Bogo Posted May 2 Share Posted May 2 Hello fellow nerds! I'm just getting into TT and I'm looking for some advice regarding track power. I'm a live steam guy so I'm not too familiar with electrical power options! I've got the HM7000 fitted version of the Duchess on pre-order. I have no other parts at present. I plan to control her via my mobile phone. I would like to get a few pieces of track and associated power source. However, it's not clear to me what the basic requirements are. My understanding is that any mains power supply unit with a DC output of up to 20 volts can be used when connected directly to the track. I was thinking of the following items: TT8029 Digital Power Connecting Track 166mm R7324 HM7020: 15V Power Supply Adapter A mobile phone charger to connect to the PSA? It's not at all clear to me what the difference is between the DC and DCC power connecting track as they are both copper wire connecting to metal rails - but I guess I need the DCC one. When should you use the power connecting clip TT8027 (or even the digital power connecting clip TT8028) instead of the TT8029? And yes, I realise that the starter sets are a good way to get up and running however I am not interested in those engines or their rolling stock. Any help much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rallymatt Posted May 2 Share Posted May 2 Hi welcome to the forum 😁 There is a specific section for HM DCC (7000) if you check there at the top of the page is a series of ‘stickies’ that cover all these details and why or why not to use particular bits etc. have a look through there and you will get a good understanding of the system (it’s dead easy) and do ask if you are not sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntpntpntp Posted May 2 Share Posted May 2 Yup, have a read through the HM DCC section 🙂 One thing I would say is I think the power connector tracks are huge ugly things, why not simply solder a pair of wires to the underside of a plain section of track and create a hidden connection? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D9020 Nimbus Posted May 2 Share Posted May 2 The "ordinary" power track contains a capacitor (for TV interference suppression) while the DCC one doesn't (a DCC supply — which is AC — won't work correctly with a capacitor in the circuit). If you don't like soldering the Tillig Modellgleis power connecting track is much neater than the Hornby one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted May 2 Share Posted May 2 Just one clarification - you don’t need a digital power connecting track as you will only be using DC power to the track. The digital version is only essential if you have a DCC controller sending DCC signals through the track. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMD Posted May 2 Share Posted May 2 (edited) Pretty sure if you can cope with the complexities of live steam, then you're going to find HM7000 a walk in the park! As others have said - we are more than happy to help, and especially any TT120 related stuff, but the HM7000 forum will give you the best info for that system. PS - Shameless plug alert, but if it's of interest I did an HM7000 walkthrough video recently on MacTrains. Edited May 2 by GMD 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogo Posted May 3 Author Share Posted May 3 Many thanks to all of you who took the time to comment, and thanks to the pointers to the correct section of the forum (I had erroneously considered this to be a locomotive issue rather than a chip issue)! For the benefit of those who are looking to replicate this setup and are reading this in the future; Appendix 11 of the HM7000 manual (page 166 of the current version) states that the following parts will work: P9100 Transformer R7324 HM7020: 15V Power Supply Adapter TT8001 Power Connecting Track Your setup will look like this (part numbers are from a different gauge): I am still not quite sure what one would use for a more permeant layout where you wish to solder droppers to the track - but I don't need that at present so have stopped researching for the time being. Maybe I've overlooked something at some point but I'm honestly a bit surprised that Hornby hasn't made this information more easily accessible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogo Posted May 3 Author Share Posted May 3 15 hours ago, GMD said: Pretty sure if you can cope with the complexities of live steam, then you're going to find HM7000 a walk in the park! As others have said - we are more than happy to help, and especially any TT120 related stuff, but the HM7000 forum will give you the best info for that system. PS - Shameless plug alert, but if it's of interest I did an HM7000 walkthrough video recently on MacTrains. Subscribed some time ago. Keep up the good work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rallymatt Posted May 3 Share Posted May 3 Hornby R7337 is a 15v 4A transformer and adapter lead. Available in Hornby shop and there is a 15% promotional discount running until Monday. That would be a better long term solution as the 1Amp transformer will be limited. If you intend soldering droppers etc, forget the ‘power track’. Insert the pins of the adapter into a ‘chocolate block’ connector (perfect spacing) wires for your power bus from the other side of the connector and then take power off the bus and to the droppers. Every metre or so is more than enough and ensure all sections of the track have live power, remembering Hornby points are isolating/power routing. This route means you can also ignore ‘point power clips’ 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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