TMCC DATA WIRE

The Blue wire on the DZ2500 is the data wire that goes to the white wire on the data driver. I would hook them up in groups of 5 or 6. This makes it easier to trouble shoot. If 1 DZ 2500 goes down it takes them all down. They all lock up. Once you get the bugs out they work fine.

Jim D.

Thanks Jim, 

To be sure I understand, take the blue wire from 4 or 5 of the z2500s, attach that to the white wire I am running around the layout. Then do that again and again till I'm complete with all the z2500's?

Ralph,

 

Take a look at this:

 

 

Hope this helps,

 

George

That sounds right. I used the euro style connectors, they work well. Good Luck

Jim D.

Thanks George/Jim

 

Appreciate the responses. 

 

George -- Drawings are a WOW.  Not just Powerpoint, is it?

Thank you for the kind words.  I actually make these for my own reference.  These are all in my layout's notebook along with my wiring plan.  Otherwise, I'll forget what I did.  Really saves time when I'm hunting a problem or trying to remember what I did in a previous situation.  Right now the stuff is proving invaluable in track re-alignment / expansion project going on my PRR Panhandle (on PHoto Album).

 

No, I didn't use PowerPoint.  I'm guessing you could do this with PowerPoint or Paint or even Word with its SmartArt or Shapes, but I used Microsoft Visio.  It will even convert the drawing to a JPG.  There is a free software package (for non-commercial use) that accepts and edits Visio and is Visio-like (doesn't have all the nice libraries of shapes, though) called Dia.  You can get it at http://live.gnome.org/Dia

 

 

George

 

I am doing the same thing using Z-Stuff electronics with Legacy system.  this forum has answered my question regarding how the "Data Wire" gets hooked in, but I have one more question.  Is the black "common" wire and the red "power" wire the same set of wires I am using for my accessories, or the set of wires I am running to my track. Or do I need to run yet another set of wires? 

 

George's wonderful diagram shows them coming from the DZ2001Data Wire Driver which makes me think they are a completely different set of wires>  Help.  Mike

The power wires connecting to the DZ-2001 are to power the DZ itself.  You might be able to use track power if it is constant and shares a common with the switch machine power, but simplest to use the same power source you are using for the switch machines.

MikeMcL, I just checked my layout to confirm my first thoughts.  Yes, the power supply is my K-Line PowerChief 120F 15V tap.  It is used to power both the DZ2001 and all the switch machines.  If I remember correctly, I believe the DZ-2001 and the switch machines have to be connected to the same power source.

 

George

George

 

thanks. It sounds like I need to run a set of whites from my accessory transformer to run the switch motors.  Then I need a third wire that is the "data Wire".  

 

Do i have it right?

 

mike

Mike,

 

The short answer is "yes".  Check out this diagram.  It shows the location of the PowerChief 120F accessory transformer and how it powers the Data Wire Driver as well as the switch machines using the topmost terminal block in the middle of the diagram.  Note that the text "To Blocks 2 and 3 which are Command and Conventional" belongs to the terminal block to the left of the text.

 

Note also that:

1. The PowerChief 120F is powering all the TMCC components in the chain after the Command Base - ARC, TPC, BPC.
2. I have drawn, but not yet implemented TWO separate loops of switch machines controlled by a Data Wire Driver. 

To answer your question, all you need to focus on is the path of the black and red wires from the PowerChief 120F and the white / blue wire coming from the Data Wire Driver.

 

 

Let me know if you have any more questions.

 

George

Ralph,

 

I run a blue wire around the layout for the DZ-2500 command signal; keeps me from getting it mixed up with other white wires.  I attach the blue wire to the DZ-2001's white wire.  As Jim D stated, hook the DZ-2500s up in groups of 5 or 6 to make it easier to trouble shoot.  Jim gave this advise to me and I've already benefitted from it.

 

I used the 14 VAC tap on a single MTH Z-1000 brick to power the DZ-2500s, DZ-2001s, and DZ-2008s, as well as several other layout control devises (see diagram below).  While I have not finished all the wiring, I think the single Z-1000 will have enough power for my needs.

 

The attached diagram is to help me keep things straight as I wire my layout.  The switch wiring on the right side of the diagram may help you.  You may need to double click on it to get it large enough to see.

 

Ron

 

 

George:



Wow, this is very helpful. I now understand the switch wiring but I have
two more questions:



1. Does the Data wire need to run around the entire layout, or just
to the switches?

2. I am using only a Legacy with Cab-1 and a new ZW-L transformer for
my three track circuits and an old ZW for my accessories. If I do this, the
Legacy command base power wire should go to the ZW-L rather than the ZW,
correct? Your diagram shows the command base power supply wire going to the
power chief. Will this work? Or should I hook my switch machine power to
the fourth spot on the ZW-L.

