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Reversing Loop Reverse Polarity
Michael seeks help from others in the hobby with experience insulators, reverse polarity and other technical issues:
“I am having trouble wiring a reversing loop (HO scale) – following the first switch there are 2 insulators (the switches are PECO). Where the loop rejoins the main line I have an additional switch to a second line – how many insulators do I need? – a diagram would look like an E with the 2 insulators on the top – the middle leg turning to the top with a switch that allows the choice of going up to the top or on out the bottom (hope this makes sense) – if I run into the E and go down the middle everything works to the insulators – If I start at the top just past the insulators I can go through either switch with no interuption – I know this is an issue with reverse polarity but don’t understand it – is there an easy fix?”
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2 Responses to Reversing Loop Reverse Polarity
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Mike,
You should be able to access earlier responses to reverse loop wiring help from myself and others by using the ‘search’ feature in this blog or elsewhere on other model railroading Internet sites (there are many).
There are inexpensive (about $25) relays out there that will handle the polarity issues for you automatically that are very easy to install (also described in this site’s blog search engine). Just be make sure that you have electrically isolated BOTH rails at EACH end of the reversing loop section to prevent short circuits, no matter which approach you use to solve this issue.
At the risk of stating the obvious, you won’t be able to run your trains within the reversing loop section until you have completed the necessary wiring for the loop.
Hope this helps,
Geof
Lets keep this simple if you have a DCC layout Then;
Isolate the complete reverse loop totally from the layout-
Go buy a Digitrax’s AR-1 Reverser-
Read the instructions so you can understand the operational theory and get it wired correctly
There are 4 wires on this unit
Hook 2 of the 4 wires to the layout and the last 2 wires to the loop-
Set the current reset (IF)needed, mine worked just fine out of the box.
Run your trains!!!!!
NOTE- Your engine/s or LIGHTED passenger cars must be ALL IN or ALL OUT of the loop to operate properly
Un-powered rolling stock can hang over the isolated loop section.
I hope this helps if someone explained it to me this way it would have saved me weeks of stress and frustration. I hate reading a whole book just to find the needed paragraph of info. I wish you the very best ~AlanC.