Good morning RR fans. I am putting a reverse loop on my new layout, and need some help. I have very little info. on the subject, but would like to know how to do the wiring, and how to opperate it. For now I am running DC, but am building the layout for DCC. I learned lastnight that DCC is
ac powered, so I would think I shouldn’t need insulator gaps, am I right?
Thank you, Mike
Mike,
You need insulated gaps for both DC or DCC. With DCC you can get ‘auto reverse’ units that will change handle the reverse section automatically. For most DC applications, you will usually need to install seperate DPDT toggle switches to manually handle the polarity switch when crossing the gaps. Go to this NMRA page for some basic DC wiring info:
http://www.nmra.org/beginner/wiring.html
Jim Bernier
As jrbernier said, the short circuits caused by reversing loops require the same gaps reguardless of what power system is being used. Even the DPDT switch to reverse track polarity can be the same for DCC. DCC just has some neater gizmos to automate the mundain task of throwing the switch. Speaking of which I’ve seen an ad recently for a DC auto reverser too!
[soapbox] This is why I hate people calling a DCC signal AC. Technically they are right, it is alternating current, because the polarity changes, but it is in no way similar to a traditional electrical AC sine wave. Talking about it in this way just confuses people who don’t understand DCC. Since people associate AC with Lionel which has a center rail and can do reverse loops without electrical issues, people confuse the two and we get questions such as this. Or worse, we get people assuming and NOT asking questions such as this and melting down their equipment.