# Siding power switches



## 69GE (Jan 8, 2013)

Electricity is not my strong suite. Have been reading for a few days on electrical systems here and every where I can read. Amps, volts, watts, Diodes and on and on. ( Searching is difficult, when I don't know the jargon.
Here is what I have: HO DC (getting used to the jargon) two loops with sidings. Would like to give power to the sidings ( which are isolated).
Can not understand the SPDT from the DPTD... Just want to add a switch to power the sidings, up is one track middle is OFF down is other track. Got wire, soldering iron, shrink tubing, a panel (yet to be finalized) and plenty of time, no switches!
Color Blind R&G voltage my Nemisses


----------



## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

You want a SPDT ON/OFF/ON if you using common rail wiring.
Or a DPDT ON/OFF/ON if you want to switch on and off on both rails.


----------



## 69GE (Jan 8, 2013)

Thanks.
Just a simple on & off for the sidings is all I need. :thumbsup:


----------



## broox (Apr 13, 2012)

I wanted some NSFW material  lol.

as an aside, is it safe to use those sort of switches to isolate DCC sections/sidings when I just want to keep an engine or 2 unpowered, but on the track?


----------



## 69GE (Jan 8, 2013)

broox said:


> I wanted some NSFW material  lol.
> 
> as an aside, is it safe to use those sort of switches to isolate DCC sections/sidings when I just want to keep an engine or 2 unpowered, but on the track?



What is NSFW ? not to old to ask.


----------



## 69GE (Jan 8, 2013)

*The motive*

New hear and I saw a post about wiring, had a switch going to a siding and a little light to tell you when it was hot. Cannot find the post, well I have a continuing love hate relationship with low voltage, also Color Blind R&G. What I would like to do is install a single pole on-off switch to each of my sideings. Have a common rail (the terminalogy gets me). Am building a control panel to which I will have a drawing of the layout @ each switch is where I would like to put a light. Using manual throws, 3 atlas remote way in the back of the layout. Can anyone please advise on what all is needed to hook all this electrical stuff together. 
I think Gunrunner posted it?
Thank You


----------



## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

69GE said:


> New hear and I saw a post about wiring, had a switch going to a siding and a little light to tell you when it was hot. Cannot find the post, well I have a continuing love hate relationship with low voltage, also Color Blind R&G. What I would like to do is install a single pole on-off switch to each of my sideings. Have a common rail (the terminalogy gets me). Am building a control panel to which I will have a drawing of the layout @ each switch is where I would like to put a light. Using manual throws, 3 atlas remote way in the back of the layout. Can anyone please advise on what all is needed to hook all this electrical stuff together.
> I think Gunrunner posted it?
> Thank You
> If your using common rail it's as simple as running one wire from the non-common to the control panel threw a switch to the power supply.


If you post up a simple track plan I can give you a little more to go with.



69GE said:


> What is NSFW ? not to old to ask.
> 
> Not Safe For Work





broox said:


> I wanted some NSFW material  lol.
> 
> as an aside, is it safe to use those sort of switches to isolate DCC sections/sidings when I just want to keep an engine or 2 unpowered, but on the track?
> The advantage of DCC if you don't need to have dead sidings to hold engines, If they are not in an active state on the controller they are not doing anything, The internal ON/OFF switch in the locomotive is OFF state normally.


----------



## 69GE (Jan 8, 2013)

Thanks NIMT!
track plan is "how it lays up as I go. for now" Am using DC common track polarity, with switches for sidings. As I will eventually spend $$$ for a DCC sytem yet use older loco's without DCC in my yard. 

This is a question from* broox* Originally Posted by broox 
"I wanted some NSFW material lol.
as an aside, is it safe to use those sort of switches to isolate DCC sections/sidings when I just want to keep an engine or 2 unpowered, but on the track?
"The advantage of DCC if you don't need to have dead sidings to hold engines, If they are not in an active state on the controller they are not doing anything, The internal ON/OFF switch in the locomotive is OFF state normally. 
without isolating sidings "
This is the assumption that all engines are DCC enabled.


----------



## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

69GE,
You'll find out in a quick hurry once you go DCC you will not want any DC locos on the rails.
They are noisey and you risk doing harm to them running them on DCC powered rails.
As you stated you want to run DC in the yard and DCC on the main, Well let me tell you that it is really hard to do and very dangerous to your DCC system to do that. All it takes is for one engine or even a car with metal wheels to bridge the gap of the rails from DC to DCC to watch all the smoke come out of you DCC system. Not a very good Idea!


----------



## 69GE (Jan 8, 2013)

*And the answer is?*

Thanks all, as for as DCC I just might not use it at all, do enough with servers and computers all day.Now can anyone show me or lead me to how to install a simple light on the switch to my siding?


----------



## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Since you Yelled so nicely!


----------

