My entire N Scale layout shorted out after I used Super Glue Gel and styrene to fill rail gaps. There may be other causes so I’m trying to rule this one out.
Thanks for your help!
Once harded it should not be a conductor. Didn’t mix and metal powder in with it did you?
Some so called “gap filling” super glues use metal fillings to give the glue body and fill the gaps. You would have to get the glue between the rails to cause a short.
I supposed some metal filings from the cutting tool could have mixed in with the glue. How much would it take to short out an entire layout?
not a lot, only need a few molecules connecting to conduct the electrons and short out your layout, I’d see if I cut recut those connections with a razor saw and use non-gap filling CA, the very thin type stuff.
Run a test…take some glue, run a bead on some wood, then apply 12Vdc via a test lead to one end and Ground to the other end. There really should be no current flow, as glue, even this kind, is NOT conductive. It would defeat the entire purpose of using this to fill rail gaps.
Did you install feeders when you cut the gaps. I bet you accidently switched the wires leading from the pack to the feeders, thus if that happened and somehow the gaps were not truly isolated you would get a short.
Did you install feeders when you cut the gaps. I bet you accidently switched the wires leading from the pack to the feeders, thus if that happened and somehow the gaps were not truly isolated you would get a short.
Let’s understand something. First, there’s no such thing as a non conductor. If you put a million volts through a hunk of glass, it’s GONNA conduct. Maybe not as good as something metallic, but it’s GONNA conduct. Why does lightning destroy a tree? Cause the tree is a conductin sumbeeatch, that’s why. Now, will super glue conduct 18-25 volts? In all likelyhood, no. I wouldn’t trust it to insulate from a high power line or a lightning bolt, though. LOL
Hmmm…
The tree also contains moisture… Ceramics are used by utility transmission lines for 100’s of thousands of volts. Even in the rain they work pretty well. Maybe the ribs on the insulator have something to do with it. Don’t suppose the distance between the conductors have any bearing though… as in a spark plug gap?
As we know, electricity, like water follows the path of least resistance (like short circuits, lightning, etc). To see if super glue conducts electricity, do an ohm test or a continuity test on dry super glue. If you want to test wet super glue, use alligator clips and have each one grip a small piece of wire. hold the wire end to the wet glue, that way you do not risk glueing your test probes.
Continuity tests are great to see if a short condition exists. I hope you color coded your wiring.
Did you solder your connection before using the super glue? If not the glue may have become an insulator rather than a conductor.
Well, what the heck difference does it make? That tree aint gonna conduct until something makes it. Whether it’s moisture, tree sap, bug guts, whatever, it really doesn’t matter. The tree WILL conduct when lightening hits it.
Who cares about a tree, the question is will super glue gel conduct at model railroad voltage to create a short. The answer is no. Even if it had some metal shavings in it it’s almost impossible.