I hope to maintain my railroad as both DC and DCC but the problem arises in that I have two reverse loops. For DC analogue operation, I use bridge rectifiers and stop the loco in the loop and reverse polarity, then move on. Of cause this will not sit well with DCC wiring. I will need to isolate the the analogue bridge rectifier section of wiring supply to the loop, most likely with a DPDT switch.
I have looked at the schematics of both the Massoth and Lenz modules. The Massoth seems to enable an arc free transition over the loop, but the detector sections, each end of the loop, would cause havoc with analogue wiring. The Massoth in 'open' short circuit detecting mode seems to work like the Lenz module in that the loco senses a potential short circuit at both the entry and exit to the loop section. This always assumes that either the train is shorter than the loop section (which mine is not) or that plastic wheels are used on all rolling stock to prevent the metal wheel bridging the gap section and causing a short circuit at each the end of the loop.
The easiest method would be to isolate the loop when in DCC mode and use only in analogue operation. Who said that DCC was just two wires to the rails!
Any advice, or am I missing something. All my trains have metal wheelsets, but almost none collect power for lighting. I do have a few sound cars. Would I need bridge rectifiers in these to prevent shorting with pickups either side of the loop gapped sections?
I have looked at the schematics of both the Massoth and Lenz modules. The Massoth seems to enable an arc free transition over the loop, but the detector sections, each end of the loop, would cause havoc with analogue wiring. The Massoth in 'open' short circuit detecting mode seems to work like the Lenz module in that the loco senses a potential short circuit at both the entry and exit to the loop section. This always assumes that either the train is shorter than the loop section (which mine is not) or that plastic wheels are used on all rolling stock to prevent the metal wheel bridging the gap section and causing a short circuit at each the end of the loop.
The easiest method would be to isolate the loop when in DCC mode and use only in analogue operation. Who said that DCC was just two wires to the rails!
Any advice, or am I missing something. All my trains have metal wheelsets, but almost none collect power for lighting. I do have a few sound cars. Would I need bridge rectifiers in these to prevent shorting with pickups either side of the loop gapped sections?