How to connect power from inside the house?

Mobi

Mobi

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Till now I am running battery powered Playmobil locos and rolling stock. But my tracks are LGB.

I am now willing to move to traditional track powered trains.

Once I get the transformer, controller and connector cables - how do I control the train from a distance?

What I understand, the transformer and controller should be inside the house. My tracks are at 20 feet away from house. So how do I transfer the electricity from controller to loose end of connector cable?

:-\
 
I run DC and not DCC and keep all my electrical stuff in the kitchen. I run a regular cable out the window to the track but I have one of those orange chunky 2 pin "garden" h/d 250v 10amp connectors near the kitchen end. You can get them from most garden centres and DIY sheds.

When not in use I simply store one end in the dry in the kitchen with the electrickery stuff, the other I hang up on a rose bush so the connector is hanging down to minimise the risk of water ingress. I use a little dab of LGB graphite paste or "Coppergrease" on the male connector pins and female socket and where the wires are attached to them. As I do with all the exposed eletrical connections in track. Clean them all first. Works for me. Oh, and for safety use an RCD in the house from where the pimary source(household socket) to power your transformer is drawn.

I use the train engineer R/C controller and that has a 10 amp fuse interposed between it and the track to protect aganist shorts. Did you know the nails used by some fence panel erectors are preciecely 45mm long ? I didn't till a couple of years ago, a pesky bird must have dropped it. Thank heavens that fuse was there.

I don't know what other arrangement you would make if you are going DCC.

Max.
 
If you want dc the Helmsman transformer with the controller on a long cable is a good price and means that you can control from outside and walk around.
 
I know its different in the UK, voltage wise
I use outside heavy duty extension cords, use a cocktail table near the layout, and use a quick connect/disconnect on the track and accessorie wires, for the power supply. Simply, plug and play.

I also have a large plastic storage bin I use as a cover, which I religiously leave over the power source, even on sunny days, when im gone from the layout, even for a minute, so if I am distracted or called away, and it rains, things are OK. This is a rule I really stick to.

I take the power supply in and out as needed. In summer it may stay out many days. .
 
stevedenver said:
I also have a large plastic storage bin I use as a cover, which I religiously leave over the power source, even on sunny days, when im gone from the layout, even for a minute, so if I am distracted or called away, and it rains, things are OK. This is a rule I really stick to.
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Nice idea to provide some superficial protection to electrical bits so they don't get ruined in a shower but it is not an alternative for what an RCD (GFCI in US) is for. They cost around £10 - £20, come from the same place the connector I mentioned, and stop you getting fried accidently in case you are not earthed and touch someting that is still live as they automatically cut off the power supply. or at least that is how I understand it.
Max.
 
maxi-model said:
Nice idea to provide some superficial protection to electrical bits so they don't get ruined in a shower but it is not an alternative for what an RCD (GFCI in US) is for. They cost around £10 - £20, come from the same place the connector I mentioned, and stop you getting fried accidently in case you are not earthed and touch someting that is still live as they automatically cut off the power supply. or at least that is how I understand it.
Max.
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A Rcd will not protect a Earth Fault, They only protect a Inbalance between the 2 poles (live and neutral) A Earth Fault will trip the main breaker or fuse on the circuit, dont use too long a extension lead, because if you do you will get Volt drop and possible cause too much resistance that will delay the disconnection time in a Fault condition
 
Keep the 240v (110 in the US) stuff inside the house. If DCC, run the 24v wires from controller/Central Station to the track (through tiny hole in window frame). If using wireless remote, place receiver on window sill or other area protected from heavy rain and connect to controller inside house through same tiny hole. Works for me, but can't advise on any other setup. All you need to bring inside is the remote.
 
mains in the house, run the LOW voltage track feed wires to the track.. nearest power feed is 35ft away from house.. no issues ???
 
What I did was put an IP53 rated powerpoint on the outside wall, the connection was easy enough, the sparky only had to take a point off the wall in the back bedroom and drill a hole through the outside wall.. I have my power supplies in an IP53 rated box (secured to a fence post) that is connected via an extension lead when in use. Perfectly safe, perfectly legal....

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=weather+proof+power+points&_sop=15

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=HB6404
 
;) I run my track into my fully wired up shed. All connections are inside the shed, and I use Aristo Train Engineer Basic for control. I have a few track voltage switches outside for reverse loop controls, and isolating sections, these are sheltered from the weather by being placed under a ledge. TE Basic is OK, but I think I've pushed its limits. A trick taught to me by a visiting Canadian garden railroader, is when you get the aerial out of range, touch the aerial on the track to send the signal.
 
