Bus Wire

[Whammo]

If you are using a Bus Wire on a DC layout for better connectivity does the bus wire just end like on DCC or do you need to connect it up back at the start to make a circuit 

[Rog RJ]

Whatever you want to do but remember that you may want to have isolated sections of track and that can't be done if they are connected directly to the bus

[Whammo]

Thanks for that Rog, I know you shouldn’t join them up in Dcc but wasn’t sure about Dc, it just a small layout for my grandchildren.

[ntpntpntp]

There is no need to connect the bus in a loop, although arguably if you do it acts a bit like a mains ring and distributes the current either way around the loop.  Whether or not DCC buses should be joined as a loop is often debated - the way you wire a huge basement / club layout (as found in the US for example) is different to what's needed or best for a small tabletop layout 🙂 

Are you sure you need a bus for a DC layout?  I use "star" wiring from my DC control panel to my layout, for wiring switched isolating sections etc.  The only time I have something resembling a bus is on modular system layouts designed to allow many modules to be connected together.   The bus is then carrying the power for the "through" tracks and is thick wire as it may run for many metres, but any additional locally controlled trackwork is still on the "star" pattern. 

Edited March 20 by ntpntpntp

[Silver Fox 17]

I did with my portable Triang TT layout which used Type A track. I soldered droppers to every piece, including both curved and straight tracks on points and made a ring mains from lighting cable. 

There were no isolating sections in type A so I made my own by sawing the rail and putting two droppers on that rail feeding that wire to a switch. Even had a reverse loop and high level section using this method.

This was all done as the fishplates on 60+ year old rail were not always too good for conductivity.

[Rallymatt]

The weak point in electrical conductivity in any layout is always the fishplates between the rail sections. Ballasting requires a generous amount of water and that usually results in some corrosion that will reduce conductivity. So in part it will depend on how the layout is constructed. There are many examples of perfectly performing layouts with only one ‘power point’ on DC and DCC, my preference (like others) is a power bus and droppers every m and each side of points because I can and I don’t like going back and doing something a second time. Making the ‘bus’ a complete ring serves no proven advantage although on DCC layouts placing a spike protection device at the ends of a spur does have its fans. Don’t over complicate things if you don’t have to 😁

[Blueandwhiteton]

Hi everybody I'm wondering what "star* wiring involves and are there any diagrams, I hope to build a baseboard soon, thanks for any info I'm not electrically proficient but hope to pick up some tips.

[LTSR_NSE]

‘Star’ or ‘Spoke’ wiring usually entails connecting the various track droppers back to an electrically (but not necessarily physically) central connector - where the controller is attached.

Distribution board(s), Choc Blocks, etc. are all common methods used for this type of wiring & as @ntpntpntp says you can either use them on their own (for smaller layouts) or as a means of connecting multiple droppers to a section of the main bus wiring (in larger layouts.)

[Fishmanoz]

If you want to look at the definitive info on bus wiring, go to the General forum, then Useful Links near the top and scroll down to the Mark Gurries links under DCC. There is also some great info under Brian Lambert. 

[Whammo]

Thank you all for taking the time to answer me and pointing me in the right direction where to find further advise.