No power to the tracks

[Chrissaf]

If you are using DCC point clips check that they are secure.

If not check your electrical connections between loops

[Chrissaf]

1. How are they wired?
2. Are you DC Analogue or Digital DCC?
3. If DC Analogue, do all four tracks each have their own specific controller?
4. And most importantly.....what is the link in the power distribution that is common to all of the three unpowered tracks .... the common link is likely to be the culprit.

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TIP: As a newbie poster on the forum, just be aware that the 'Blue Button with the White Arrow' is not a 'Reply to this post' button. If you want to reply to any of the posts, scroll down and write your reply in the reply text box at the bottom of the page and click the Green 'Reply' button.

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See also – further TIPs on how to get the best user experience from this forum.

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/tips-on-using-the-forum/

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[Chestfield]

i am digital dcc

[Chrissaf]

dcc track

i have 4 tracks and have lost power to 3 of them

they where working a just stopped for no reason  can any body help ?

thank you 

[Chrissaf]

Your thread now moved to this Hornby DCC forum from Gen Discussion (DC Analogue).

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If you are not using Hornby R8232 DCC point clips then answers to my Q1 and Q4 would still be helpful

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If you are using Hornby R8232 DCC point clips, then if you follow the track path from the location of your DCC controller connection towards the three dead tracks. Then there must be one particular point that all the power has to go through to connect to the dead tracks. It is then logical to deduce that the R8232 DCC point clips on that particular point are not making good electrical connection.

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The reason for this may be that they have over-heated and become electrically corroded. This is a known weakness of these R8232 DCC point clips. Some have been reported on this forum to over-heat to the point where they glow red hot and melt the plastic parts of the point that they are fitted to. They are in my opinion a Hornby fudge to eliminate soldering. Nothing is better than a well designed wired and soldered power distribution system that eliminates the need for these Hornby R8232 point clips. Such a power distribution solution is typically termed a DCC BUS system.

[Chestfield]

i have replaced all the dcc point clips and still no power to the 3 tracks.  HELP

[jane1707819582]

Upload a picture of your layout and show where your connections are from the controller .

[Chrissaf]

You need some way of measuring voltage... ideally a multimeter set to AC Voltage. Where power exists on the track the meter should read somewhere between 13 and 15 volts AC. You can then follow the path of the power all the way from your controller to the affected tracks and then see exactly where the power stops.

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Multimeters can be bought from ebay for less than £10.

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In the absence of a meter, then an 'old-style' car sidelight bulb soldered to two wires will show where power is when the bulb lights up. A torch bulb is no good as it will burn out the instance that your touch the rails with the wires. Even a 12 volt car bulb can burn out when connected to DCC track voltage, so only touch briefly. DCC track voltage is 28.8 volts peak to peak [but will still only read about 14 volts +/- 1 volt on a meter AC scale]. So a 24 volt lorry bulb would be better.

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Electricity is invisible, therefore you need something that makes the electricity visible so that you can find where the break is. That is the function of the meter or the bulb.

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When you changed the DCC clips, did you also clean the rails thoroughly where the clips touch the rails. You may also have some loose or corroded rail joiners that are causing the break in the electrical path.

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There is very little further advice that can be given unless we can see a drawing of your layout plan that shows the following:

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• the layout plan and all point locations on the plan.
• where the controller is connected to the layout.
• what track sections are dead electrically.

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See TIP number 8 in my forum TIPs page (see link in previous reply) with regard 'how to upload and image'.

[Chestfield]

i think i have found the problem

the point which runs from the 4th track that runs into the 3 tracks when swiched over cuts the power off to the 3 tracks  when swiched back the power comes back?

all points have dcc point clips in them which i thought keeps the points and track live ?

can you help

[jane1707819582]

This indicates where the problem is .yes the point clips should make the rest of the layout live.remove the clips give the track inside the point a good clean and replace .ensure the point rails are shiny .persevere in this area until working.

 I assume your points are hornby ??

Peco are different 

[Chrissaf]

....when swiched back the power comes back? all points have dcc point clips in them which I thought keeps the points and track live?

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Which is why I wrote the following line in my last reply.

When you changed the DCC clips, did you also clean the rails thoroughly where the clips touch the rails.

[96RAF]

Just remember those point clips are only supposed to feed power to the odd siding or across a single loop. they are not intended to carry any great power load across the points say to run a set of loops. They are after all just bits of bent wire barely more than paper staples. When you get to that stage you really need to use link wires, additional feeds or a proper power bus. If using link wires or multiple feeds on DCC make sure they are modified to suit.