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8:34 am
December 23, 2014
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A product of the last two weekends... The photo below (by Jim Switzer) shows the power supply for the Grapevine signaling system.
There are six circuits, of 5-amps capacity each, at 12-volts out of the three transformers. The "smoothing capacitors" are mounted up in the railroad benchwork. At the top of the photo, attached to the red wires are the usual circuit-breakers, at 5-amp rating. The power supply is now mounted in the railroad PS cabinet.
Jim Switzer at the same time was running the six power circuits around the railroad.... a lot of wire. A lot of work! Thanks!
The power supply will drive mostly signal-head leds and the Grapevine boards themselves. The detector boards are powered off the dcc.
Next we run the master Grapevine data cable. A six-conductor cable that runs not only from Node to Node but, now, from detector to detector. The new detectors are "Nodes" in themselves, eliminating the need to have detectors and nodes closely side-by-side.
By the way, the lower (in the photo) transformer is re-cycled from my old (1990s) Railcommand power supply.
Jim
7:04 pm
January 3, 2015
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Assuming you are using powered frogs, there is an easy way to protect industrial turnouts.
Just solder a detection resistor from the frog to the stock rail on the industrial side.
When thrown to the siding, it detects that block as if a car was present.
Howard
8:00 pm
December 23, 2014
Offline
Howard,
Good idea! I am going to use that!
Thanks,
Jim
P.S. I am using relays for the frogs on switches/turnouts with the gearmotor switchmotors. The relays run off the same power supply as the switchmotors.
9:34 am
April 28, 2015
Offline
4
----- Original Message -----
Howard,
Forgive my ignorance....what is a "detection resistor?" I am in the process of adding Digitrax detection boards (BDL168) to my mainline, to be followed by signals. I am not detecting the industry sidings but would love to know if someone left a turnout thrown for the siding instead of lining it for the main.
Many thanks.
Jim Brewer
1:15 pm
January 3, 2015
Offline
A detection resistor would be like the resistor that you added to you car wheels so the car can be detected.
This just simulates a car in the block where the turnout is thrown.
I'll try getting a photo up in the next couple days.
Howard Garner
6:11 am
January 3, 2015
Offline
Well I never did get the photos up.
But it did get published in the SouthErneR (NMRA Southeastern Region magazine).
You can see it here starting on page 22
http://www.ser-nmra.org/sites/....._Color.pdf
Howard
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