Oops, I just noticed that in my original reply, I inadvertently left out the word "foot" when I referred to my continuous loop 160 foot mainline as a "continuous loop 160 mainline".  Sorry.

Quote from: Jim Banner on September 10, 2009, 01:51:30 PM
PD, you might want to skip this one!!

Rich,
I am glad the snubbers have solved the problem for you.  As I said before, I do not have a problem so have not had to use them.

I am wondering what "a continuous loop 160 mainline" is.  I am also wondering if your track and power bus form a closed loop, and how you run your bus.  Let me explain.

Jim

Jim.

I have a 25 x 40 foot P-shaped layout with a double main line.  Although there is a yard, an engine servicing  facility and other types of sidings, the double main line forms a continous loop around the perimeter of the layout.

My bus wires are 14 gauge and run, untwisted, completely around the layout and connect back at the command station.  So, I call it a 160 foot continuous loop.  

As engines get farther away from the command station and booster, I have always noticed a slight slow down in speed.  So when I learned about snubbers, I tried them and the slow down in speed has ceased.  Hope that all makes sense.

Rich

Quote from: bcjim on September 07, 2009, 11:03:09 PM
My friend who uses NCE was showing me a snubber schematic. Then I see it in the Sept. M.R.
The cap is mis labled should be 50-150 volts not ohms.

I am using Digitrax radio but the brand is irrelevant.
I have now installed this on my layout.
Anyone else bothered to assemble and install one?
Any point?
Jim in Kelowna B.C.
   

Jim,

I operate an NCE PH-Pro 5 amp DCC system to run a continuous loop 160 mainline.  On the Wiring for DCC forum, the subject of snubbers recently came up.  I decided to add snubbers every 30 feet around my layout, and I have noticed an improvement where before there was a noticeable slow down in the speed of the locomotives at the more "remote" areas of my layout.

Following the recommendations on the forum, I went to Radio Shack and picked up some 100 ohm, 1/2 watt resistors and some 0.1uF, 50 WVDC capacitors.  The whole lot cost just under $10.

Rich

Jim,

I agree, the more, the better.

But, 5 out of 8 seems to be getting the job done.

Would the engine still run with only one copper contact or wiper?

Rich

I have a Bachmann Spectrum 4-8-2 engine that I have owned for about 5 years.  I hadn't run it in quite a while until recently.  At first, it jerked around the layout, starting and stopping.  So, I cleaned the wheels and checked to see if there was any dirt or debris between the driver wheels and the copper wipers.

I was shocked to discover that 3 of the 8 copper wipers were missing.  When I removed the plastic cover over the driver wheel assembly, I discovered that the copper wipers were part of a copper sheet that originally contained 8 copper wipers, one for each driver wheel.

I am probably not explaining this very well, but my question is:  how many of the 8 copper wipers are needed to operate properly.  There are three on one side and two on the other.

I plan to contact Bachmann and order a replacement part if necessary.  But, first, I wanted to check as to whether the 5 remaining wipers are sufficient.

Thanks.

Rich