Any thoughts on wire & wire quality?

[G3750]

All:

I'm thinking about bus wiring for the Panhandle. Basic specifications are:

• 12 gauge stranded
• Red for Center Rail (AC Hot); Black for Ground (Common)
• Probably 500' spools of each

I'm planning to use ScotchLok connectors to the 16 gauge feeder wires. Any thoughts, recommendations, questions, concerns?

Thanks,

George

[ScaleCraft]

Yeah.

I did all sorts of wiring work....was a NASA Certified Solderer.
I would not use Scotchlocks, but that's just me.

Strip back a half inch of insulation on the buss, wrap the feeder and SOLDER. Shrink sleeve (if you remembered while rolling out the buss) or black tape.
Me?

Usually just stagger the connections and leave them open so hot can't hit common.
Twelve, huh?

Built some pretty big layouts over the years, even multiple units, never needed anything bigger than 14.

[webenda]

All:

I'm thinking about bus wiring for the Panhandle. Basic specifications are:

• 12 gauge stranded
• Red for Center Rail (AC Hot); Black for Ground (Common)
• Probably 500' spools of each

I'm planning to use ScotchLok connectors to the 16 gauge feeder wires. Any thoughts, recommendations, questions, concerns?

Thanks,

George

They work fine. I tested some similar Dorman Splice Connectors at 20 amps and the voltage drop in the wire was the same before and after applying the splice. The wire spliced to the wire run had no voltage drop due to the splice device either.

On disassembly, I found the splice device had cut into the wire. That is how they work. The electrical connection is into fresh copper. The device cuts through any oxide layer on the outside of the wire.

The only thing I would suggest is that if you make a mistake, leave the splice on the wire and add another device where you need it or cut the spice out and splice the wire back together. If you remove a splice, the wire no longer has the current carrying capacity of 12 gauge wire.

[G3750]

Thanks Dave and Wayne.

The layout is 47’ x 11’, with 7 power districts. That’s why I am using 12 gauge wire.

I am not skilled at soldering. I used “suitcase” connectors before and am comfortable with them. In a vibration free environment, they should be fine.

Any thoughts about wire sourcing or types to avoid?

Thanks,

George

[webenda]

Any thoughts about wire sourcing or types to avoid?

Thanks,

George

My favorite review on wire:


You already said you are using stranded, so no one should tell you to avoid solid type wire. (I tried suitcase connectors rated for solid wire and had mixed results but that is a moot point since you are using stranded.)

Insulation type, PVC is great.
The stand count can be 7, 19, 65, 165, 259, more. Doesn't matter for your use.

As for sourcing, you know what to do, compare prices.


FYI: THHN wire. THHN stands for Thermoplastic High Heat-resistant Nylon coated. Overkill for your low heat use on a model railroad and little stiff but only $35 / 500 feet at my local Home Depot. Maybe you could buy 1 foot off the bulk wire spools at HD and give your suitcase connectors a try on it.

[chuck]

What type of track and how long are continuous " sections"? If you can avoid relying on physical track connections to also handle power you will be much better off. While you can solder track sections together to improve connectivity, if you don't like soldering copper wire you are going to really dislike soldering track.

[G3750]

Any thoughts about wire sourcing or types to avoid?

Thanks,

George

My favorite review on wire:


You already said you are using stranded, so no one should tell you to avoid solid type wire. (I tried suitcase connectors rated for solid wire and had mixed results but that is a moot point since you are using stranded.)

Insulation type, PVC is great.
The stand count can be 7, 19, 65, 165, 259, more. Doesn't matter for your use.

As for sourcing, you know what to do, compare prices.


FYI: THHN wire. THHN stands for Thermoplastic High Heat-resistant Nylon coated. Overkill for your low heat use on a model railroad and little stiff but only $35 / 500 feet at my local Home Depot. Maybe you could buy 1 foot off the bulk wire spools at HD and give your suitcase connectors a try on it.

Thank you. Yes I have compared prices and have seen the range you found.
In the past, I did buy wire from HD. I may do that again or I may visit a local electrical supplier.

George

[G3750]

What type of track and how long are continuous " sections"? If you can avoid relying on physical track connections to also handle power you will be much better off. While you can solder track sections together to improve connectivity, if you don't like soldering copper wire you are going to really dislike soldering track.

I am using Ross & GarGraves track. I will have to check as to length of sections, 3-5 joints is my guess. Feeders use GarGraves pig-tails.

George

[chuck]

You may want to use those pig tails to jumper every track break within a block and run feeders to the bus lines every 8-12 feet of track length.

Are you going to use both outside rails as "common" or just side?

[ScaleCraft]

I have used GarGraves for over 40 years. On big pikes, center rail has a drop each section to the buss......if not, we add them later. Usually if you ground each outer rail, good for a long way. Opinion. Experience.

[G3750]

You may want to use those pig tails to jumper every track break within a block and run feeders to the bus lines every 8-12 feet of track length.

I checked the track plan. Every 3-5 joints there is a set of pigtails (feeders). That's probably around every 12 feet, so we're good. Here's what a pigtail looks like - essentially a track pin with a wire connected to it.

GarGraves pigtail.jpg (3.02 KiB) Viewed 8427 times

Are you going to use both outside rails as "common" or just side?

No, I'm not. One outside rail will function as "common" and the other will be insulated at points to activate signals.

George

[G3750]

I have used GarGraves for over 40 years. On big pikes, center rail has a drop each section to the buss......if not, we add them later. Usually if you ground each outer rail, good for a long way. Opinion. Experience.

Each of my 8 power districts will:

• Have its center rail insulated from the others.
• Have its own power source (PowerHouse 180 or PowerHouse 135) and bus.
• Will have multiple feeders to that bus.

For example, the Steubenville power district (#2) uses a PowerHouse 180. It has 8 track feeder pairs to the its own bus. Feeders are numbered 2.1-2.8. The power district is color-coded with blue labels to help distinguish it from under the layout.

George

[chuck]

The pig tails SHOULD be a great way to connect power to the track. It has been my experience that the weak link in any tubular track system has been oxidation on the inside of the track where the pins are seated. Make sure these areas a clean and consider using an electrically conductive grease on the inside to inhibit future oxidation. Silver stuff works great.

If you wish to minimize operating issues give serious consideration to using both outer rails for power return. This has been my second problematic area with sectional track that has naturally isolated outer rails. I've wasted a lot of time on Xmas layouts that act up because of a couple of bad joints that can be bridged by an illuminated passenger car or a long wheel base loco but craps out on shorter cars. There are other signal control methods than use of the "other" third rail.

[v8vega]

Soldering wire is easy , sometimes soldering to Gargraves is just impossible, Home Depot flex isn't very flexible.

[ScaleCraft]

Especially if someone stick a stick of Stainless in the box.
On the anodized rail, had to develop a way to do that decades ago, been working well.
Some of the stuff I picked up had contact sets to push up into the bottom of the rails. Folks I know who tried that wished they hadn't. They work loose, not sure if they corrode.
Solder works for me on non-SS.