Wiring Lionel SC-2 and multiple accessories.

Page 19 and page 24 of the SC-2 manual

http://www.lionel.com/media/se...ents/72-2980-250.pdf

shows the wiring of the accessories to the SC-2. And starting on page 28, there are examples for many of the Lionel accessories. I'm not sure about your power question, but one of the outputs (A, B, C, or D) from the ZWL for the A connection and the corresponding U terminal can be used to the accessories.

I have the manuals, similar to the videos, they show the wiring of one accessory at a time.  I seems that it should be easier to wire multiple accessories on one terminal.

How would you control more than one accessory on each terminal set? Each accessory has to have it's own address.

Maybe we're not on the same page. Only one accessory to each terminal set and the terminals on that set, ACC1, ACC2, etc. are selected to provide either a continuous on/off (like lights) or a momentary contact (like Lumber/Sawmill).

and you can have up to 6 accessories per SC-2

Or maybe you mean the pictures on the suggested accessory hookups on page 28 could show all six accessory terminal sets wired to six different accessories.

Well...that would be a little cluttered, but maybe if the book were 8 1/2 by 11.

I have 2 SC-2s One I programmed for 5 switches and powered on one terminal.  I programmed the other SC-2 for Accessories only.  I have 2 flood Lights and a station that I want to control.  My question is should I create a bus for the common and the hot to go to one accessory terminal on my ZWL or do I have to supply power to each accessory.

You can have a buss from one ZWL output and run it to each accessory. The accessory terminal sets are isolated from each other, so you have to run power separately to each accessory from the buss.

yes, create an accessory buss.

You need to separate the momentary from the on/off accessories on a terminal on the SC-2. But you can have multiple accessories on one terminal.

Essentially the relay in the SC-2 will be your switch, so you only need to run the power wire in and out of the SC-2 terminal. It will handle 15 amps. From the accessory and to the accessory.

The commons will connect to your accessory buss common from the ZWL or an accessory transformer.

Here's the rub- lighted accessories only will be ok at the same voltage, typically 12-14. The operating accessories log loader, sawmill etc. sometimes work better at different voltages.

I was recently lost in SC-2 land. I hope that clears things up a little.

I have also found that the SC-2's work better with the included power supply, isolated from the track transformer power. If you are using FasTrack switches, well, that introduces another issue for a separate discussion.

AFAIK, Fastrack switches work fine with the SC-2.  The only issue is cutting away the common jumper for output #0.  You do need a separate power supply, but as you say, that's probably a good idea in any case.

I use a separate power supply (a CW-80) but I connect the COM terminal to the outside rail of the layout (and thus the Legacy base output). I also run a "ground" wire from pin #5 of the DB9 on the base over the line of SC-2s (since the SC-2s are somewhat shielded from the air signal by being under the layout). Works very well.

I run accessory voltage from one CW-80 and accessory lighting from another CW-80. This way I can save the bulbs and keep plastic from melting by adjusting the lighting voltage low, and adjust the accessory voltage for best running on average.