Power Ballast

[RedBugsy]

Hi,

I've started to build a new layout whilst under lockdown and wanted to try my hand at ballasting.

I've watched lots of videos online but wanted to ask do you fit the powerclip and connector clips prior to ballasting or afterwards.

Also how do you ballast around the isolating tracks? 

I look forward to all your help and advice?

[Chrissaf]

These are my recommendations. Others might have opposing or alternative views.

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Most recommend that you do not jump in with both feet and ballast too early. Build the layout to a fully running state with all power connected, test, test again and then test some more. Only after you are absolutely sure that there are no issues at all and everything is working perfectly correctly do you start to think about ballasting.

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Once fully dried and cured ballast will be an insulator, so you don't have to be too concerned about ballasting around isolating tracks. The main thing is to keep the ballast clear of moving parts on points for example. If point motors are installed then be careful not to get the ballast glue on them as they can become sticky (I mean sticky as in difficult to operate freely, not sticky to the touch). With regard power clips. I would also suggest that these are kept sufficiently clear of ballast to allow their removal. These power clips can be a fault liability over time and being able to remove and clean / adjust or replace is beneficial.

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The accepted norm by most is that ballast glue is made from 50/50 Water / PVA mix with one single drop (size of a pea) of Washing Up liquid added to break water surface tension.

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A water spray bottle with a very fine misting spray (like the type recommended for misting indoor plant leaves) again with a pea sized drop of washing up liquid is used to mist a small area of dry laid ballast. If the water spray is moving the ballast, then either the spray is not misty enough or the spray is being held too close or the trigger is being pumped too vigorously. The ballast should remain still and just accept the water to soak in.

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After the application of the water spray, you then dribble the 50/50 Water / PVA mix onto the ballast using something like a syringe or pipette. If you are doing it right, you should see the Water / PVA mix being drawn into the ballast and disappearing. Try to dribble the mix onto the ballast rather than the metal rails.

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Complete each small area first before moving on to the next area, try not to be too ambitious with the area you cover in one application.

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Do not be impatient. The glue will need 24 hours to cure even if it looks or feels solid to the touch. There will still be moisture content that needs to dry out before you try to run a loco. So ballasting is something best done in warm weather. The rails will probably need to be gone over with a track rubber to remove glue residue too.

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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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[RedBugsy]

Thank you that is very useful. I've set up my track layout and been testing it over the last few days and it runs very smoothly - it's only analogue not DCC.

I guess you would take the same approach with the ballast around the R8015 Point Motor Housing as around the power clips to ensure that the arms to the points do not become stuck to the board.

[Chrissaf]

Yes .... any moving parts must be free.