MTS and DCC and DC track polarities?

Jerry-

The answer is...

Don't hurt your brain thinking about it too much. Before you close the loco, test it on an analog and digital track.

If the loco runs backwards in analog, reverse the track power leads.
If the wrong directional lamps are illuminated in digital mode, reverse the motor leads.

(I am assuming you wired the directional lamps correctly. )

Find the polarity that works and write it down. Laminate it. Keep it in your wallet. Make extra copies to hide in drawers (for when you lose your wallet).

Best regards,
Bob

Jerry-

You wrote:

As I used to tell my high voltage seminar attendees:

"You can do it right the first time and thus only have to do it once or...

You can do it wrong the first time and TRIPLE your work because now, before you can do it right, you have to first undo your screwup."

I think that is why they print instruction sheets.



I thought reading instruction sheets was against your personal value system?

You are funny. If I had given you a protracted reply, explaining the differences between NMRA wiring and LGB wiring, you probably would have told me that my answer was too complicated and the "trial and error" method was easier. If I provide a simple, efficient, and practical method of getting the wiring correct, well, you tell me that I am tripling your work.

There is a slight difference between connecting three phase high voltage lines and connecting a few 22 AWG wires. Did you ever think of using insulated alligator clips or small wire nuts to hold the wires together as you test? Believe it or not, this takes a little less time than braiding high voltage cable. Remember, if you document the results, you only have to perform this process once for each motor and decoder combination. If you are installing 20 DG583S decoders into LGB starter set locos, you will spend ten minutes getting the polarity correct on the first installation, then you will replicate the same wiring 20 times. I really don't see the big deal.

Of course, if you enjoy playing devil's advocate with responses to your questions...

Best regards,
Bob

Hi Jerry-

You wrote:

Why are we in (yet another) long discussion and you are now accusing me of playing devil's advocate when you are the one who never bothered with giving me a simple YES or NO answer?



I thought we had moved beyond the fact that all largescale loco and decoder manufacturers don't necessarily follow the same wiring protocol. LGB and the NMRA march to different drummers. Since this is the case, my advice was designed to give you a simple method of wiring your locos for analog and digital control. To be honest, it is a lot more helpful than stating 'yes' or 'no' could have been.

You wrote:

I am also 6' 5" tall and 325 lbs and I have BIG HANDS and my eyesight is not that great.



Okay. I give up. You got me. I am not sure why your height, weight, hand size, and eyesight are relevant. I understand the "big hands" part is certainly important, as you chose to emphasize the text, but otherwise I am in the dark. Sorry.

You wrote:

Show and Tell defines precisely the sort of information I am looking for each and every time I post a question just as Show and Tell defines precisely the sort of information I offer to others whenever I post on a forum.



We are getting further from the topic, but since it is your thread...

To be honest, a picture of an assembled loco isn't very helpful, nor is a picture with a pile of tangled black wires. Still, it is nice to see pictures in posts.

As for other 'show and tell,' I find it odd that you prolifically post Herr Koopmann's work and the full text from the copyrighted LGB Telegram. This is certainly a bit disrespectful of Frances and others that copyright their intellectual property.

Best regards,
Bob