TURTLE FIELD RAILROAD : Electrical Wiring

 Hi all !

Second post , about wirering on the T.F.R. layout.

Fisrt the technologic choice   :

I'm an automative technician so i choose to pilot my layout with a smal PLC (Process Logic Controller).It's a really little one with only 6 inputs et 4 output.

It's only job is to affect switches direction in funtion of the road choosen.It was for test . It work nice but i think it isn't a good solution for the non autotician people ! (expensive and complex).

The plc pilot tortoise switch machine by 24v inversors relays. Here is a view of the system on the layout:

 I wanted the wirering system to be easy to debug so i put on all the wires an cables some industrial wire marks.I have relealised some home made electrical plans. here is an example :

I search turtel drawing on the web and i design a logo for the layout. In second way i create a control panel view with paint an i print it on deskjet adesive sheet. I bought a control pannel box in a electronic shop and i realised the control panel of the T.F.R. :

the 25 pin connector a the right of the panel is for connection to the layout. Inside de pannel i use some test electronic printed plates (i dont know the exact word but you will be able to see on photo wath i wan to tell you  ) to hold resistors an screw connectors . The goal was to had a clear wire. I'm proud of this part !!! :

The power for tortoise switch machine is provided by an adjustable power supply ( 3/4.5/6/7.5/9/12v).So i can trim the speed of the switches movements :

Here you can see the tortoise mont and the domectics electrical plinth to keep the wirering clear  :

The track control is realised with an NCE power house pro 5 amp. It's a really good DCC system i really love it !!! For the moment i need only one power district so all the tracks an jumped togever. In the future i will sertenly install occupancy detectors and a computer for the signals.

Switches are peco eletrofrog. And the isolted junction on the frog made eletrical separation  for the differant bocks chunks .

The lighting of the buildings is realised with 3 mm yelow LED supplyed in 24 v with 1k Omh restsistor . See the instalation in a buiding :

All the differant equipment are bring on a 220 VAC 50Hz (european standart voltage) répartitor in the layout. So only one plug and only one power switch for all the layout. And when you schut down it you are sure that theyre is no voltage on the layout ... you can work safe!

Thats all for today .... to be continued