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Hi all, I am working on a layout for myself and had a couple questions regarding some of the wiring methods, I have an mth dcs system as well as a lionel legacy system I will be installing, my questions are,

1. Do I need to follow the star wiring method as indicated in the dcs Manuel or can I use a buss wire ?

2. How often do you need to or recommend putting track feeders?

3. Wire size for buss or star pattern and should it be solid or stranded?

My layout is approximately 17' x 37' and is around the wall layout and going to have 3 main lines with a yard and roundhouse and turntable. Thanks for all responses

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1. Do I need to follow the star wiring method as indicated in the dcs Manuel or can I use a buss wire ?

The best wiring choice for DCS is absolutely star or home run wiring. However, some have had great success with buss wiring while some others have not. The choice is yours.

2. How often do you need to or recommend putting track feeders?

You should adhere to the rules as described in The DCS Companion 3rd Edition and use center rail-insulated track blocks of the designated length, with only one wire connection per block. Anything else will open you up to possible DCS signal strength problems, or maybe not. Again, the choice is yours.

3. Wire size for buss or star pattern and should it be solid or stranded?

Absolutely stranded and not solid. Wire gauge is dependent on the length of the wire runs.


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Last edited by Barry Broskowitz

When I built a small 8x4 layout for by grandchildren, I used 16 gauge wire.  For my own layout, where I run multiple locos, 14-gauge stranded.

"Buss wiring" can mean different things to different people.  I have a common buss (bare looped) all around the layout, into which everything is connected.  My 6 TIU outputs feed areas of  a control panel, on which are toggle switches from which 14-gauge wires run to each of my 70+ blocks.  Some runs are over 30' long.  Blocks are quire short, as layout was designed in the last century to run conventional locos (that's all we had).

No signal problems.

Greg,

The DCS signal travels on the surface of the wire.

Practical experience has shown that stranded wire applications tend to perform better than solid core ones. Although this is not scientific, if one were to compare the surface area of stranded and solid wire of the same gauge the stranded wire would have a slightly greater overall surface area due to the “bumps” in the outer surface of the wire stands. This could provide a marginally greater surface area for carrying the DCS signal.

Regardless, stranded wire is much easier with which to work, having greater flexibility than a solid wire of the same gauge.

Barry Broskowitz posted:

Greg,

The DCS signal travels on the surface of the wire.

Practical experience has shown that stranded wire applications tend to perform better than solid core ones. Although this is not scientific, if one were to compare the surface area of stranded and solid wire of the same gauge the stranded wire would have a slightly greater overall surface area due to the “bumps” in the outer surface of the wire stands. This could provide a marginally greater surface area for carrying the DCS signal.

Regardless, stranded wire is much easier with which to work, having greater flexibility than a solid wire of the same gauge.

Greg- I second Barry's comments. Stranded wire has a greater surface area for the signal to travel over, lowers the resistance and therefore improves the signal strength.

Bob

I understand the comment on flexible and easier to work with.

My understanding is that the DCS signal is about 3.27 MHz (correct me if I am wrong please)

The only niggle here is that the strands in stranded wire are not independent, but a clump, so where they touch, it is like a larger conductor. (if they were independently insulated it would be much better)

But on the outer edges of the bundle of wires, I concur that there is more surface area, thus there should be less attenuation of the DCS signal.

Thanks guys, was just wondering on your experience.

 

Greg

Twisting give you "common mode rejection", meaning if an interfering signal gets into the wires (like something near the wires) the physics says that they can reject this signal... because the electrons in the 2 wires are running in the opposite directions, if an interfering signal gets into the wires, what is on one wire becomes the inverse of the other wire (due to the opposite flow of current between the wirs) and the interfering signal can be cancelled out to an extent.

Shorter explanation, can reduce noise on wires, that is why phone cable is twisted, and why Ethernet wires are twisted.

Does not eliminate all noise but can help.

Greg

 

I am not a wiring Genius, however, I also just run TMCC/Legacy Lionel Products. When I began construction of my Layout, 17 by   38',  5 winding Levels from 42 inches off the floor to a high of 78 inches off the floor, all track connected, and MTH promoting the Star, (Home Run) wiring, I did it that way. I used almost only 16 gage stranded color coded wiring....One issue with TMCC and possibly other hand held controllers is Signal Loss....Signal Loss can happen when one trains goes over another train on an upper level...Also in yards....I won't get off the subject of Star Wiring, but, I highly recommend it...Stranded wire for flexibility and crimp on connectors....Do it right to begin with, saves a lot of time when issues occur......Leapin Larry's Looney Lines RR....Happy Railroading...

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