I assume that once the Transient Bridge Suppressor is hit with a voltage spike that it needs to be replaced? Or does it take the "spike" to ground? When wiring it in the engine do you have to run a wire to both roller pickups? That may seem like a stupid question, however; I'd like to think of it more as an uninformed question, as I know that when using an ohm meter and checking for continuity between the front and rear pickup rollers, you get continuity at even the most sensitive setting which would seem to indicate there's no internal circuitry in play between the front and rear rollers.
Please forgive me for the uninformed questions as I certainly know how to wire a DCS layout, load any type lash-up, operate DCS with 11 TIU's and replace boards within a DCS and TMCC engine. I've just never used this type of circuit protection and the current DCS Companion doesn't cover the subject as most layouts only have one TIU and that really reduces the vulnerability to spikes. I've had lots of derailments in my operating experience and it usually just a red light situation. The only exception is a derailment while using a DZ1008 relay under a switch and that can take out the 1008 relay.
I can't figure out what the caused the difference in this incident? I've had lash-ups derail before and the Z4000 always catches the problem. The TIU 5, that had the power is fairly new. The only older TIU's I'm still running from 2004, are TIU's 1-4.
Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
Moke Mike
I assume that once the Transient Bridge Suppressor is hit with a voltage spike that it needs to be replaced? Or does it take the "spike" to ground? When wiring it in the engine do you have to run a wire to both roller pickups? That may seem like a stupid question, however; I'd like to think of it more as an uninformed question, as I know that when using an ohm meter and checking for continuity between the front and rear pickup rollers, you get continuity at even the most sensitive setting which would seem to indicate there's no internal circuitry in play between the front and rear rollers.
The center rail rollers are connected together, they are the same electrically, as you have discovered.
A TVS diode stays in the circuit, takes a licking, & keeps on ticking. It will clamp overvoltage spikes continuously down to their rating, there is probably a way to demonstrate this with an oscilloscope. They do not require scheduled replacement.
Thanks so much for all of the information. I appreciate your time and help.
Moke Mike
