Ewhurst Green Technical video Arc-flash Unit (Conductor Rail) Installation.

Рет қаралды 1,842

Ай бұрын

Technical video on installing an Arc-flash unit for the conductor rail on this DC Southern electric layout.
Arcing occurs when power is being drawn from the conductor rail but the shoe looses contact. It most frequently occurs at conductor rail off-ramps. However, there can be other situations that lead to arcing, such as ice or a broken conductor rail insulator pots leading to a dip in the conductor rail.
On this basis, the arc-flash units ideally need to be installed at conductor rail off-ramps and take account of the direction of the electric multiple units. On a unidirectional track this is relatively straightforward; reversible lines may require arc-units to be integrated with the signalling so they only operate in one direction.
In order to take account of the electric multiple unit's direction of travel, both the track mounted reed-switch and bogie-mounted magnet need to be offset.
This can limit the placement of the reed-switches, particularly at turnouts where conductor rail ramps can be adjacent to wing rails. On the model and in order to obtain greatest visual effect, the arc-units are best situated on the viewing side of the track.
It is worth adding that even with my degraded vision the flash can be easily seen from twenty-five feet away and are most impressive at a slight distance. However, the arc-flash happens so quickly it is difficult to spot the exact spot until one awaits the passing of another electric unit - and not all electric units will be fitted with a magnet!
The 12v arc-flash units were obtained from www.layouts4u.net. Their bright LED is almost imperceptibly small so will be difficult to see from a distance.
For 2 BIL /2 HAL units N52 grade neodymium 10mm by 5mm by 2mm magnets from www.Magman.co.uk.
15mm by 5mm by 2mm magnets are being sourced for 4 CEP /2 HAP /2 EPB unts to span the gap in the bogie frame.
Caution - these magnets are powerful and should be treated with care - this is also why I'm not fitting them onto powered bogies (with a motor present).
Weathering of the MLV and 2 HAL (etc) undertaken by www.themodelcentre.com
Details of Southern Electric units may be found on www.bloodandcustard.com/
The Southern Electric was initially powered at 660v (a voltage still used close to joint running section with LUL to prevent unwanted feed-through). However, much now uses 750v and in some locations 850v. However, the voltage on the single-end fed Lymington branch drops to nearer 400v down towards the pier!

Пікірлер: 30

@user-ps9fo1kj8e 15 күн бұрын

Wow 😲 that's amazing great job very interesting

@ewhurstgreen 15 күн бұрын

Thank you! It is particularly effective standing 20-25 feet away! ⚡

@frankkie3849 26 күн бұрын

Nicely said,,thanks for sharing,,😊

@ewhurstgreen 26 күн бұрын

Thank you for your support - it is much appreciated! ⚡

@martyn6792 5 күн бұрын

Great video and intensity I think is just right, not too bright or too long in duration

@ewhurstgreen 5 күн бұрын

Thank you - such informative feedback is always very welcome! 👍 With the 'Running' videos (compared to 'Technical' videos) up to five minutes duration feels about right - don't want viewers to fall asleep.😄 Then there is the amount of footage that can actually be filmed in one session (plus the ability to process longer videos)! 🙂

@jameshennighan8193 26 күн бұрын

NICELY DONE..... Well done...... It works well. One observation Near the overbridge might be a good location to catch a little of the shadow / darkness. Just a thought.. James Hennighan Yorkshire, England P.S. A small piece of mirror glued underneath the coach, (peraps angled), might enhance the appearance of the arc...... or am I going too far with this idea. Bacofoil would do the job and not be obtrusive and I wouldn't think this would compromise track power.....but you would have to be carefuly with this.

@ewhurstgreen 26 күн бұрын

James, thank you for kind your support!👍 Unfortunately there aren't an suitable conductor rail off ramps under the road bridge. However, the arc-flash is quite noticeable in person - even when standing twenty-five feet away. ⚡ One or two more units will follow when time permits - Colin 🌞

@MervynPartin 29 күн бұрын

Definitely worth having arc flashes for the extra realism on SR and LT lines. I don't know if you have had this problem, but some of my original Hornby steam locos with the older type motors and ring field motors (not can motors) had such strong magnets that they would trigger the reed switches and cause the flashes- rather non-realistic! I got around that by switching the LED power supply off for steam trains. I like your motor luggage van. A very attractive model.

