UCS wiriung question

taylorraOGR Forum Member

I am installing a number of UCS tracks in yard sidings and other locations. In the simplest configuration, the four conductors from the controller are installed to the track in order from left to right. The 3rd connection is power which is connected to the center rail and derives power for coupling and unloading functions from track power. The instructions for the UCS state that the third wire can be disconnected from the UCS and connected to a fixed voltage power source to bypass track voltage. My question is, Should the 3rd lead from the controller be wired to the fixed source, or should the fixed source wire be connected to the track in place of the #3 connector wire? If that is correct, what happens to the #3 connection to the track and what happens when the fixed and track voltages collide? Should the UCS center rail be insolated from the track power?

1/11/1410:00 PM

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ADCX RobOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

Post 3 IS the center rail, connect the lead to accessory voltage.

You can use posts 1 & 3 as Lockon power connection too, post 1 is ground/outside rail.

1/11/1410:12 PM

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Denny LyonsOGR Forum Member

The purpose of the 3rd wire is to deliver power to the controller where it is distributed back to the control rails via the button push.

Power from the center rail is delivered to the controller via the 3rd wire when the 3rd wire is connected to the UCS. When you don't connect the 3rd wire from the controller to the UCS, there will be no power distribution within the controller. Instead the aux power is connected to the 3rd wire to the controller. There is no collision of power as power to the controller is either coming from the center rail or from aux.

The advantage of aux power is the you can set it at 12V or so and most cars will operate OK and you don't have to fiddle with the throttle to get the right voltage. The exception might be the UCS for the milk car where you may want to experiment with the voltage that works best.

Cheers

Denny

1/12/145:42 AM