I have a two Cab Layout in Sn3.5 scale, I have recently changed one Cab to DCC, In this
Cab is my Rivarossi Turntable operating in DC, my question is, can I power this T/table
with DCC or failing that, can I use some “Switching Voodoo” to operate it in either Power Mode?.
Or do I let the Grandchildren do an “Adams Family” and blow it up. ;-}
John
Are you asking about the power to make it go around or the power to make the engine pull on or off the turntable?
They ought to be completely separate power supplies and shouldn’t be connected at all.
Dave H.
John,
You’re description and choice of wording is a bit confusing. They do make stationary decoders for running accessories like turnouts (vs. mobile decoders for running locomotives) that can be wired into a turntable, if that is what you are asking. I don’t know how to do that personally but it should be feasible.
Tom
I’ll take a stab at a different approach to responding…if it’ll help.
Your table bridge rails should be powered by a DC source if your trains are DC, or by the DCC controller if they are digital locos with decoders. If you are asking about the bridge motor, it should likely be variable DC, but run through a separate circuit and switch so that the bridge isn’t moving around while your locos are on the move. Lastly, if you want DCC, or digital, control of the bridge movement, then you’ll have to buy and install a decoder for the bridge motor so that it will respond to the digital instructions sent to it by the controller/cab.
The Turntable has 16 volt A.C. to turn the Bridge, and 12 volt D.C. to run a Loco` on
the Bridge.
Both the 16 ac & the 12 dc are fed from the same Transformer, and I use a Handheld
Controller {dc} to control the Loco` on the Bridge, which is also on the same D.C. Transformer.
The Turntable is at a “Dead End” of the “Cab” that I have made “DCC”.
The “Decoder” you speak of, is that called a “Funtion Decoder”? or is there some special
sort of “Decoder” for this job?.
Thank you all,
John.
You cleared up some confusion, but leave it to me to add to the complications. Your bridge track and tracks around the TT should be powered from the DCC power bus. You can leave the TT drive as it is for now. Later, you may want to use your throttle to control the TT by installing a decoder on that motor and assigning it an address. Now, you must treat the TT bridge track like a reverse loop or wye to be able to use both ends of it with any track. A DPDT switch can be wired into the bridge track supply or an automatic reversing unit can be used. This is to match the polarity of the bridge track with any track you are going to use. Clear as Tutley Tea? I wouldn’t know I don’t drink the stuff!
Thank you one & all, Grandson No:5 has read all the postings and answers and
is quite confident he can set it up from the collective advice.
Regards,
John.