Power Districts, blown fuses, and questions

If you literally mean what you say in describing the wiring here, and depending on the ZW model, your friend actually has one large power district in the range of 28-80 amps, so yes, there will be a lot of stuff blowing out around the layout with a derailment.

Thanks Rob.  I think there are 2 yards (2 ZW taps that are isolated), but you've confirmed my worst fears.

His choices are:

1. Isolate the blocks
2. Reduce the number of ZW taps feeding the system, probably by half.

George

From your first post I am guessing this may not be so easy, but the Atlas isolation rail joiners are very inexpensive and easy, when laying track or if the track can be pulled up enough to replace the center rail joiners at the locations where they are needed. Very unfortunate they were not installed originally.

Personally, I don't particularly like this method, I would prefer the isolation joiners, but the center rail could be cut with a Dremel tool where required and a small piece of styrene or other insulating material could be cut to fit and installed in the gap. Probably still a lot easier than pulling a bunch of track or doing a bunch of rewiring, and I have read of others her on the forum using this method successfully.

I'll add to RTR12's suggestion of simply cutting the center rail with a dremel; that I've heard of folks using something like JB Weld to smoothly fill the gap in cut rails, and the folks that have mentioned it say they have had good results.  

As a side note, one shouldn't ever have more than one handle from a ZW going to the same block of track.  the transformer will deliver the same amount of current through one handle or all four, and setting the throttles to different levels can/will damage the transformer and possibly have worse results (fire) as the various outputs have no inherent circuit protection between them.  if the blowing fuses are connected to the lettered outputs, this is likely why they are blowing if all the handles are connected together.  The quick fix here is to power the whole thing off one handle.  

If there actually is a need for 15 or so amps a ZW delivers, the best bet would be to use one dedicated ZW for each such block...  On the other hand 5-7 amps seems to be all that typical folks need on a loop, so one ZW can likely operate two normal loops, blocks, power districts or such with out problems.  

Thanks guys! 

I was over my friend's house tonight and we worked on the problem.  He installed insulated rail joiners in the center rail between districts. We tested each district by raising and lowering the ZW handle assigned to it. We actually got zero voltage with the handle at zero (that's how it's supposed to work ). We have now isolated 5 districts; 3 to go.

Thanks for the advice!

George

Glad you were able to use the isolation rail joiners. IMO, that was the best choice.

If more than one ZW is used all must be phased.   As a train passes from one isolated block to another, the track voltage must be the same in both blocks.

I  would  not draw 15 amps from a ZW intentionally.

JohnGaltLine's warning about ZWs should not be overlooked!!!