Everything Hornby
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/1632.jpg)
Full Member
M7 LSWR livery and which carriages
Hi Kevin,Nothing beats a bit of experimenting. Digital multimeters are pretty much all the same. For continuity set it on resistance (omega) at 200 with the black cable in the common socket, red in the V,omega,A socket. Switch track DCC on. Touch one probe to one rail, other to the other. It will read 1, which means resistance, i.e. no continuity. if it is around 0.3 you have a short. Touch the same rail with both probes and it will read 0.3 or thereabouts, which means current between the probes (continuity). If it is 1 it means you have very dirty track. You can in fact use the multimeter to see whether you need to clean the track.
Take a locomotive, place in a cradle upside down. Touch 2 wheels with the probes on the same side, then touch one on each side. If you find resistance between wheels on one side a pickup is not working. If you find continuity between sides you have a short. Again dirty wheel treads can be easily detected.
Polarity is simply setting the dial to DC volts (20V, the symbol is a straight line above a dotted line) and seeing whether the rails are + or -.
Regular multimeters are are a compromise with DCC, as it is a cross between DC and AC (half square wave AC I believe at whatever voltage your system works at, mine reads 14.5V but it is rated at 16V). You can get multimeters designed for DCC. Not necessary for checking continuity or polarity and most of us can live with an inaccurate voltage reading.
Resistance/continuity will be the same if you swap the leads over. It doesn't care.
Put a new battery in that multimeter, and start probing. You will soon get into the habit of testing track, turnouts, locomotives, switches, polarity changers, especially DPDT ones, track feeders, soldered connections, transformer output…in fact anything electrical, whether it is DC or DCC. It saves a lot of grief down the road (or should I say rails!). Of all the tools I have this one gets used the most.
Nigel
©Nigel C. Phillips
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/1801.jpg)
Full Member
Staying on the thread Kevin.
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/2080.jpg)
Site staff
![Barchester is in the usergroup ‘Super-moderators’ Barchester is in the usergroup ‘Super-moderators’](https://yourmodelrailway.net//themes/default/images/cns_rank_images/mod.png)
Cheers
Matt
Wasnie me, a big boy did it and ran away
"Why did you volunteer ? I didn't Sir, the other three stepped backwards"
"Why did you volunteer ? I didn't Sir, the other three stepped backwards"
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/1801.jpg)
Full Member
Staying on the thread Kevin.
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/1801.jpg)
Full Member
Staying on the thread Kevin.
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/2080.jpg)
Site staff
![Barchester is in the usergroup ‘Super-moderators’ Barchester is in the usergroup ‘Super-moderators’](https://yourmodelrailway.net//themes/default/images/cns_rank_images/mod.png)
Definately sounds like a job for the multimetre. . . if you open Brians instructions on your Ipad you can refer to them while using the danged thing !! :thumbs
cheers
Matt
Wasnie me, a big boy did it and ran away
"Why did you volunteer ? I didn't Sir, the other three stepped backwards"
"Why did you volunteer ? I didn't Sir, the other three stepped backwards"
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/1801.jpg)
Full Member
Staying on the thread Kevin.
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/1801.jpg)
Full Member
![](https://yourmodelrailway.net/gallery/1801/1801_271344_040000000.jpg)
Staying on the thread Kevin.
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/2080.jpg)
Site staff
![Barchester is in the usergroup ‘Super-moderators’ Barchester is in the usergroup ‘Super-moderators’](https://yourmodelrailway.net//themes/default/images/cns_rank_images/mod.png)
Go on use…USE IT ! You know you want to :thumbs
Cheers
Matt
Wasnie me, a big boy did it and ran away
"Why did you volunteer ? I didn't Sir, the other three stepped backwards"
"Why did you volunteer ? I didn't Sir, the other three stepped backwards"
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/1801.jpg)
Full Member
Staying on the thread Kevin.
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/2080.jpg)
Site staff
![Barchester is in the usergroup ‘Super-moderators’ Barchester is in the usergroup ‘Super-moderators’](https://yourmodelrailway.net//themes/default/images/cns_rank_images/mod.png)
Wasnie me, a big boy did it and ran away
"Why did you volunteer ? I didn't Sir, the other three stepped backwards"
"Why did you volunteer ? I didn't Sir, the other three stepped backwards"
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/1801.jpg)
Full Member
Staying on the thread Kevin.
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/1801.jpg)
Full Member
Staying on the thread Kevin.
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/2137.jpg)
Legacy Member
A nice little multimeter there you have it will aid you a great deal once you know a few basic ways to use it.
Brian
OO gauge DCC ECOS Itrain 4 computer control system
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/1801.jpg)
Full Member
Staying on the thread Kevin.
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/1632.jpg)
Full Member
Almost the same as mine.
Nigel
©Nigel C. Phillips
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/1801.jpg)
Full Member
Last edit: by Passed Driver
Staying on the thread Kevin.
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/1632.jpg)
Full Member
Baseboard clamps? As in joining clamps? One either side? Bare metal? Oh yes, I can see some interesting scenarios. Along the lines of "well I never", and "I don't believe it".
![:lol:](https://yourmodelrailway.net//themes/default/images_custom/lol.gif)
![:lol:](https://yourmodelrailway.net//themes/default/images_custom/lol.gif)
![:lol:](https://yourmodelrailway.net//themes/default/images_custom/lol.gif)
Copperclad. You did remember to cut an insulating groove across the copper and test for continuity? (Lack thereof that is).
Nigel
©Nigel C. Phillips
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/1801.jpg)
Full Member
Staying on the thread Kevin.
Posted
![Avatar](https://yourmodelrailway.net//uploads/cns_avatars/1632.jpg)
Full Member
No need to hack if you test with the multimeter (hint, hint). It is either insulated or conducting.
These are the cables I'm using at the moment (1 meter long).$3.33 each. Used as CCTV camera connectors.
Nigel
![](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61gbCRncqTL._SL1300_.jpg)
©Nigel C. Phillips
1 guest and 0 members have just viewed this.