Connecting common terminals on a DCS layout with 180W PHs?

raising4daughtersOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBER

On my old layout without DCS, I had numerous PW transformers. I ran a hot bus wire for each and a shared common wire. All track and accessories connected to the same common bus wire. Phased the transformers and then daisy-chained the transformers' common terminals to each other. Understand all that. Easy peasy.

The new layout has DCS, so I used star/homerun wiring, and I read in the DCS Companion book that I should still connect all the common terminals of my transformers. No issue with my PW transformers this time either, until now.

I just bought two 180W Lionel Powerhouses to replace two of my lower output RW transformers, but the PH's don't have hot and common terminals like my PW transformers.

Can I daisy-chain their commons to the other transformers at the input terminals of the TIU? At the output terminals of the TIU? At the terminal blocks? Or, with 180W PH's, is connecting the common terminals unnecessary?

1/12/229:35 PM

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Lou1985OGR Forum Member

My layout has two PH180s for track power and a Type Z for accessories. The commons of the two PH180s and Type Z are connected on the output side of my TIU with no issue.

1/12/2211:52 PM

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turkey_hollow_rrOGR Forum Member

Do you have the two wire or three wire PH 180? You can use an ohmmeter to determine which wire is hot and which is common, the center connector should be hot. Yes, you do want to connect all commons together. I don't think it matters if it is before or after the TIU. I'm connecting them after the TIU as Lou1985 has done. It was just easier in my case.

1/13/226:56 AM

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raising4daughtersOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBER

Thank you guys. I really appreciate that.

So, if I add a transformer for my independently powered switches, but not run it through the TIU, sounds like daisy-chaining its common terminal to the others is the same. To the transformer powering the TIU if it has terminals or to the output or input of the TIU in the case of the PHs. Right?

1/13/229:30 AM

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Lou1985OGR Forum Member

I just used one of these:

WAGO 24-12 AWG 5-Wire Splicing Connector at Menards®

Common from Fixed 1 and Fixed 2 output on the TIU, common from the Type Z, and then the common to the track and accessory lines are just all connected to this one connector.

1/13/222:48 PM

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