DCC Equipment Drawer
Lenz Set SI
with LH100 & LH90
DCC_Bay_Rev2.jpg
556.96 KB
DCC equipment drawer
contents
-
Lenz Set SI
-
2 each LR101,
-
8 each LB101
-
2 each LS150
-
RRamp Meter
-
48 Port RJ45 Patch Panel
PICT6776.jpg
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PICT6778.jpg
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My experience
with the LR101/LB101 shows they work reliably with wire lengths of 30-50
feet. I have the LR101 and the LB101 within 3 feet of the LZV100.
Since this is an
area of great interest, let me elaborate on what I have done. There are
a number of significant differences with using feedback vs. regular
DCC. Some that I have discovered include:
-
The wiring
for DCC with feedback is perhaps even more complicated that DC with
elaborate block control.
-
Using a standard two wire buss
(JK) for distribution all DCC is possible ONLY you:
-
distribute your feedback
hardware (LR101/LB101) around the layout
-
provide distributed RS
wiring around the layout as well. RS is used to digitally
control the LR101
-
a
series of wires are then required to be connected between the
LR101 and the LB101 and the DCC wiring buss (JK)
-
Distributing the Feedback
Hardware around the layout caused me a lot of problems
troubleshooting and getting it to work correctly.
-
Moving or relocating a layout
with distributed feedback hardware would be a real challenge.
I speak only
from personal experience, as I have not yet seen or visited anyone who
is using feedback except one very large layout using Bruce Chubb’s
stuff, and it is complicated certainly as much or more than what I am
talking about here.
My first
attempt at block detection was with the distributed hardware mounted
close to the block. It kept bothering me that almost all of us use
18-24 gauge wire from the DCC Buss to the track. While the wire lengths
are typically short, small wire-size is still small wire size. The
numbers of wires for each block detector quickly becomes a bird’s next,
something I try to avoid. All of this and not even started signaling!
To overcome
these issues, I wondered if Cat 3/5 24 gauge wire was sufficient to run
my railroad so after a few tests with the wire and my RRamp meter I
decided that it was worth a shot. What I did was to put all my DCC
electronics in a drawer on slides with a 48 port patch panel out the
back. This means I only have the cat 3/5 wires which plug into my panel
plus a couple of AC wires to power supplies and my equipment bay is
portable. This fact was reinforces when I abandoned my first railroad
shortly after finishing the rewiring. Actually the fact that I could
leverage that work on the new layout helped me make the decision to
start over with an around the wall layout instead of a middle of the
room configuration.
Concern over
the current carrying capability of Cat 3/5 (.5 amps for 24 gauge)
bothered me so I decided to use 4 sets of parallel wires to drive each
segment of track. I solder most of my track as the temperature control
of my layout is quite good, 70 +/- 3 degrees so I am not concerned much
about expansion.
In testing
current requirements, I ran 8 DCC sound equipped locomotives at the same
time, with two pulling 20+ cars and found the current load to stay under
1 amp. With 16 or more blocks in my railroad, overloading the circuits
does not seem to be an issue for me. Using O or G might well be a
problem but not for my type of railroad.
On my website
is a copy of this write up along with a number of pictures of the DCC
wiring drawer.
Your feedback
is appreciate.
Joe Daddy
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PICT7221.jpg
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PICT6772.jpg
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PICT7049.jpg
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PICT7220.jpg
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Last updated
08/17/2008
hits since 2-1-2006
|
Home |
DCC Equipment Drawer
Lenz Set SI
with LH100 & LH90
 |
|
DCC_Bay_Rev2.jpg 556.96 KB |
DCC equipment drawer contents
Lenz Set SI
2 each LR101,
8 each LB101
2 each LS150
RRamp Meter
48 Port RJ45 Patch Panel
 |
|
PICT6776.jpg 540.65 KB |
 |
|
PICT6778.jpg 512.65 KB |
My experience with the LR101/LB101 shows they work reliably with wire lengths of 30-50 feet. I have the LR101 and the LB101 within 3 feet of the LZV100.
Since this is an area of great interest, let me elaborate on what I have done. There are a number of significant differences with using feedback vs. regular DCC. Some that I have discovered include:
-
The wiring for DCC with feedback is perhaps even more complicated that DC with elaborate block control.
-
Using a standard two wire buss (JK) for distribution all DCC is possible ONLY you:
-
distribute your feedback hardware (LR101/LB101) around the layout
-
provide distributed RS wiring around the layout as well. RS is used to digitally control the LR101
-
a series of wires are then required to be connected between the LR101 and the LB101 and the DCC wiring buss (JK)
-
-
Distributing the Feedback Hardware around the layout caused me a lot of problems troubleshooting and getting it to work correctly.
-
Moving or relocating a layout with distributed feedback hardware would be a real challenge.
I speak only from personal experience, as I have not yet seen or visited anyone who is using feedback except one very large layout using Bruce Chubb’s stuff, and it is complicated certainly as much or more than what I am talking about here.
My first attempt at block detection was with the distributed hardware mounted close to the block. It kept bothering me that almost all of us use 18-24 gauge wire from the DCC Buss to the track. While the wire lengths are typically short, small wire-size is still small wire size. The numbers of wires for each block detector quickly becomes a bird’s next, something I try to avoid. All of this and not even started signaling!
To overcome these issues, I wondered if Cat 3/5 24 gauge wire was sufficient to run my railroad so after a few tests with the wire and my RRamp meter I decided that it was worth a shot. What I did was to put all my DCC electronics in a drawer on slides with a 48 port patch panel out the back. This means I only have the cat 3/5 wires which plug into my panel plus a couple of AC wires to power supplies and my equipment bay is portable. This fact was reinforces when I abandoned my first railroad shortly after finishing the rewiring. Actually the fact that I could leverage that work on the new layout helped me make the decision to start over with an around the wall layout instead of a middle of the room configuration.
Concern over the current carrying capability of Cat 3/5 (.5 amps for 24 gauge) bothered me so I decided to use 4 sets of parallel wires to drive each segment of track. I solder most of my track as the temperature control of my layout is quite good, 70 +/- 3 degrees so I am not concerned much about expansion.
In testing current requirements, I ran 8 DCC sound equipped locomotives at the same time, with two pulling 20+ cars and found the current load to stay under 1 amp. With 16 or more blocks in my railroad, overloading the circuits does not seem to be an issue for me. Using O or G might well be a problem but not for my type of railroad.
On my website is a copy of this write up along with a number of pictures of the DCC wiring drawer.
Your feedback is appreciate.
Joe Daddy
 |
|
PICT7048.jpg 575.18 KB |
 |
|
PICT7109.jpg 499.83 KB |
 |
|
PICT7221.jpg 519.88 KB |
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|
PICT6772.jpg 534.51 KB |
 |
|
PICT6777.jpg 524.22 KB |
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|
PICT6780.jpg 430.15 KB |
 |
|
PICT7049.jpg 547.31 KB |
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|
PICT7220.jpg 512.25 KB |
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|
PICT7222.jpg 567.83 KB |