While not a fan of coach lighting, several of my LGB coaches come standard with onboard lighting. This creates a hazard when the cars bridge the interface at my reverse loops, leading to a short circuit. Am I right to assume that a bridge rectifier is required, at each truck, to solve the problem? Also, should the bridge rectifier be sized just enough for the lighting current draw for each individual car, or for the total current draw of the complete train?
You will still get a short from the two axles on the truck unless there is a dead spot on the track longer than the truck wheelbase.
Either that or a bridge rectifier on each axle pick ups.
Enough for each car should be quite OK.
Tony,
thanks. The trucks only pick up on one axle on each truck, so the truck itself will not bridge the gap and short circuit. Therefore, one bridge rectifier per truck would be needed, assuming that the power pickup axle does not stop right on the interface and short circuit. Such an event would be rather difficult to work around.
It seems right Tim, one FW bridge each truck, tie the positives and negatives from each bridge together and power your lights.
Regards, Greg