Star/Homerun Wiring

Someone, anyone? A little help and insight...

I have a layout that is in a 20' x 50' room that consists of an inner track and an outer track plus two yards. I am running 14 gauge wire from the transformer and TIU to a terminal strip that then goes to 16 gauge to each of my track connectors in their respective blocks. The problem is that there are others that say all of my pairs (twisted or not) need to be the same length in respect to where they come off of the power strip i.e. if one pair is 12' long then they all need to be 12' long regardless of how close they are to the terminal strip...

So I have one Z4000 transformer that is using both handles that connect to their respective blocks on the outer loop and am planning on doing likewise with my second Z4000 to run the inner loop and quite possibly a third one to run the two yards in the same fashion. Am I over engineering this or what?

I know this is a dead horse topic I'm opening here but I really need an answer and some clarity on this subject.

There are some that say when using this method of wiring your layout that ALL the wires need to be the same length regardless of where they connect on the layout i.e. if one connection is only 6' away and one is 12' away that they both need to be 12' long. This seems like a terrible waist of wire.

I'm of the understanding that only each pair of positive and negative wires need to be the same length and it doesn't matter if one pair of connections is 6' long and another pair is 12' long.

Which is correct???

I have a layout that is in a 20' x 50' room that consists of an inner track and an outer track plus two yards. I am running 14 gauge wire from the transformer and TIU to a terminal strip that then goes to 16 gauge to each of my track connectors in their respective blocks. The problem is that there are others that say all of my pairs (twisted or not) need to be the same length in respect to where they come off of the power strip i.e. if one pair is 12' long then they all need to be 12' long regardless of how close they are to the terminal strip...

So I have one Z4000 transformer that is using both handles that connect to their respective blocks on the outer loop and am planning on doing likewise with my second Z4000 to run the inner loop and quite possibly a third one to run the two yards in the same fashion. Am I over engineering this or what?

Gerry49er posted:

I have a layout that is in a 20' x 50' room that consists of an inner track and an outer track plus two yards. I am running 14 gauge wire from the transformer and TIU to a terminal strip that then goes to 16 gauge to each of my track connectors in their respective blocks. The problem is that there are others that say all of my pairs (twisted or not) need to be the same length in respect to where they come off of the power strip i.e. if one pair is 12' long then they all need to be 12' long regardless of how close they are to the terminal strip...

the overall lengths don't have to match any other pairs. There are some that say they should be at least a specific length so the TIU isn't shouting at the engines. I haven't found any issues so far like that.

Supply ten amps to each TIU input would be the max. Adding fuses inbetween would be safe. How much you put to each block is up to you. How much power will be needed at each block? How many engines and lighted cars per block?

Engineer-Joe,

And that is exactly what I've been trying to get through the heads of others helping with this project. But they look at the suggested diagram of Star wiring and think that all runs have to be the same length as the longest one. I guess that they don't realize that their homes are based on Star/Homerun wiring and forget that the run to each room is a different length.

Thank you for posting...

For what it's worth, our layout was designed and built mainly for DCS control. We have used NOTHING but the OGR twisted pair 14 gauge stranded wire (used three 100 foot rolls!). We have six separate "power districts" using two Z4000 and two Lionel 180 brick transformers, and two TIUs in "Super mode". During the entire wiring process, with six different MTH terminal blocks, strategically placed, we paid ABSOLUTELY NO ATTENTION to have any/all the pairs of wires the same length!

We have long since added TMCC and then Legacy to the layout, and everything works well together, and at the same time.

In my opinion, ANYBODY that tells you that you need to have all your power feeding wares the same length, has no knowledge of what they are dealing with nor talking about!

Not all wires just each pair, hot and common

Gerry & Tom,

There are some that say when using this method of wiring your layout that ALL the wires need to be the same length regardless of where they connect on the layout i.e. if one connection is only 6' away and one is 12' away that they both need to be 12' long.

Not all wires just each pair, hot and common

These are absolutely incorrect statements.

There is no rule, guideline or other true statement in this regard. This was based on a wrong statement very soon after DCS was released in 2002. It was possibly generated by a misinformed person, an individual who had some kind of a grudge against MTH or was intended to disparage DCS.

Regardless, the above statements are absolutely not true.

I agree with Barry,

No truth in having the length of wire equal in pairs or from your terminal block. It's been tested and had no effect on DCS signal.

The term STAR WIRING caused this myth to get around. RADIANT WIRING may have been a better term.

I believe tight track joints, size of wire, clean track and engine wheels are more important to get a good DCS signal.

Joe Allen posted:

I agree with Barry,

 

I believe tight track joints, size of wire, clean track and engine wheels are more important to get a good DCS signal.

There you have it, fellow modelers/operators!!!!!!