DCS Wiring questions (again)

PRF,

  Dan, more than likely you have a mis-connected wire, on the non-star wiring that was bleeding into your star wired ovals.  The advantage of Star wiring is ultimate block power control of your layout.  Also when building your layouts use the 12 track join discipline, it's not how long your track is, that degrades the DCS signal, it's how many joins that are present, that starts to degrade your DCS signal.  I use as many 36" FasTrack lengths in my layouts as I can, to help eliminate degrading DCS signal, set up correctly you should be able to run with nearly all 10's thru out your layout.  If you have an older TIU use the magic lights to help boost the DCS signal to 10 and test as you build, do not worry about running 10's thru your switches, as long as the engines preform correctly, as they pass thru them.

PCRR/Dave

I am among those who do not use star wiring and have no signal problems whatsoever.  If you also run conventional and want maximum flexibility when doing so, star wiring is to be avoided.  For such conventional operation, a control panel with toggles for each of many blocks is optimal.

Obviously, you have a wiring problem.

When testing the TIU output voltage, using the remote, run the output voltage up all the way.  When feeding less than 22 volts to a TIU variable input, the remote readout is inaccurate.

Sounds to me like the (you mentioned power master) but perhaps  the  power house bricks are not phased in  with the ZW? I'm guessing the var channels are set to fixed mode? 

Menu/ system/dcs set up/ select var channel and fxd. there is a slight delay with the var channels powering up.

A little test.. With the one piece of track removed  separating the extension what is the voltage center rail to center rail between the extension and outer loop? Yep center rail to center rail?

Thanks to all who responded. The problem with the shorting turned out to be that the variable loop bus was hooked up to the Fixed 1 terminal, while the extension was hooked up to the Variable 1 channel. Why this would cause the shorts, I am unsure, but it runs fine, so I'm not going to touch it. However, I still have not figured out why the TIU steps down the voltage from 16 to 12 when the handheld reads 18.

Did you read the last paragraph of my last post?  What voltage are you inputting to the VARIABLE?  Check it with a voltmeter.  As I said, the voltage readout on the remote is only accurate if you are feeding an actual 22 volts in.

RJR,

Last week, I observed (with a voltmeter) 16 volts going into the TIU variable and fixed ports, using the accessory handles of the ZW, since one of the regular throttle handles is broken. Next time I go back to the club (next Thursday) I will confirm this measurement. Thank you for the tip. I have not been on the forum every day as of late.

I still have not figured out why the TIU steps down the voltage from 16 to 12 when the handheld reads 18.

The TIU's variable channels are set to expect 22 volts input. That's the max voltage of a Z4000 transformer handle.

If there's 16 volts going into a variable channel and the remote's TRK screen is set for 18 volts, the actual voltage out of the variable channel should be approximately (16/22) X 18 = 13.09.

That's pretty close to 12 volts.

This and a whole lot more is all in the “The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition", available for purchase from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

I too use a non star pattern for wiring my layout. I am using # 12 AWg wire in a bus type of circuit around the layout and feeder wires every three or four sections of track. 

The only problem I have is with Gargraves switches and wiring, however I have figuired out the Gargraves switches and electric flow.

Lee Fritz

Gargraves switches have changed over the years.  Some have all 3 center rails connected; others do not.  I routinely sever the connections, as I use the switches as ends of blocks.