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Ok will the new  modular layout well under way I’ve been holding off on wiring up the buildings. On my last layout I just run all accessories to a block terminal and run that to a 80 watt  transformer. But now with building, Miller  engineerinn billboards I’m a   Curious I there is a  certain way I should wire it all up.

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What we found was that a lot of the newer accessories have their own power supplies.   This animation module has several accessories that required 120 volt plug strips, (2), for the wall wart transformers, included with the accessories.  The backhoe is animated. 

Backside/underside of the module. 

Red, White, Blue, Black are (4) track circuits, Note the speakers part of the Crabby Matt's dinner.  

 

 

Presumably in you original post, when you say wiring buildings, you're talking about lighting.  If this is a new layout, and if by modular one can infer that size matters (a bit a least)...then I'd go with DC.  This photo recycled from an earlier OGR thread contrasts the size and weight of a 100W AC-output brick vs. a 90W DC-output brick.

ac dc brick comparison with inset

DC bricks can be had for about 10 cents per Watt (or less).  The 90 Watt DC brick is less than $10 shipped - and has a selector switch to set the DC output voltage.  Then, use $1 DC-to-DC converter modules to convert to whatever DC lighting voltage you need.  12V DC for LED lighting strips, 4.5V DC for Menards, Lemax, Miller, and so on.  

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  • ac dc brick comparison with inset
Last edited by stan2004

I use a variety of ways and voltages from 3v-18v. 3vdc+3vDC½wave) from 5vac, 4v ½wave from 5vac, 9vdc from 11-12vac. 12vdc from 15vac. 17v ½wave from 18vac

AC is rectified to uncapped DC with a bridge rectifier or sometimes "half wave DC" with a small diode or two in series on the circuit.

I'd run a 5v ac and 12v, 14v, or 18v accessory buses and step down voltage &/or convert to DC at each module as needed. That would be pretty universal.

 

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