How do I turn off power to specific districts?

You could manage up to six of them with one SC2, it has six totally independent 15A relays.  I haven't used the BPC, but I believe it also has the independent relays, there's no requirement that you power them all from one source.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

You could manage up to six of them with one SC2, it has six totally independent 15A relays.  I haven't used the BPC, but I believe it also has the independent relays, there's no requirement that you power them all from one source.

I had not considered the SC2. I will look into it.  

From the documentation, it’s not obvious to me how the BPC would be wired.  I will take another look at it.  But I would think that the BPC would be the cleanest approach.

Thanks,

George 

Well, the BPC was designed a bit differently, so it has eight outputs, but only two power inputs.  The SC2 simply has six relays with 15A capacity.  With the SC2, you can have any combination of power to the sidings from one supply for all to individual supplies for each siding.  The only thing you have to do to use the first channel freely is to cut a ground trace that was put there to make connecting switches easier.  One slice and it's all fixed, see below.

I'm using a BPC2 for the tracks around my turntable. Here a link to more information on the Lionel site. BPC2

Davety posted:

I'm using a PBC2 for the tracks around my turntable. Here a link to more information on the Lionel site. PBC2

Only 2 power inputs like the original BPC...he needs 4.

cjack posted:

Davety posted:

I'm using a PBC2 for the tracks around my turntable. Here a link to more information on the Lionel site. PBC2

Only 2 power inputs like the original BPC...he needs 4.

That may be true, since 4 of his power districts are yards and he wants to be able to turn them off. Some of those may be able to share the same power supply, unless he wants to be able to turn them all on at the same time. I usually don't have more than 1 or 2 yard areas turned on at the same time. We just don't have enough information to know for sure.

Since the SC2 does up to six in any combination of power sources, I don't see the issue. 

No issue, I was just trying to point out what the PBC2 does. The SC2 most likely does what he wants.

Thanks all!

George

Ok, Davety, your using a term, PBC2, are you really saying BPC2? I’m not trying to correct you, just wondering if there’s another Lionel Device I’m not familiar with. Thank You 

Now, George, great Question, and I’m wondering what your end solution was? I have utilized 5 Lionel BPC’s to power 19 blocks. (There’s 1left). I utilize 1 side of each of the 5 BPC’s with one TPC 400, connected to 2 180 watt bricks. I call this Engine 4, so I press the Engine 4 on the Cab 2 and it opens all of the BPC’s on the one side allowing Cab 2 Control to open  accessory 1 opening Block 1, and acc 2 aux 1 opening block 2 etc. Hopefully you know what I’m saying. THEN, on the other side of the BPC’s, I connected a New Lionel 360 watt PowerMaster connected to 2 180 watt bricks. SO, this allows me to run trains in other blocks with different power. So, I open this power with Engine 3, so, Engine 3 aux 1 power up I have the other side of the BPC’s to power 19 blocks. To turn on the other side of the BPC, I select the block, like block 3, then aux 1 then button 2.  The reason I set my blocks up this way was to give enough power to the layout to run lots of different Lash ups, 3 Diesels lashed up, etc.,  Also, using TPC’, and PowerMasters, I can control Legacy, or Conventional.  I hope you can see what I am referring to. 19 blocks, utilizing both sides of the BPC’s with different power. This has worked fir years, Until My TPC ‘s failed. I have someone looking st repairing them now, hopefully they can be repaired. 

My entire layout is operated via Cab 2 or Cab 1. 

Let us know your thoughts and how you solved your electrical connections.

thank you

leapinlarry posted:

Ok, Davety, your using a term, PBC2, are you really saying BPC2? I’m not trying to correct you, just wondering if there’s another Lionel Device I’m not familiar with. Thank You  

That's a typo I made there, it's the BPC2. I'm going to edit my post to reflect that.