I am ready to install bus wiring to a 12"x 20" around the wall layout with a lift-up section providing access into the room. When I hook up the bus wires should I start at one end of the lift-up section and go around the whole layout and stop at the other end of the lift-up section or should I start the bus wires in the middle of the layout and go in opposite directions, having the bus wires going in each direction an equal length? If I should start in the middle of the layout and go in opposite directions equally, would I connect both sets of bus wires to the command station or splice into the bus wires after coming off of the command station to go in opposite directions. Thank you so much for any help and guidance you can offer. David

-- David Damiano (davidajd333@yahoo.com), July 07, 2004

Answers

The resistor and capacitor are in series with each other. Put one set AT EACH END of your bus.

-- Allan Gartner (wire4dcc_admin@comcast.net), July 21, 2004.

Help is here! After Don gave his advice regarding the RC network, I thought a picture was in order. Please go to the newest section of my website for a diagram and some more on the topic.

http://www.wiringfordcc.com/track_2.htm#c2

-- Allan Gartner (wire4dcc_admin@comcast.net), August 15, 2004.

Find a convenient place to locate your command station and booster in the room approximately opposite of the lift out section. If the distance to the proposed under the table DCC bus is less than 3 ft, I'd wire the DCC bus in an almost continuous loop ending at one end of the lift-out section as you have suggested. This will make each bus run ~32ft long out from the booster. Then run a feeder 'stub-T' from the booster output to the DCC bus. If the stub-T feeder would be longer than 3 ft, cut the bus at that point and feed the 2 sections with separate wire pairs directly from the booster.

Do it right...Use 12-14 ga twisted wire pairs for the bus runs. 10- 12 ga wire for S or O scale. Put R-C terminators at both of the far ends. Drop down plenty of track feeders to the bus as you lay track.

DonV

-- Don Vollrath (dvollrath@magnetek.com), July 08, 2004.

Thank you for your help Don.

What are R-C Terminators that you suggest putting at each end???

Thanx so much again.

David

-- David Damiano (davidajd333@yahoo.com), July 12, 2004.

Put an R- C load of 100-150 ohms, 1/2 watt resistor and 0.1 uFD, 50V (or higher V) capacitor in series at the end of each bus run to help suppress ringing.

-- Don Vollrath (dvollrath@magnetek.com), July 13, 2004.

Is that resistor and capacitor accross the two bus leads?

-- William Kirk (architct.two@verizon.net), July 17, 2004.

I appreciate everyones help and input on my question. Thank you.

-- David Damiano (davidajd333@yahoo.com), July 21, 2004.

David I understand your question - and I looked forward to reading the answer(s), but alas.

I have now ordered Andy Sperandeo’s book from Amazon and I am in the process of printing Allan's Wiring for DCC piece by piece as well as DCC for Beginners (A PDF file from Tony’s Train Exchange).

After studying the available material I shall then come back here and try to figure out what "R-C load of 100-150 ohms, 1/2 watt resistor and 0.1 uFD, 50V (or higher V) capacitor" means.

-- Albert Anderson (moeries@telkomsa.net), August 13, 2004.

hehehehe that was funny i dont understand a word of that im just getting ready to wire mine up now i have a pair of dc packs now but thinking about going dcc but after listening too that conversation i dont know ????

-- little Mac (scotty@microsoft.net), August 15, 2004.

DCC is the only way to go. Once you get started, it's easy and a whole lot simpler than trying to wire a DC system. I hope I never have to do that again. Tom

-- Tom Osborne (w7why@charter.net), August 15, 2004.