Gavin Sowry said:
A trick taught to me by a visiting Canadian garden railroader, is when you get the aerial out of range, touch the aerial on the track to send the signal.
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Clever, I'll try that one if the batteries are running down on my TE. You can do a similar trick if you are out of range with your car locking fob. Place the metal key, that is built in to the fob, to your temple and the press the lock/unlock button while in place. Hey presto, your car locking mechanism responds. I think the idea is you are using your body as an ariel to extend the fob TX's range.

(modified subsequent to post #13 below) Excuse my representation of RCD's and what I understand to be one of their primary applications. My main concern was that where live mains currents and the great outdoors are concerned one is always told to use one for safety's sake. I got the impression from one post that the use of a plastic box could have been interpreted as an alternative.
Max.
 
If I were you Mobi, I would not rush into spending big money on a control system until you know what you really want - DC or DCC, wired or wireless. In the meantime just get yourself an LGB starter set controller and a suitable length of el cheapo speaker cable or similar to connect it to your track. This set up will be perfectly adequate for single motor locos. You should be able to pick up one of those controllers for next to nothing; you could have had mine but I have already given it to someone else who is starting out.
 
sparky230 said:
A Rcd will not protect a Earth Fault, They only protect a Inbalance between the 2 poles (live and neutral) A Earth Fault will trip the main breaker or fuse on the circuit, dont use too long a extension lead, because if you do you will get Volt drop and possible cause too much resistance that will delay the disconnection time in a Fault condition
Click to expand...
An RCD will protect against an Earth fault. That is what they do. The old name was Earth leakage circuit breaker. If there an imbalance between the currents in the live and neutral then some must be going elsewhere, ie to earth. They are usually 30 milliamps trip, which is enough to avoid electrocution. Main circuit breaker or fuse disconnection will protect the circuit but not you.
 
Fairlie said:
An RCD will protect against an Earth fault. That is what they do. The old name was Earth leakage circuit breaker. If there an imbalance between the currents in the live and neutral then some must be going elsewhere, ie to earth. They are usually 30 milliamps trip, which is enough to avoid electrocution. Main circuit breaker or fuse disconnection will protect the circuit but not you.
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A RCD and a ELCB are not the same device, A true Earth fault will not trip a RCD, a leakage or imbalance to earth will trip one, The question is what do you call a earth fault?, a short to earth from live or neutral is not a earth fault, a Earth fault is a High earth resistance or missing path, If you require fault protection and combined RCD protection you need a RCBO

We havnt used ELCB since 14/15 edition and they no longer comply with current regulations
Most ELCB's used a voltage trip coil, where a RCD uses a current sensing Trip coil

I could go into detail of time delay, TT instalations, 3 phase sensing, instalations with high residual earth
 
sparky230 said:
A RCD and a ELCB are not the same device, A true Earth fault will not trip a RCD, a leakage or imbalance to earth will trip one, The question is what do you call a earth fault?, a short to earth from live or neutral is not a earth fault, a Earth fault is a High earth resistance or missing path, If you require fault protection and combined RCD protection you need a RCBO

We havnt used ELCB since 14/15 edition and they no longer comply with current regulations
Most ELCB's used a voltage trip coil, where a RCD uses a current sensing Trip coil

I could go into detail of time delay, TT instalations, 3 phase sensing, instalations with high residual earth
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Many ELCB's used current sensing, the same as RCD's. Voltage operated ELCB's went out many years ago, but that is history. I don't think we need to get into TT or three phase in this discussion.
The relevant point here, and I must stress it, is that an RCD WILL trip on earth leakage OR an earth fault (which are the same thing except for the magnitude of the current) at anything over the rating (usually 30 milliamps). Rarely, on a heavy fault, the MCB (miniature circuit breaker) will trip first. An RCD will offer virtually complete protection against electrocution, and is essential if mains are used outside.
 
I have all the power kit (Massoth 1200z for DCC and Aristo crest Elite for DC) in the conservatory fed from a RCD unit plugged into mains. The track feed cables go through the wall and out to the layout.
The whole house has a RCD equipped consumer box with MCBs as well, so hopefully........
 
This is what I'm planning


Connectors attached to track. Usually the loose ends of this is attached to the controller.

Now here I plan to attach an extension till my patio door.

Then, on other end of this new extension wire, I'll attach the controller and transformer (supplied with LGB start sets).

My question is, what sort of wire this extension cord needs to be.
This should have same diameter of wire as of the connector cables.
 
Mobi said:
My question is, what sort of wire this extension cord needs to be.
This should have same diameter of wire as of the connector cables.
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If you mean the cabling to your track (i.e. NOT Mains), then I would suggest speaker cable....
 
If your track wiring has to go any real distance, then the bigger section the better as distance equals volt drop, and 'section' is the best antidote. It is not the same problem with A.C. mains.
 
Ac mains cables also suffer volt drop, There are formulas and tables to calculate the maximum length of cable for given load etc

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/4.3.11.htm

This gives the formulas
 
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