use link/jumper wires between each track section, the issue there may well be voltage drop etc. within the nickel silver track - a BUS BAR would avoid this yet would be challenging to physically fit/set up as wiring under the basebaords would be nigh on impossible in a lot of places:scratch: I could use ZTC copper self adhesive tape on top of the boards and hide such with ballast which isnt my preferred option as I would be happy - for the outdoor section - to use mineralised roofing felt

In short HELP!

Thanks in anticipation,

Dunadan :wave:

 

[marsa69]

Hi,

What about using the copper tape underneath the boards as your bus bar then once everything is wired in 'paint' over everything with a thick layer of outdoor waterproof paint. Like that if you need to modify it at a later date you can just scrape off the paint. Thats just a suggestion mind and I'm sure the more experienced DCC/outdoor users will have more info,

regards,

Mark

 

[Phill Dyson]

I think I would be tempted to run mains type cable under the boards .......although you could do this later if just jumper cables prove unreliable :scratch:

Cheers Phill

 

[CME & Bottlewasher]

Hi,

What about using the copper tape underneath the boards as your bus bar then once everything is wired in 'paint' over everything with a thick layer of outdoor waterproof paint. Like that if you need to modify it at a later date you can just scrape off the paint. Thats just a suggestion mind and I'm sure the more experienced DCC/outdoor users will have more info,

regards,

Mark

Hi marsa69 :wave:

Thanks for the advice, I was sorta going to do this and wire up as much as possible with the boards in the garage, yet if I use the mineralised roofing-felt for protection and effect this has to put on in situ and overlap the baseboard joints, which would make soldering the dropper wires (from rail to BUS or vice versa) almost impossible on the low level boards - maybe possible, if a little awkward for the higher boards though :scratch:

All the ply is WPB which has had three coats of wax impregnated wood preservative painted on too - all the support timbers are tanalised and then treated with the wood preservative too. So I could just attach track and then ballast, yet I kinda like the idea of the mineralised roofing-felt too. :scratch:

Sorry to be so awkward

Regards,

CME :wave:

 

[CME & Bottlewasher]

I think I would be tempted to run mains type cable under the boards .......although you could do this later if just jumper cables prove unreliable :scratch:

Cheers Phill

That is a good idea as it could be tapped into, tided up and tucked up underneath after completion/testing.

I did consider something similar, yet didnt know whether or not to use 'Philips Joints' or 'Scotch Locks' etc. in other words how to connect the dropper wires to the BUS BAR or 'mains cable' in a way that will stand the test of time outdoors whilst being reliable.

I have been thinking that even using the 'jumper cables' there will be voltage drop and I would have to run various feed wires all over the place so a BUS would be neater and easier. :scratch: So I guess the question is now what type of BUS :scratch:

Any suggestions as to what type of 'mains cable' would offer good outdoor performance etc? :scratch:

Thanks,

CME :wave:

 

[iploffy]

[quote=""Phill Dyson"":22k2mtwp]I think I would be tempted to run mains type cable under the boards .......although you could do this later if just jumper cables prove unreliable :scratch:

Cheers Phill

That is a good idea as it could be tapped into, tided up and tucked up underneath after completion/testing.

I did consider something similar, yet didnt know whether or not to use 'Philips Joints' or 'Scotch Locks' etc. in other words how to connect the dropper wires to the BUS BAR or 'mains cable' in a way that will stand the test of time outdoors whilst being reliable.

I have been thinking that even using the 'jumper cables' there will be voltage drop and I would have to run various feed wires all over the place so a BUS would be neater and easier. :scratch: So I guess the question is now what type of BUS :scratch:


Any suggestions as to what type of 'mains cable' would offer good outdoor performance etc? :scratch:

Thanks,

CME :wave:[/quote:22k2mtwp]

A bit of advice keep the number of connections to a minimum I use 2.5mm house wire with droppers soldered on to the rail and then soldered on to the ring main or bus bar DO NOT use scotch locks or any type of connector blocks unprotected as these will rust leading to a high resistance joint not a very good situation to be in especially with DCC

Ian

 

[CME & Bottlewasher]

[quote=""CME & Bottlewasher"":1of7rgmw][quote=""Phill Dyson"":1of7rgmw]I think I would be tempted to run mains type cable under the boards .......although you could do this later if just jumper cables prove unreliable :scratch:

Cheers Phill

That is a good idea as it could be tapped into, tided up and tucked up underneath after completion/testing.

