issues re TIU/AIU and aux pwr feed

The relays in the AIU are powered from the cable that connects the AIU to the TIU. Thus your AIU is powered from the radio shack wall wart.

The AIU makes the handheld act a a switch controller.

SantaFe44,

   Jim is absolutely correct you are already powered, if you have the switches

connected to the AIU correctly.  Your remote should work the switches.

PCRR/Dave

I guess my main question is wiring the switches using and "extra" transformer to the AIU via terminal strips??

For the best results, use a different transformer from the one you use for track power to feed Comon to terminal "IN" on the TIU and HOT to the red wire of the switch motor.

Make certain that the two transformers are in phase. Then connect a wire between a Common post of one and the Common post of the other to ensure that automatic non-derailing operation, if you are wired for it, works correctly.

Thanks for your replys!  Using a second transformer to power the switches/acc is a little confusing.  If you have the TIU connected by the 18" cable to the AIU, and the TIU is powering the terminal strips for track power, in esscence, wouldn't you be using  "track Power" to power the switches/acc??  If you use a second transformer, and you have 17 switches + acc to power, wouldn't you have to use term strips to "feed" the hot wire to the switches, and the black wire/common to the "in" on the AIU.  Please excuse my lack of knowledge, this is my first layout.  I just want to make sure I have it right in regards to using the second transformer. (I do understand the phasing of the transformers, running a common between them, etc.) its just the physical wiring from the second transformer to "all" of the switches and acc.  Maybe I'm making more of this than need be!  

Jim Sheils/SantaFe44 

The TIU is powering the relays in the AIU. It does not power or common the switches.

Jim,

   You need to understand what Barry just told you, look in his book

and power all your swithces from a different transformer than your track power.

The TIU initiates movement via the AIU, thru the hand held remote, the power for the switches comes from the additional transformer, the transformers must be in Phase.

PCRR/Dave

I think I have it right. The TIU is supplying power to a double throw center off momentary on switch. The pressing of the throw button on the handheld is the same as me pushing the throw lever on a switch controller with my finger.

Never wired a DZ2500 before. However,they wire the same as a Lionel. There are 5 wires. One is switch power. One is switch common. The other 3 control the switch controller. One is for momentary closed to set the switch to curved. One is momentary closed to set the switch to straight. The 5th wire is to common the controller.

To save wire you can take the 17 wires that connect to the AIU in (one for each switch) and terminate them on a strip and connect the strip to common. Your Blue and white wires will go to port 1 and 2 (check which port sets curved and which sets straight with the 1st one done the others will be same) The common does not need to be hooked to the switch (center post on a Lionel switch) The aux power or red wire connects to a 2nd transformer. Common the 2nd transformer to the track transformer and you will be good to go.

The switch motor should be picking up common from the track. If not wire the common to the track. The Aux power transformer is common to the track because the 2 are wired together. The AIU In ports are common to the track because they go to a terminal strip that is common to the track.

Jim,

To save wire you can take the 17 wires that connect to the AIU in (one for each switch) and terminate them on a strip and connect the strip to common.

I went a step beyond when I wired my 10 AIUs.

i wired a bare (stripped) wire from the 1st AIU SW port terminal IN to the 2nd, and then the 3rd, all the way to the 10th. I then wired that to the 1st SW port terminal IN of the 2nd TIU, and so forth, until I finished a chain of 5 AIU's. I then wired one end of the wire chain to switch power transformer Common.

That will work.

The hots for the switch power can be daisy chained between switches.

Thanks a million for all the help!  The latest responses really cleared it up for me.  Think I was trying to make it too difficult.  Thanks again everyone!!

Jim S./SantaFe44