Hornby - Power Connect Clip

Product Information

Motor capacitors have to be fitted by all manufacturers to comply with current Radio Frequency (RF) interference legislation set by the EU and any country they export to. If you decide to remove them is up to you! You wont get arrested for snipping any out. But if you're a manufacturer you have to fit them by law! Your description of the controller is a bit vague. Three step controller? If this is a Hornby product can you advise what the product R number is. If not a Hornby controller then what brand and model? Some others may suggest not having Insulated Rail Joiners and just rely on the power switching action of the points to provide electrical separation. Yes it can be done this way, but in my view it needs more concentration because when you want to traverse a loco from one section to another you should ideally ensure the destination controller is set to zero (ideally to be safe from controller damage) before throwing the points linking the two sections together. Then you drive the loco onto the next section, reset the point, then take up control with the other controller. As well as the concentration needed, it means having to stop the loco whilst you reset points and controls etc. The inclusion of the Insulated Rail Joiners makes the layout control 'idiot proof' well at least as far as one can, and in my view simpler to operate. Points - insulfrogs do and will work for many but have the risk of stopping by short wheel base locos at low speeds particularly if points are not dead flat (need pinning in the middle). Remember the different geometry of some when thinking of mix and match. So, am I safe to run the locos as normal, or was it a mistake to get the DCC power clips? I find it hard to believe a connector is doing this! I've read a little about DCC power and how it might fool a multimeter - is that all it is?

When designing power distribution of DC Analogue....... I am assuming Analogue because firstly, your post is not in the DCC forum and secondly you used the term Controller s as in plural i.e more than one. Including your first pinned down layout up to a couple of loops and some sidings - DCC point clips are likely to work fine for some time, noting their current-carrying limitations as above and that very long term this is likely to be made worse with some corrosion developing. Melting points can happen but rare (including gitter above, I can remember only 2 users with melted points on these forums, the other being yelrow).

Instead of a fixing peg [made of your own design and implementation] you can use the X8011 terminals I mentioned earlier.

If I could hazard a summary whilst avoiding Marmite (where I come from, the liking and promoting of Vegemite is mandatory):For clarity, I have used three colours to denote the three separate controllers and associated power distribution. Turquoise for Controller 1 for the outer loop and upper sidings. Red for Controller 2 and the inner loop including the lower platforms. Blue for Controller 3 for the central sidings and TT area. Note also the Yellow Dots in my schematic. These represent Hornby R920 Insulated Rail Joiners. Do not omit to fit these at the locations shown. They are required to give electrical separation between the different sections of the layout controlled by the different controllers.