I soon will begin wiring a large HO layout for DCC, using NCE. What gauge wire is best for the bus? For the track feeders, bus to rail? The literature gives different recommendations.
Carl
A great resource, one I followed extensively as I wired my layout, is www.wiringfordcc.com It seems to be down today, so hopefully it has not gone forever.
i’m using #14 gauge stranded wire for the main buss and 20 gauge for the buss to rail feeders. the wire size i’m using is just a preference i have and i don’t have any literature on it. i would have used the same wire if i was wiring for reg dc with block controls.
Have just finished wiring club layout and now my own home layout. I use 14 or 12 gauge house wiring wire for buss lines and almost any size for the feeders that is handy. I try to use the largest for the situation. If you run the buss lines right under the trackwork then it is not a long piece of wire you are using. I try to use 16 to 20 gauge bell wire for drop downs. Have just run 5 sound system locos and four regular locos on my Zephyer unit. No problems with stopping as indicates an overload.
I am using an outdoor extension cord for the bus wires on my layout. I cut off the ends and shave off the covering where I want to put feeders. This might not be such a good idea for a huge layout, but for my 7x12, it works fine, just takes a little longer. Another thing it keeps the wires together in a neat bright orange bundle.
soumodeler
The Southern Serves the South!
http://www.trainweb.org/mgr
General consensus is that smaller layouts probably don’t need such an elaborate system. However, if you are running DCC, or a bigger system that might have power districts (insulated, or isolated, sections), the experts (no, I am not one of them) appear to be unanymous that a heavyier gauge, like #12/14, is ideal for the bus. Feeders/drops can be considerably lighter, especially since you will have to solder them to the rails.
I used #12, and #20 for feeders that were solid. It is a chore getting them shaped to lie against the rail, and then trying to keep them there while you solder. In hindsight, I would advise you to use braided wire for the rails. You can prime the end with solder first, and then merely reheat it once it is in place to get it to stick.
I used #12 solid (taken out of some romex I had) for the main bus feed. For sub-bus wiring, #16 stranded (Auto primary wire) and then #18 or #22 solid for track feeders. I used the #18 in areas that were more hidden so they don’t stick out or where I needed to go more than a foot in length to hook to the sub bus system. I prefer the solid for track feeders for some of the same reason “selector” doesn’t like it. ie: you can bend it to fit the track and I have learned to bend the wire in such a way that it will stay put while I solder it. Solid or stranded is more in the realm of “taste” than anything else. I also use Radio Shack Barrior Strips and jumpers to hook up the system. It provides for easy unhooking of wires when a problem happens (shorts, etc.). I also take the time to crimp and solder lugs to wire ends for a clean and solid connection. Most people would say this is overkill, but I never have wiring problems!
Here is what I use:
o - I run #14 wire from my command station/boosters to a Digitrax PM42.
o - I run #18 wire from each of the 4 PM42 outputs to each ‘power district’. The #18
bus has #22 feeders up to each section of rail.
The logic of this is that I have a power district for my main terminal, one for the staging tracks, another for the 2 towns on the main line, and a 4th for the branch line. A derailment or running a switch will not shut down the command station or the booster. The only affected areas are where the mishap took place. My PM42 outputs are set for the default 2.5 amps/district.
I need the #14 wire to deliver 5 amps from the command station and booster to the PM42. Once out of the PM42, each power district only needs to support 2.5 amps - #18 will handle this load. I use #22 for nice neat connections to each rail and all of the multiple feeders together will handle the 2.5 amps quite well. If there is a short, the PM42 will shut it down right away.
Determining power districts is a function of how many engines will be in the district at one time(total load), and what is the chance of a derailment(yards are a prime source). I have operated on too many DCC layouts where everything stops several times in the evening when someone runs a switch and shorts out the world. After seeing an engime ‘welded’ to the rails by an 8 amp booster, I decided to get serious on my own railroad!
Jim Bernier
Thanks to all for the helpful and informative replies.
Carl
Simon, great website, lots of good info, thank you for the lead. I have been using the Bachmann DCC to get started, and the site hit the spot.
Tim