I know the proper way to wire DCS is with a star pattern. I had a Christmas loop set up to run standard gauge on tubular track. The Loop is approx. 6' x21'. I had lockons at each end of the loop and the signal strength was at 10. However, some engines would run fine and others would struggle a little. So, am wondering if I needed to add more wiring from the terminal board or if there were issues with a few of the engines.
JoeG
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Hi Joe,
You did not mention if you have put isolators on your layout.
Perhaps this post could be useful : https://ogrforum.com/t...93#41130793454938193 (Note the isolator in red color on the drawings)
Daniel
With a 21-foot long layout, I would use 14-gauge stranded wire. What have you used? Struggling usually means insufficient power.
Is your layout split into two halves with center rail insulators? On the other side, we have found each engine is different, many engines operate flawlessly yet have one that does not on the same track due to what it feels is a weak signal issue.
FYI, my layout is 21' X 13' with an 11' X 2' extension, wired with 16 gauge wire, and has all 10's. Wire gauge is the least of the factors that affect DCS signal strength, as long as it's 16 gauge or greater.
The real culprits are non-insulated center rails on track blocks, too many feet of track per TIU channel, too many track blocks per TIU channel, multiple TIU connections per track block, dirty tracks or dirty engine wheels or dirty engine pickup rollers, and oddball wiring schemes.
If one of the above isn't the culprit, your issues sound like they could be engine-related.
This and a whole lot more is all in “The DCS Companion 3rd Edition", available for purchase from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at OGR’s web store!
Good morning....... When I make my track blocks by cutting the center rail of Gargraves track with a dremel, is there a reason I should put a insulating piece of plastic in the gap?
Clem k
Joe G,
Before you go rewiring, add a couple of Magic lights to your DCS layout and see if your signal problem disappears!
PCRR/Dave
clem k posted:Good morning....... When I make my track blocks by cutting the center rail of Gargraves track with a dremel, is there a reason I should put a insulating piece of plastic in the gap?
Clem k
It keeps the insulated joint insulated,,,, Track seems to have a habit of moving on it's own especially with wooden ties.
yeah Dave good idea about the bulbs.
I just upgraded my layout to revision 5. I had been running on revision 4.1 for the last 6 years or so. My layout is star wired has light bulbs on the TIU outlets and is wired with 14 gauge wire every where. I have two TIU's that are set up in super mode. The layout has always checked as 10 on signal strength before the upgrade and now. Everything seems to be fine at first and then I get random response from my locomotives. Sometimes the loco will not blow the whistle even though it just worked seconds ago. Sometimes will not respond to the stop button even though it did a few seconds ago. Other commands have the same intermittent problems some times. At first it seemed the problem was on the dead end yard tracks that would have 3 or 4 DCS locos sitting when and I was trying to start and move one of them. But the problem seems to happen any where on the layout. Be cause my layout had none of this when running on 4.1 it seams that there might be a problem with 5.0. Either that or I have done something wrong during the upgrade. Please help or tell me how I can go back to 4.1
Pops, when you did the hookup to upgrade the TIU, you may have jostled some connections loose. I'd start my checking them. I assume you upgraded both TIUs and remotes to 5.0. You might also reinstall 5.0 on remotes and TIUs just to make sure the load went perfectly.
I use 14 ga stranded wire.
Tested layout and discovered that the problem was only on tracks supported by TIU #1. Tracks on TIU #2 all worked just fine. It looked like the signal strength from the handheld to the TIU #1 was dependent on the location that I was standing in the train room. I decided to replace TIU #1. This change was the answer to the problem. Everything is now working fine. Just wondering why the system worked OK with version 4.1 and showed the problem with version 5.0.
Just wondering why the system worked OK with version 4.1 and showed the problem with version 5.0.
Because when you removed the TIU from the layout to upgrade it, you dislodged the TIU's transceiver board just enough to have it make intermittent contact, thus giving you intermittent problems.
To attempt to verify this, reinstall the problem TIU and tether it to the remote. Then, try operating trains on tracks connected to that TIU. If the problems are present when untethered but not present when tethered, you have your answer.
This and a whole lot more is all in “The DCS Companion 3rd Edition", available for purchase from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at OGR’s web store!
After my last post I took the cover off of the TIU that was the problem and noticed that the transceiver board was mostly out of its sockets. I don't need to take my TIU off of the layout to upgrade, but still need to remove wires that would cause me to disturb a board that was already mostly out of its sockets. I agree with Barry that the loose board was my problem.
FWIW, I don't remove wires when upgrading, but poweroff all transformers.
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