# DC to DCC Switches



## SouthernHO (Jan 30, 2015)

I am trying to convert from DC to DCC. I have about ten turnouts I would like to convert to DCC. I need help I have watched a few videos I cant get the jest of it. Is there a good video or site I can read about this? I have Lambert/Shinohara turnouts and will be using Tortoise machines. Another question I will be using 4 blocks or sections in DCC does both rails need to be insulated? thanks southernho over his head!


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## feldon30 (Dec 30, 2012)

My understanding is, some turnouts like Shinohara have a completely metal frog with continuous leading and trailing rails without any isolating gaps. I believe this causes problems on a DCC layout as it will cause a short regardless of what direction the turnout is thrown. The solution is to cut the rail on one side of the frog to provide some electrical isolation.

There's a really detailed site on the subject here:
http://www.wiringfordcc.com/switches.htm

A picture of one of their turnouts. It looks like the photographer already added a gap or two.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Did you mean that you intend to use DCC stationary decoders to
control the throw of your turnouts?

The powered frog would be a problem in either DC or DCC. Feldon
has a good solution, or you could just put an insulated joiner
in both frog rails.

Yes, you should use insulated joiners in both rails when you
have a DCC block system. You would be well advised to
include circuit breakers or at least a 12 volt auto tail light
bulb in series with the tracki connection.

Don


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## Texas Hi-Railer (Jan 28, 2015)

When you (anyone) talk about DC to DCC on turnouts or switches, are you talking about for controlling the switching action? I ask only because I am brand new to DCC & I am having lots of difficulty understanding much of this operation. My layout has been a DC layout for more than 20 years & I recently switched over to DCC & I've had "0" issues with my turnouts or switches? Now, I control all of my turnouts/switches manually by hand without using power for switching so... is that what y'all are discussing? Or does this have something to do with power to the tracks thru the turnouts? If so, I guess I got lucky there, lol???


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## feldon30 (Dec 30, 2012)

I was talking about the polarity of the frog. If the frog is metal and powered, then its polarity needs to change depending on the position of the turnout.

Insulfrogs have another problem -- the black plastic gap between the metal sides of the frog is so narrow that metal wheels transversing this gap can arc, causing a short. People have resorted to nail polish or using a file to widen the gap and then backfilling with epoxy. I will never understand why Peco put such a narrow gap between the sides of the frog. The gap could have been twice as wide and there would be no ill effects.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

The manufacturers and dealers insistence on using the
term 'DCC friendly' in relation to turnouts does confuse
so many people. It's meaningless. 

As Texas Hi Railer experienced, you simple change
the track power, it has nothing to do with the turnouts.
The DC polarity that is reversed on the DC Electrofrog
turnouts becomes the phase reversal on a DCC system
so all is well. The need to isolate the frog rails is the
same on DC or DCC.

Don


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## Mark R. (Jan 26, 2013)

My layout was DC for a good number of years before I switched to DCC. Didn't do a single thing to any of the turnouts. Never really understood the term "DCC friendly turnouts" myself ....

Mark.


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