# Re-wire of Ping Pong Table Layout



## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

Why is there always enough time to do something right the second time but never enough time the first time?:dunno:
I have re-wired my layout to conform to American Flyer wiring standards using Yellow, Black, Green, Red and etc. Initially I used what ever wire that I had on hand ignoring the proper color code. I also used zip cord because that is what I had. As we all know, the color of the wire makes no difference as to it's conductivity. Everything worked fine until I started to add accessories. Then it became a chore because I had to test out the wires in order to determine what was the Base, Variable, and non-variable feeds.
So, I finally bought a hundred feet of 16 ga different colored wire,
Now it is much easier on my feeble brain to identify what is what and make additions and changes.:laugh::laugh::laugh:

Thanks to the TrainDr!:thumbsup:
https://traindr.com/manuals/american-flyer-wiring-instructions/


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I do believe using the right color wire helps. I am going to get a spool of black and a spool of red. Probably not correct colors but I can work with it. I don't have any powered accessories right now and don't expect to get any. I have plenty of the colored wire for turnouts. I hope those new wires help you.

Just curious- how many track feeders to you have on the Ping Pong Express?

Your instruction link is not working for me. Might be on my end.

Link is working now, thanks.


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

mopac said:


> I do believe using the right color wire helps. I am going to get a spool of black and a spool of red. Probably not correct colors but I can work with it. I don't have any powered accessories right now and don't expect to get any. I have plenty of the colored wire for turnouts. I hope those new wires help you.
> 
> Just curious- how many track feeders to you have on the Ping Pong Express?
> 
> Your instruction link is not working for me. Might be on my end.


Four track feeders, one on one side and three on the other side.
I am using Firefox as a browser and I just checked the link. It worked fine for me. Let me re boot and try it again to see if it still works.:laugh:


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Link is working Broke


4 sets of feeders should do it. You really need to watch where you put feeders or the power routing on the turnouts will not work properly. Gave me fits when I first got the turnouts.


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## cramden (Oct 13, 2015)

You're not alone Fred, I think in haste sometimes I temporarily wire things to get a train running. It's not a bad idea to check things as you go along. The problem is it may work initially but then it snowballs until it's a mess. I once used a roll of speaker wire because I had it but as time went on it became a impossible. I bought 2 shopping bags full of rainbow wire (red,black,yellow,green) at a show that someone had saved from a dismantled layout. There were lots of bundles in various lengths, some with wire fittings still attached from turnouts and such. Still haven't used all of it.


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## Dennis461 (Jan 5, 2018)

Hold the train!
It's a hobby, you are allowed to spend hours trying to figure out which wire goes where.


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

I was going to ask what the AF system was, but then I saw the link in the first post.

Having gone to the link I'm even more perplexed! In describing the black wire they don't use the word 'ground' but that's what the mean and they contrast and caution the DC wire colors of AF products to the AC wiring of a home (something I am a little familiar with) instead of US automotive DC wiring where black is the 'ground.' Duh!

When describing the white wire in step 2 they call it the black wire (must be a misprint).

Forget all that (although I'd love to see an original AF manual that suggests it). 

A simple system is easily derived by imitating existing systems. Black for negative or ground, red for positive to track. Any other colors can identify individual stationary systems; i.e. illumination one color and operating accessories another. 

Once you have your system, stick with it. 

Like most of us, my wiring looks like a rats nest and deviates wildly in color from any intended system I started out with and includes four wire ribbon cable originally intended to wire trailers (Black, white, green, yellow - which is what I thought the OP described).hwell:


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

Bob, thanks for your thoughts. I didn't have any trouble until I started wiring several AF accessories such as the Stock yard, Magnet Crane, Louie the Loader, Sam the Semaphore Man and other lights and signals. Black is considered "Base" (or ground) in their protocol, Red is 7-15 vac, Yellow is 15vac, Other colors for accessories. At least that is how I understand it and that I haven't confused the colors. I am getting really bad in my old age in becoming easily confused! Advice, don't get old!!!:laugh:


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Thanks for the advice Broke. Too late for some of us. Hope you get it all figured out.
That will teach you on getting some cool accessories. For some reason I have no desire for any.
Keeping the locos running is enough for me.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

As Broke states, the Gilbert convention is yellow for 15V, Black for Base Post (not ground because all Gilbert transformers have isolated secondaries.) Green is usually for action accessories to a button, which when pushed then completes a circuit back to the base post. Red can be used for the 7V to 15V post wiring. That becomes problematic if two or more transformers are used. I always used multiple shades of blue for the variable post wiring to the track because Gilbert did not use Blue for anything else. 
Track switches and semaphores use their own convention of green for straight (or go) and red for divergent (or stop.) Gilbert used white for a "keeper voltage" with several accessories such as the 755A. Other accessories use a color convention similar to semaphores. 
The only really tricky accessory is the whistle/horn generator control button because all track power must be wired through it for the horn to work. 
The hardest part of track wiring to figure out is where to place the feeders and fiber pins for a multiple transformer setup.


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

AmFlyer said:


> As Broke states, the Gilbert convention is yellow for 15V, Black for Base Post (not ground because all Gilbert transformers have isolated secondaries.)


I'm sure this point has been raised before on this forum but it bears repeating simply because so many people have 'ground' confused.

Every transformer I've seen has isolated secondaries. All that means is that they have no physical connections to the house wiring.

Ground only denotes an 'earth' connection in devices powered directly by AC line supplies. Ground or earth in a mains electrical wiring system is a conductor that provides a low impedance path to the earth to prevent hazardous voltages from appearing on equipment. 

In a low voltage DC circuit it is often the return path for electrical power as in the chassis of an automobile. Ground in these circuits is simply a convention that denotes a common point of connections in the circuit. Most cars now have a Negative ground meaning the Negative post of the battery is connected directly to the chassis but years ago there were many cars with Positive grounds!

The 'ground' in many electronic circuits may even occur at a voltage above zero where it references both a negative voltage and a positive voltage.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

HuH???? Just kidding. Thanks for the info.


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