Bachmann Online Forum

Discussion Boards => HO => Topic started by: Lucas1969 on July 14, 2007, 08:22:33 AM

Title: short circuit
Post by: Lucas1969 on July 14, 2007, 08:22:33 AM
Hello,
I am a newbee in model rairoading and i built an small layout (4x8) i used easy command from Bachmann with 4 dcc engines, the track came from life like power lock, my brobleme came with the switch all my engine turn to short circuit when goes backward on every switch, how can turn this trouble off.

Luc
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: tomcat623 on July 14, 2007, 08:47:39 AM
Luc, please please re-read and restate your question so no one has to guess what your asking, thanks,
Tom
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: SteamGene on July 14, 2007, 08:57:21 AM
It SOUNDS like the locos reverse when they hit a turnout.  But I agree, the question needs to be restated. 
Gene
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: WoundedBear on July 14, 2007, 09:59:48 AM
I think Luc may be French speaking........just from the way he forms his sentences.

I think he is having troubles with shorts when he tries reversing through a turnout. I'm not sure what the fix would be, other than the basics of wheel guage, point guage etc etc....., but I think this is what he is asking.

Sid
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: Jonathan MacCormack on July 14, 2007, 10:12:27 AM
Polarity question comes to mind from info stated.

Any comments?

Jonathan
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: Lucas1969 on July 14, 2007, 10:14:01 AM
Yes that's exacly the probleme (WoundedBear ).

Sorry for my english :(

Luc
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: lanny on July 14, 2007, 10:45:52 AM
It's okay Luc ... you do a lot better with English than i would do with French!

Now that we know what 'WounderBear' mentioned is you problem, I am sure that some of the experts will eventually answer your question (I'm not one of them :))

Thanks for asking and being patient while someone gets an answer to you. It may take a few days ... don't be discouraged. There's a bunch of really nice, helpful and knowlegable guys on this forum who will give you some good advice.

lanny nicolet
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: SteamGene on July 14, 2007, 11:04:43 AM
Sorry, I missed the cadence, and my French is limited to food and wine!  Will the locomotive go through the turnout completely? 
Gene
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: Lucas1969 on July 14, 2007, 11:16:08 AM
No, they stop at the short and the only way to backward is  puting the engine forward.(on the controler).

Luc
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: rogertra on July 14, 2007, 03:00:52 PM
Sounds to be as though the polarity of the rails is somehow reversed at the short circuit.  Perhaps it's not a short circuit at the switch (turnout in model railroadees?) but perhaps Luc as two connections going to his track and on one of them, he's reversed the polarity?

How many connections from your power suplly to your track do you hac Luc?

Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: Lucas1969 on July 14, 2007, 03:25:14 PM
Only one
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: SteamGene on July 14, 2007, 03:36:28 PM
How many turnouts do you have?  How are they connected? 
Is it possible that you have set up a reverse loop without realizing it? 
Gene
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: Lucas1969 on July 14, 2007, 04:23:40 PM
Six turnout, they collected directly to acc from the power pack, i follow the installation indication from life like.
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: tomcat623 on July 14, 2007, 04:48:48 PM
Luc do any of your turnouts connect back to your main line and do all your turnouts short out?
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: SteamGene on July 14, 2007, 05:13:08 PM
Do you have a piece of track that connects a turnout on one side of your layout to a turnout on the other side of the layout?
Gene
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: Lucas1969 on July 14, 2007, 06:03:09 PM
All turnout are conected to main line from one side and to dead end to outher side.
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: Lucas1969 on July 14, 2007, 06:24:58 PM
All the turnout are connected to the main line by one side and to dead end to other side.
Luc
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: tomcat623 on July 15, 2007, 09:05:54 AM
Luc, are your switches made by lifelike?
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: Beatle (TrainBrain) on July 15, 2007, 09:10:40 AM
Insulators. That could be it. If they're not there, shorts galore!
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: Lucas1969 on July 16, 2007, 06:24:35 AM
Yes powerlock by lifelike.

Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: RAM on July 16, 2007, 02:46:26 PM
I am at a loss here, but just a thought.  disconnect the power to on of the turnout and see what happens. 
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: Lucas1969 on July 16, 2007, 06:03:25 PM
same ting, short circuit.

Luc
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: SteamGene on July 16, 2007, 06:24:23 PM
I assume you are in France.  Could it have anything to do with the current/voltage/amps/etc of European electrical service?
Gene
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: WoundedBear on July 16, 2007, 08:06:58 PM
His email is sympatico.ca....Luc is in Canada......that rules out the power system mismatch.

Are these remotely operated? Try disconnecting the switches that change your turnout direction and try again. Maybe you have something amiss between the accessory side and the variable DC side.

Sid
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: tomcat623 on July 16, 2007, 10:19:38 PM
Is your frog insulated?
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: Lucas1969 on July 17, 2007, 06:16:33 AM
I disconect all turnout to use it manually, no change (short again),
no the turnout are not cotroled by th ez command and don't know if the frog are insuleted.

Luc
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: Lucas1969 on July 17, 2007, 02:28:12 PM
I check the voltage and is steel the same all around the layout, and yes it 's an short i can see the little spark from engine wheel.

Luc
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: Lucas1969 on July 17, 2007, 04:49:33 PM
Yes, each time of an engine stall on turnout my EZcommand flash and beep.

Luc
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: tomcat623 on July 17, 2007, 06:25:03 PM
Luc,  yep, that sounds like a short to me. In your first post did you mean the engine will cross the turnout one way but shorts out the other way?
If so maybe the turnout is not tight against the rail and the wheel flange could be hitting.
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: Lucas1969 on July 17, 2007, 09:16:30 PM
That's exactly the situation, i will check for the turnout tight.
Luc
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: RAM on July 17, 2007, 11:32:42 PM
I don't know if you said or not.   What type of locomotive do you have.  Steam or those other things?  you say that they short backing.  Is that backing into the siding or out of the siding. 
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: Lucas1969 on July 18, 2007, 08:48:56 AM
I used 5 loco 3 steam and 2 diesel and the short append when backing into the siding.

Luc
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: tomcat623 on July 18, 2007, 06:30:15 PM
I'm fairly sure lifelike switches are not dcc friendly
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: SteamGene on July 19, 2007, 11:02:02 AM
That might be the problem. 
Gene
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: Beatle (TrainBrain) on July 19, 2007, 12:09:15 PM
PECO'S!!! ;D
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: Lucas1969 on July 19, 2007, 04:52:23 PM
The best way are to change all the turnout,(Atlas remote turnout)
Luc
Title: Re: short circuit
Post by: Lucas1969 on July 21, 2007, 12:36:29 AM
Tank's to everyone,

Luc