Tornado 16 Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 I am building a new layout as a retirement project and need some advice with connecting a bus wire to a HM7000 system. My previous layout was powered by a Hornby Zero 1 (last used in 1990) so I have no other controller. Power is provided by a P9300 power supply via an R7324 HM7020 15V Power Supply Adapter into a R8241 Digital Power Track. How and where do I connect the bus wire(s)? I'm sure this must have been addressed before but I couldn't find an answer via the search facility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 Run the 2-pin plug on the adaptor cable into a choc block connector, then connect your 2 main bus wires to that. If required for convenience you could insert an on-off switch and maybe add a short length of track also switched to use when loading profiles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tornado 16 Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 Thanks for that. Simple When you think about it! So in hindsight the power track was rather a waste of time, other than perhaps to save soldering one dropper. Out of curiosity, is there any benefit to loading profiles on a separate track? I thought that one of the advantages of HM7000 was in doing away with a programming track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTSR_NSE Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 The benefits are: • it ensures a steady voltage to decoder (if also given a dedicated power supply) • prevents derailment/short on layout affecting profile upload/cv programming (if also given a dedicated power supply) • It is easy to isolate power to the track - instead of having to lift loco off track - to perform power cycle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 Just a note for others reading this - if you are powering a layout for HM7000 decoders with DC (as you are), it is not necessary to use a digital power track. The analog and the digital power tracks work exactly the same on such a setup. You can use either or both. If both, polarity must be the same on each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tornado 16 Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 I hadn't realised there was a difference in power tracks, or that it's actually DC powered, which makes sense now that you mention it. I bought the digital one as that was on the Hornby HM7000 page. At the time I hadn't considered the need for bus wires - the old Zero 1 worked perfectly with just track turnout clips on all the points! Sadly, re-using 45 year old Peco streamline track and insulfrog pointwork which, whilst still in very good condition, requires a bit more help in the connectivity department to run HM7000 decoders. I know I should use electrofrog points, but I have over 45 old insulfrog ones and really can't be doing with converting them all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 My layout - single garage size - has standard Hornby express insul-frog points but with a power bus rather than point clips, which are designed to pass current from the main layout to a siding or two, not to power a whole fan of sidings or a storage yard, etc. It's all to do with the current they are expected to handle (i.e. not that much, else they glow). If you have a simple layout you may get away with a power track on each loop with daisy chained link wires between them, noting as Fishy says to maintain matching polarity (phasing in DCC). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tornado 16 Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 RAF. Understood. It's a relatively simple 25 ft end to end 'U shape'. I'll be doing conventional bus wire with droppers to each track piece. If the odd siding works satisfactorily with point clips I might just use them there to save a bit of soldering but they'll be in the minority. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 If possible connect the power supply in the middle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tornado 16 Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 Yep, that's the current plan. Thanks for all the help. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 No boosters for Rob then Yelrow? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tornado 16 Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 1 hour ago, Fishmanoz said: No boosters for Rob then Yelrow? ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 If you were to check back on my posting history (which you can no longer do by the way, only see the first page - Rob to note), you would find I’ve often given advice to those thinking they don’t have enough power to their layout and therefore needed to divide it into sections and add a booster to power the second section, that this won’t be necessary until your layout takes up both car spaces in a two-car garage. Then note above that Rob (RAF) has said his layout takes up one car space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 8 hours ago, Fishmanoz said: If you were to check back on my posting history (which you can no longer do by the way, only see the first page - Rob to note), you would find I’ve often given advice to those thinking they don’t have enough power to their layout and therefore needed to divide it into sections and add a booster to power the second section, that this won’t be necessary until your layout takes up both car spaces in a two-car garage. Then note above that Rob (RAF) has said his layout takes up one car space. @Fishmanoz - if I click into my profile then See my Activity I have all history pages as before. Is Gen-Pop view different to that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB51 Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 It’s the button in the far right below the image [currently showing View Profile] in Rob’s screenshot that you need. It toggles between your activity and profile. Only just found it myself. R- 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rog RJ Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 Like Fishy, I can only see the first page of posting history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moccasin Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 Maybe it's a mod function so that they can review a user's complete posting history.... I'll pack my bags now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB51 Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 Do you see the button I have highlighted in red? If so, click that, it toggles two screens. R- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moccasin Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 6 minutes ago, RB51 said: Do you see the button I have highlighted in red? If so, click that, it toggles two screens. R- Ah - my mistake - yes I have that. I've not won the day though, which is rude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge1965 Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 Mine will only show the activity since the new forum started? How to you see the older stuff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB51 Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 Good question. Not sure it's possible, as in not transferred. I will ask. R- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moccasin Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 10 minutes ago, RB51 said: Good question. Not sure it's possible, as in not transferred. I will ask. R- My history goes back to Q1 last year - or is it the forum platform before that which can't be transferred? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB51 Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 Seems a bit sporadic. I've just checked mine and I've got 48 pages worth, so not quite since the dawn of time but more than you are both reporting. Question has been lodged anyway, as soon as there is an answer I'll post it. R- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rog RJ Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 Just looked again and can see 35 pages of history. Wonder if the devs are playing 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yelrow Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 Fishy,are you taking my name in vain. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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