Wiring New Layout DCS

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Add a insulating pin in the center rail at each yellow position of the three tracks.

Wire from each output of the TIU to the four quarters of the layout. Do this in pairs of wires the same length.

Keep in Touch.

Insulating pins while helpful, I'm guessing are not the culprit.

What do you mean, "Will not work?"

Can you turn on and engine and run it around your loop?

If the answer is no, no amount of insulating pins will fix that.  You have a different problem.

Let's start with showing us the wiring from the transformer to the tiu to the track.

Ron

I am using four 180 watt bricks, one to each port on the TIU. These are right beside each other in the center of the left hand portion of the around the round layout.  I have 5 wires, both pos and neg in a loop around the layout. 4 for power (18v) and 1 for accessories (14v),  I have Lionel block sections on each track much like choochoopaul showed in his reply.   The problem with ChooChoo's soulution is that the wires in the center of the room would be exposed through the walkways.  I have attached a pic of the bundle that goes completely around the room on the outside.  All the stuff in the center and roundhouse have not been built yet.

14 v is from the accessory port of my z4000.

I'm sorry, the answer to your question is the MTH engine runs, horn blows, but the handheld will not add the engine, says no engines on track.

How many volts are on the track when powered up?

Have you tried a loop of track with your Z4k powering the tiu fixed 1?  Just to validate things are in proper working order?

Pics and/or video might reveal something obvious to some of the real DCS experts here on the forum vice me.

Ron

Looking at your drawing again and I'm confused.

It looks like you have three loops of track and a red, blue and black wire assumedly going to the center rail of each loop.  Each coming from a separate out from the tiu.   Do you also have a negative wire from each corresponding tiu out to each loop outside rails?  Then you also should phase those negatives together.

Ron

18v on each loop, There are 10 wires in the bundle, 4 pos and neg 18v  and 1 pos and neg 14v.

This is what I have now, earlier today I took the wires off  the term blocks. you can see in the pics, I have 4 bricks, 1 tiu, 4 term blocks, dcs wifi, and the Lionel Legacy. I had wire run to each port of the tiu to the corresponding term block.  TB1/TIU1 was Red/Black, TB2/TIU2 was Yellow/Black, TB3/TIU3 was White Black, and TB4/TIU4 was Green/Black.   The Blue/Black wires to to the 24 Term Block which goes to the z4000 Acc 14v port.  These runs make a complete circle around the layout, the layout is divided into four power blocks, 18v / 20 amp house ckt. All the track in this pic is soldered together separated by Lionel Block track.  Track 1 and Passing track, is track 1, Green/Black.  Track 2 is Yellow/Black, Track 3 is White/Black. Red/Black is for future use in Yard/Roundhouse area. I have all Lionel switches wired to run lights at 14v and track voltage at 18v. All ports of the TIU are phased and have a ground strap.  Those work.  the area I started in is block 3 of 4, which includes the bridge lift table.  When the engine would not work, I reffered to the DCS Manual, page 33 and tried the wiring method suggested there, all tracks in Block 3 were put on Yellow/Black.  Still did not work.  The DCS manual suggests the star method, but I don't se this with an around the room layout. Hope this helps.   

When installing a new locomotive to the handheld I believe Barry’s book may have said 20 volts but I could look it up tomorrow if need be. I always put the locomotive near a wire drop and if powering the TIU with four seperate bricks you need to make the brick going to fixed 1 is always on that is where the TIU gets it power or used a separate power supply for just the TIU.

Video of Layout

Your around the room track and wiring scheme are congruent with our modular layouts.  Discrete power and ground wires (12ga) for each of the three main lines with the wiring in a buss loop.  No power districts or insulated connectors on the loops.  Power feeds to the track every 4 feet.  DCS works.  No star wiring.  However, we have always had difficulty adding engines, and to deal with that, we have a short section of "programming track" connected to TIU4.  Once added, the engines can be moved to the operating track.   The discrete programming track reduces DCS signal propagation interference to a minimum and allows the packet exchange between the remote and the engine to succeed.

If you can't add an engine with the TIU driving a simple loop or straight track, I would suspect equipment issues.

In the picture of your tiu, I don't see any wires coming out of the fixed or variable ports.

How is your track receiving power from the tiu?

well, I have changed wiring method, went to 4 blocks using star method. Lionel works great, still having a little trouble with MTH.  Wiring Lionel Switches up right now using the 14v switch, 18v track method.  Thank all of you for your help and suggestions.  I am always open to suggestions.  Most days I think I bit off a bit more than I can chew.  :>

Well, Finished the first set of switches in Block 3.  Unless a wiring mistake was made, will test Monday when power supply comes for 14 volt supply.

Everyone cross your fingers.  At age 62, lots of mistakes can be make.

Question my friends, can the 14v lead to switches and accessories use the same ground wire that is running the 18v Leads?  What gauge wire does Lionel use on their O72 switches?  It seems to be a heavier gauge than phone wire.