Power to second loop

[Michael-374349]

Hi, I’m a total newbie, only buying my tt120 with the HM/DCC App, recently. Now I’ve got a base board, I’ve set out my track with all the extension packs, giving me two loops and a couple of sidings. Using my iPad controller, my locomotive works fine on the inner loop, but when I switch it to the inner loop, close the points to allow it to run on the loop, all the power dies. After a couple of days trying to google an answer, I’m still baffled.

as far as I can make out, I’ve two options. One: take power from one track to another using power clips to the tracks, or two: getting a set of DCC TT gauge turnout clips. This is my preferred option. Is there anything else I should consider?

on a side note, why don’t Hornby include the clips with the track extension packs?

[Fishmanoz]

Hi Michael, welcome to the forums and may I start by referring you to this thread: https://uk.hornby.com/community/forum/getting-started-sets-and-track-mat-expansion-packs-322713

This is the definitive guide here that addresses exactly what you want to know. It was written for the OO TrackMat layout but works equally well for TT:120 as I’m sure you will see as you read. And while it starts with DC, it has a DCC chapter so you can see the differences.

The fundamental issue for DCC, or HM | DCC, layouts is that you need to power the entire layout all the time, unlike DC. You will learn from Getting Started that the best way to do this is with an under-layout power bus with droppers from many/all of your track pieces to it.

However, to get started, DCC point clips on all of your points will suffice. Also, for HM | DCC only, you don’t need a digital power track, the DC/analog version is fine as all of your control signals come over the air from the app, not through the rails as with conventional DCC.

Why are the point clips not in the extension packs? Hornby conventional thinking is that beginners using this layout will power it DC as that has largely been the case do date. Marketing has yet to get their heads around their own HM7000 products which are changing the beginner landscape.

That pretty much covers it as a starting point. Let us know how you go.

[P-Henny]

After a couple of days trying to google an answer, I’m still baffled.

 

 

Just to add ... that the points are doing exactly what they are designed to do. They are termed 'Isolating Points' and only route power onto the route that they are switched to. This is a perfectly standard DC Analogue Layout power distribution requirement, thus for many this is such very common knowledge and probably why you could not find anything informative via Google. Special alternative arrangements have to be implemented (as described by Fishman above) to support DCC and HM7000, where an all track always live layout is required.