3. You show a wire from the command base to the track going to the
ARC. I am not sure what an ARC is. Where should that wire go in my set up?

Thanks again.



Mike

Ralph:



You are a fountain of model train knowledge. Thanks. This is very
beneficial.



I do plan to divide my 12 switches into two blocks of 6 as you suggest. But
do you think I will regret not using switch controls around the layout? I
was planning to leave them out and just use the Legacy remote or my fingers?




Mike

 

Sent from my iPad

> On Feb 23, 2014, at 8:17 PM, O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum wrote:
>

MikeM

Thanks for the credit, but that is from Ron. He has this picture and a post of it on the electrical forum.  George and others helped me solve my issues back a bit.

 

I would run the data wire as a bus around the layout, depending on how large it turns out to be, it will be easiest for you. Use Terminal Blocks. This will help in installing the 2500's in groups. They can be feisty. Be sure to fuse the wiring as is in George's diagram. I would suggest TVS as well in a number of locations to catch spikes. You will have a lot of expensive electronics an they can fry easily.

 

Don't miss the subtle point in Ron's comments - use a color for the data wire that won't get you mixed up with the other wires running around the layout. Keep the colors consistent - Blue is an excellent choice for the Data Wire.  

 

Not sure how many TMCC devices you have, but the Z2001 will degrade the TMCC signal and you may need the booster.  I found after 8 devices the signal will degrade, though a lot depends on what type of device it is, TPC, BPC, ASC, etc.

 

The ARC features are included, somewhat, in Legacy should you go to that upgrade.  I have found that the ARC is a better device for my layout and what I wish to accomplish with automatic activities.

 

Keep plugging - document everything.

 

Ralph

 

Mike,

 

For my Switch buss wiring, I used a sheathed 4-wire cable.  The outside sheathing was gray, but the four wires inside were red, black, green, and white.  All 20 gauge.  The green wire was unused.  I choose white for the data wire.  That's why you see references to blue / white.  The blue comes off the DZ-2500s.

 

There is an advantage - I can easily identify the Switch buss under the layout.  On the negative side, you have to slice open the sheathing to access the 4 wires.  I used "suitcase" connectors to run feeders to a terminal block.  I connected the wires from the switch machine to the terminal block.

 

Ralph is absolutely right - document everything.  Because 2 weeks later, you are not going to remember (at least I don't).

 

George

Ok, Ralph, I give. What is an ARC?



Mike

Ralph:

 

I really appreciate all your help, but I have one more question. What is an ARC? 

 

Mike

Ralph:

 

I really appreciate all your help, but I have one more question. What is an ARC? 

 

Mike

Ralph:

 

Sorry about all of the duplications above...my fingers are moving faster than my brain.  I did see in the posts above that ARC is Automatic Recorder Controller.  Is that something in the Z-Stuff equipment?  A separate devise I need to buy? Or what?

 

Mike

Mike,

 

Short answer:  You don't need it.

 

The ARC (Action Recorder Controller) is an optional Lionel TMCC device.  It allows an operator to record and play back all your TMCC button presses.  So if you wanted to automatically (with a simple command) have your layout re-route a train, start two accessories, and throw 3 separate switches, you could use an ARC.  And you would have that sequenced captured so you could carry it out again next Thursday for your grandkids.

 

If you do have an ARC (I bought mine with no specific purpose in mind), then it needs to be right after Command Base (or in my case right after the DZ-2001) because it has 3 wires.  All the other TMCC components (TPC, BPC, ASC, etc.) have 2 wires.

 

Here's the product description:

http://www.lionel.com/Products/Finder/ProductDetail.cfm?ProductNumber=6-14181&expandBranch=0&Keywords=&CategoryID=40&RailLineID=&CatalogId=

 

George

An ARC is a separate Lionel TMCC device. It is used to record and play back different - up to 8 as I remember - actions you program on your layout. Simply you place several triggers or sensors around the layout - look up the Lionel info for specifics on this - then record the actions on the ARC. For example you set the ARC to turn on lights when you get to a tunnel.  When your consist passes the trigger for this event, the lights go on.  simplifed explanation, but it is all explained in the Lionel instruction document.

 

It's neat. 

 

Ralph

George:



Thanks, this is good news. I don't have any grandkids, so I don't need one.



Thanks.



Mike