On my previous DCS controlled layout, I used DPST toggle switches and isolated the center rail (hot) and one outside rail (ground) to maintain star wiring pattern with equal lengths for hot & ground wiring to each DCS block. After reviewing this forum’s posts and Barry Broskowitz’s books, I wonder if I need to isolate the outside rail (ground) for each DCS block or if I need to maintain twisted-pair wiring to DCS blocks.
I would like to clarify the experience of others on this forum before I wire my new layout. I plan to use SPST toggle switches to control power to the center rail (hot) of each DCS block, so all these DCS blocks will have insulated gaps at each end of the center rail.
My questions are how to gap and wire the outside rail (ground) for each DCS block:
- Do I need to provide a matching isolated outside rail segment wired to ground for each DCS block? In other words, do I need gaps in the outside rail (ground) for each DCS block?
- If I do not need gaps in the outside rail for DCS blocks, should I still add a wire to the outside rail to match the wire to the center rail for each block? Should the outside rail (ground) have multiple wires?
- If I need to match wiring for gapped center rails and un-gapped outside rails for each DCS block, should I use twisted-pair wire or will any stranded wire of adequate gauge work well? How important is it to keep center rail (hot) & outside rail (ground) wires to each DCS block the same length?
- If I do NOT need to match wiring for gapped center rails and un-gapped outside rails for each DCS block, how often should I install outer rail wires to ground?