@ewhurstgreen 29 күн бұрын

LT stock has no traction power between vehicles which can lead to arcing although their design of con-rail positioning is quite comprehensive. ⚡ Will have to invite a ring-field locomotive across to see it the reed switch is affected - being offset might assist. 🌞 Thank you for your praise on the Phase 2 MLV; there are a couple of Phase 1 MLVs lurking somewhere! 🙂

@AllensTrains Ай бұрын

All very technical. The Bachmann S-Stock train has an arcing feature but it is random and not triggered by anything on the track! Thanks for uploading.

@ewhurstgreen Ай бұрын

Thank you for your interest in this Technical Video. 👍 Interesting feature on the S stock although might look odd at times. ⚡ Having said that, once reported significant arcing (to Network Rail's route Head of Safety) when passing through Norwood Folk Junction - he didn't see the problem even though I'd explained the train comprise two Hampshire units..... 🙄

@AllensTrains Ай бұрын

@@ewhurstgreen I reported arcing at Hastings to the PW dept and the investigation found the track was out-of-gauge! It was when the "Brighton Road" was removed. The bloke in charge of the engineering was carpeted!

@ewhurstgreen Ай бұрын

Retirement from today's railway industry is bliss.

@AllensTrains Ай бұрын

@@ewhurstgreen What was your job on the Railway?

@ewhurstgreen 29 күн бұрын

So many roles across the industry, perhaps with leading the designs of automated mass transit systems in both Asia and UK being particularly rewarding.

@rockyhudson3346 Ай бұрын

I have random sparking running my old triang EMUs. I dont have to do anything. Looks effective. No problems after running them many times 🙂😊 times.

@ewhurstgreen Ай бұрын

Ah! - those wonderful knurled wheels - remember them well! ⚡🙂

@rodericfindlay4147 Ай бұрын

Good thinking. Sound job.

@ewhurstgreen Ай бұрын

Thank you - I thought it might assist others. 🙂

@ModelRailwaysUnlimited Ай бұрын

Excellent effect, the driver is letting units fall into gaps lol there seem to be a number of very small reed switches out there

@ewhurstgreen Ай бұрын

Mike, thank you. I have one or two more planned although it is actually a struggle to find credible locations. - Colin

@ModelRailwaysUnlimited Ай бұрын

@@ewhurstgreen Colin, how sensitive are the reeds? Would they work on the underside of the boards?

@ewhurstgreen Ай бұрын

Mike, not tried that but I suspect not - unless you strap an AWS magnet under your model (cough)..... 😉 _I have got an AWS magnet but it is too heavy to lift so cannot try for you!_😮 Seriously though, I would not want a more-powerful magnet fitted under the models. 🤔 The answer probably rests with a magnet-fitted electric unit turned around (so the magnet is close to the six-foot running rail) doesn't trigger the reed switch mounted just inside the cess-side running rail.🧐 Decided to take the small amount of visual intrusion on the basis few will spot the reed switch, let alone for what it does. 🙂 The LED is very hard to spot even when you are looking straight at it. - Colin 😎

@beeble2003 14 күн бұрын

@@ModelRailwaysUnlimited They don't work when the magnet is 10mm away, close to the opposite rail so, no, they wouldn't work under the board.

@ewhurstgreen 14 күн бұрын

Thank you for your contribution. 👍 The magnets are mounted offset on the bogie so the offset reed is one activated in one direction. If the unit (bogie) is turned then the reed switch will not trigger. ⚡

@Chris-BognorRegis Ай бұрын

My goodness, taking model railways to the nth degree, how clever. Not for N gauge I guess.

@ewhurstgreen Ай бұрын

Thank you, although recreating the past remains just a hobby! 🙂 I suspect these units could be fitted to N-gauge if the rail-depth allows for the reed-switch (else cut a slot into the sleepers).... 🧐