I did consider something similar, yet didnt know whether or not to use 'Philips Joints' or 'Scotch Locks' etc. in other words how to connect the dropper wires to the BUS BAR or 'mains cable' in a way that will stand the test of time outdoors whilst being reliable.

I have been thinking that even using the 'jumper cables' there will be voltage drop and I would have to run various feed wires all over the place so a BUS would be neater and easier. :scratch: So I guess the question is now what type of BUS :scratch:


Any suggestions as to what type of 'mains cable' would offer good outdoor performance etc? :scratch:

Thanks,

CME :wave:[/quote:1of7rgmw]

A bit of advice keep the number of connections to a minimum I use 2.5mm house wire with droppers soldered on to the rail and then soldered on to the ring main or bus bar DO NOT use scotch locks or any type of connector blocks unprotected as these will rust leading to a high resistance joint not a very good situation to be in especially with DCC

Ian[/quote:1of7rgmw]

Hi :wave:

Thanks for that - I intend to - I did a bit more research last eve after being on here and you are dead right, I thought about getting some 6242Y (twin and earth) in at least 1.5mm and maybe doorbell wire for the droppers :scratch: . Thanks for the tip on the Scotchlocks - I thought that they might as they are made for the inside of motor vehicles (and they used to rust when I used 'em then! ). Thanks for the tip to solder everything!

All much appreciated

CME :wave:

 

[Phill Dyson]

I don't know if it's any help, but my railway is 185 feet long & has jumpers only ( no extra feeds) & doesn't experience any voltage drop to speak of, but my line is DC not DCC & I woulldn't know if voltage drop is more of a problem for DCC users ?

Cheers Phill

 

[CME & Bottlewasher]

I don't know if it's any help, but my railway is 185 feet long & has jumpers only ( no extra feeds) & doesn't experience any voltage drop to speak of, but my line is DC not DCC & I woulldn't know if voltage drop is more of a problem for DCC users ?

Cheers Phill

Hi Phill :wave:

Thanks for that - it is good to know what works in reality/practice

The issue I have is that I dont know how the DCC 'signal' is affected over distance (i.e. by resistance or voltage drop) - sorry if that aint the right lingo for such an issue, I hope that you know what I mean :scratch:

Your method would be the easiest solution though - what controllers are you using? and what amperage? :scratch: .

I think that I shall have to use a stripped down 6242Y cable - either 2.5mm or 1.5mm with droppers every metre - or should that be 3' - or so

Regards,

CME :wave:

 

[Phill Dyson]

Hi CME :wave:

You know there's a lot of rubbish said about voltage drop with regard to DC garden railways, I was a bit phased by reading lots of articles about this before I built my line........I use a 'On Tracks MPC5/O ' which kicks out 2.5 amps, but before that I was using an old H & M Clipper without any problems

Cheers Phill

 

[CME & Bottlewasher]

Hi CME :wave:

You know there's a lot of rubbish said about voltage drop with regard to DC garden railways, I was a bit phased by reading lots of articles about this before I built my line........I use a 'On Tracks MPC5/O ' which kicks out 2.5 amps, but before that I was using an old H & M Clipper without any problems

Cheers Phill

Hi Phill :wave:

Thanks for that I too have a On Tracks transformer of about 3amps (its been in the cupboard for 4 years) for my Digitrax system

I will bear your comments in mind - whilst I know that electric is err, well, electric and if using DC I would definately follow your lead - no pun intended :lol: - yet I still have to discover the implications for the DCC signals etc...

Thanks again

Cheers,

CME :wave: