I have a 4 x 8 DCC layout composed of EZ track.  I am getting ready to get rid of the terminal re-railers and solder feeders from each piece (or maybe every 3rd or fourth piece) of track. 

my question is as follows:

can i use 22 gauge for the feeders and 16 gauge for the bus? feeders will only be 9 inches long max each and bus wire will be approximately 30 feet long along the track in total.

the 12 gauge from the NMRA standard for the bus , or it might have even been 10, seems over kill IMO


thanks

Quote from: Len on July 21, 2016, 07:19:44 PM
Step-by-Step Instructions using a TCS M1 Decoder in the RF-16:

http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/HO_Scale/Bachmann/Baldwin_RF-16_Shark/Baldwin_RF-16_Shark.html

While the example uses a TCS decoder, the procedure is the same for any brand of 'hardwired' decoder.

Len

Len,

I went with a different decoder a NCE Bach - dsl .  It says to remove all capacitors but to leave the resisters to the motor as opposed to the walk through you had given me for the m1 decoder (which says to remove capacitors AND resistors).  Do you think it is safe to say follow the directions of the decoder i bought and leave the resisters in assuming that the removal of said would be specific to the instructions of the m1?  I have another engine that I am doing with the same decoder, but it doesn't have resistors in the first place only capcitors so i think that would speak for itself.

Thanks,

Nate

The shark nose I think imo Man leave alone cause it's so small but I have a sd40-2 I think it has fake lights near the front I could try to light or maybe I can stick a build in the cab I dunno I'll have to take another look at it again with the shell off

Thanks all ... I'll have to write a note to myself about cv 30 ... I was wondering why cv 8 was blank on the instruction sheet.  It's ten bucks less than the tcs and it only requires soldering of the existing wires to the board rather than (for the motor) to the motor.  I'm not that experienced in soldering and I was worried about the joint on the copper tab at the side of the motor in your step by step example.  I'm really just looking to make two of my engines run smoother and quieter and also my son has been begging me to set them up in a consist but since the stock decoders to have much adjustment available in the low and none in the mid it's pretty much impossible without the upgrade.  Both chips add some lighting options too which is cool.

How about the NCE Bach-dsl replacement decoder .... It's a little cheaper and easier to install apparently.  Does that match up to the M1 from your link ?

https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/200945019-BACH-DSL

Thank you very informative

I have a Bachmann rf-16 shark nose and I want to replace the decoder with a more responsive one / better quality than what is in it stock .... Any suggestions ?  I want to be able to speed match it with one of my other two engines which have sound value and tsunami chips ... It is missing the mid range cv and a few other CV's that I think I would need to make it be able to run with said other engines

Do dcc B units just provide more pulling power if they are speed matched with an A unit ?  Such as in real life ?

When you say point ends you mean ?

Thanks

I want to run feeders to my turn outs to (i'm actually running them to other parts of my track so as to not rely on the rerailer terminal plugs anymore) but I do not know the best points to provide power.  for my regular pieces of track I just drill a small hole to each rail right before where the snap track snaps together to join to the next piece.  I am using bachmann turnouts, snap track, DCC friendly (kind with the powered twin coil motors) 

I think I understand ... Thanks I will use the software and see what I can do otherwise

Yes I have a passing track, but even though I use two switches it is still an 18 " radius complete half circle (one pie radian).  Instead of using 6 curves I think I have 5 curves and the turnouts make up what would have been a 6th.  So if I off set it with another track (an outer track) at 22 " radius but still only one complete half circle (one pie radian) with them being 22.5 degrees wouldn't it just take me 8 pieces as opposed to the 6 pieces of 18" ?

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://i.ytimg.com/vi/k-LxY-P2n-g/hqdefault.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3Dk-LxY-P2n-g&h=360&w=480&tbnid=hmqaFYtSMICmrM:&docid=rj6lingYGI5qIM&hl=en-us&ei=7_uoVpTRNeuqjgSoxo24Ag&tbm=isch&client=safari&ved=0ahUKEwjUhITyv8rKAhVrlYMKHShjAycQMwgtKBEwEQ

I have a track set up which utilizes 18 " curves throughout (both at the end half circles and at points of curve through the mainline straightaways).  I used the layout that is shown in the "my first EZ track" Bachmann track package (you can easily find the image if you type that in the Internet). 

My question is if I offset the original layout with 22" curves, will I need to purchase additional half length of straight track to make up differences in the curves that connect the straightaways.  I realize that the half circles will match properly, but when I look at the intermittent curves throughout it seems like the larger radius may leave gaps.