Question on power districts and using Z4000

Hello luvtrains, You need to insulate center rail between both handles. In other words, where you have track one wired to the track, put a insulating tab or pin in the center rail. This will separate track one from track two. I use 2 MTH Z-4000 on my 37' X 20' layout. I have my layout divided into 2 power districts, one transformer in powering 1/2 of the layout, the other transformer is powering the other1/2 of layout.

You have wired both throttles of the Z-4000 together. In the directions it clearly states not to do his.

 page 3see note

Roger,

I have FasTrack. So I have two crossovers to the inner loop (track 2 handle). At those crossovers I unplugged the red snap-on connectors on one of the short track connections in each crossover to insulate the middle rail. These short track sections come with the 060 and 072 switches for that purpose.

Jim,

I just inspected the wire connections. For track one handle the wires go to fixed voltage in 1 to fixed voltage out 1 to terminal block A (track one). For track two handle the wires go to fixed voltage in 2 to fixed voltage 2 out to terminal block B (track Two).  

You may have to remove both center rail tabs in your crossovers to insulate each throttle from one another. Did you remove the red connector to both of your crossovers??

Luvtrains,

    Use the 12 track section discipline for setting up your layout properly, use the block

technique correctly and isolate per Barry's DCS O Gauge Companion instructions.

Right now you have both channels of your Z4K connected, a very bad mistake.  You can only cheat so much when setting up a DCS layout, go back and wire your DCS layout correctly. 

PCRR/Dave

Roger,

I completely removed the wire/red snap-on connectors from each section pertaining to each crossover. So both rail tabs of one section are not connected to the red snap-ons. I also just removed the sections to leave the crossovers disconnected and the handles still behaved the same way. Thanks for your concern. This is where I tend to become frustrated. 

It sounds like you have some wires incorrectly connected. Please go back and check your wiring from the TIU to the track. Where are you located??

What the guys are telling you is that somewhere, unbeknownst to you, there's a connection between the two power districts. You need to keep disconnecting the usual suspects until the short is found.

Don't get frustrated, we've all been where you are at one time or another!   

Will further investigate. Thank sooo much!

Roger I live in New Hope, PA. 

Ok! I'm in North Carolina! If you were closer, I would come and help you get your layout wired properly.  I use Barry's instructions to wire my power districts on my layout.

Roger, Jim, Dave, and Barry...thank you!, thank you!, thank you!

Dave, forgive me, I didn't see your reply until now. Duh!..on me. I had one connection from terminal A for track one connected to track two. I did that to see if it would be possible. And I was supposed to check it out to see if workable. In the interim, before/after dinner yesterday I forgot about that "little" brainstorm I had. Now we know. I moved that track 2 connection to the appropriate Terminal B for track 2. Problem solved. You were all so helpful and patient with me. Thanks again!

Luvtrains,

   Glad you found your wiring mistake, remember in the future you can not set up using both channels at the same time on the same block, it leads to a dangerous situation.

Double check and test as you build and you will be fine.  Have fun with building your layout.

PCRR/Dave