Now that I think I have figured out what a power bus is all about, how do I attach the track feeders to the power bus line. Do I try to scrape a bit of insulation off the bus to wrap and solder the track feeder? Or is there some kind of an electrical connector I should be looking for? As you can tell wiring is not soming I know too much about. Thanks for any help.
Roger
Bevrog,
I used the 3M Scothlok wire connectors on the club layout and they work great. Fast, easy to install, and if you need to, you can unhook them and “reset” them to use over. The Mouser stock number is 517-560. Get a bunch, you’ll need them.
Mark C.
I have seen the Mouser list…which IDC is best for my N- guage DCC? Also, is the IDC Crimp Toll necessary?
Sam
Sam,
Pick them according to the wire sizes you plan to use, and the exact way you plan to wire, but any of the ones with a description that contains “run and tap” are the ones you want to look at.
For example, I used 14 guage stranded for my buss and 24 guage solid for my feeders. I couldn’t find anything that would accommodate this range of wire guages, so I used something similar to the 517-560’s and ran 14 guage taps to terminal strips, where I also connected my feeders.
The crimp tool is a luxury. You can do just as well with a good pair of slip-joint pliers. Set the slip joint to it’s wider position so that the jaws are more parallel to each other. Don’t worry that the empty pliers won’t close completely when set this way; the thickness of the connector makes up for this. A slow, firm squeeze and you’re all set.
Remember also, that you shouldn’t focus on “N-guage” when it comes to wiring. The total current is what you need to consider. For example, you might have a layout with 10 N-guage locos that draws more current that a similar-sized HO layout with only 1 loco on it.
HTH,
Steve
How about the Posi-Lock product?
http://www.posi-lock.com/posiplug.html
I was thinking of using these, they look pretty cool!
i don’t entirely believe the “replaces four standard taps” part of the marketing… though as far as i can tell, it does the same job as the other style…
Well, I’ll jump in with another view… I do exactly what you say - remvoe a bit of insulation and solder the feeder.
I simply take a wire-stripping tool and make two cuts in the insulation, about 3/4" apart. Then I take a razor knife and slit the insulation lenthwise from cut-to-cut, pops right off. Then solder away. I typically use a pencil-torch for this soldering since you normally don’t have to worry about melting ties or scenery. Heat for about 5 secs, hit with the solder, done.
After that’s cooled, I recommend you wrap with electrical tape or use liquid electrical tape to seal it up.
Is this easier than the snap-on suitcase connectors? No… and Yes. It’s not as easy as snap-ons IF you can get a snap-on that will synch up with both bus and feeder wires. With 12 ga. bus and 22 ga. feeders, I’ve found them difficult to locate. But, If you cannot get one that matches, and have to go through the hassle and expense of wiring heavier wires from bus to a terminal block, and then wires from there to track, it becomes significantly more of a hassle, in my book.
Cheaper? Definitely, just based on not having to buy the connectors. And doubly-cheaper if you’re looking at using terminal blocks because you can’t get clip-ons to accommodate your wire sizes.
More reliable? Probably… I’m old school myself, and will always take a soldered joint over a non-soldered one for reliability.
I’m with kchronister, I solder mine. But even easier - I have one of those nice Ideal wire strippers - the kind that aren’t cheap. I use them for EVERYTHING - wish I bought a set YEARS ago. Anyway, I just slip that over my bus wire, little squeeze, it pushes a section of the insulation back. Strip end of feeder with same tool, wrap around the bus wire, and solder. Big power comes in handy working with #12 wire - I use a 100 watt soldering gun for this part of the job. And the light helps in the dark undersides of the layout. I offset the two connections so they can’t accidentally short, but I also go back and paint them with liquid electrical tape to REALLY be sure.
–Randy
Randy, electrical supply house for the strippers?
I prefer to solder my joints, because it is what I am used to and I trust it over the scotchlocks (and thats not because I am an old timer, I’m only 27) One thing that I do on my buss wires (14 gauge stranded) is to slide a few dozen pieces of heat shrink tubing over the wire as I’m installing it and space thaem out about 12-16" each. This way, when I make a future connection I have the shrink wrap already there, and it holds much better then electric tape. It also makes for a neater installation.
[quote]
Originally posted by claycts
Randy, electrical supply house for the strippers?
[/quote
Ditto. I’ve been putting off buying a pair for too long. ]
I think I got mine at Home Depot actually. In the electrical section. Blue handles, Ideal brand. Looks like a wierd pliers, clamp jaw on one side, the other has a die with various holes for different wire sizes.
–Randy
Thank you, I have all the cat 5 stuff from them, I just missed that.
Just wanted to say thanks for all the advice. Have not solder anything in 20 years so I guess I will be relearning the skill. In the mean time the connectors may have to be the way to go for me. Thanks again
Roger
I will just present the opinion that a properly applied Scotchlok is at least as reliable as a soldered connection, and much easier to do. The key is proper technique, in either case.
Everyone says that. I still remain a skeptic. Plus, they don’t make them to match my bus (#12) and feeder (#20) sizes. And using the wrong Scotchlok for the wire sizes involved is pretty much a sure way to failure. I believe the ones that fit #12 wire can tap off a #14-16. The ones for #14 can tape off a #18.
Roger - soldering the feeders to the bus is about the easiest and most goof-proof type of soldering. No ties to melt, no electronic chips to fry with too much heat. Yeah, if you go nuts you MIGHT melt some of the insulation from the wire getting too hot - but you REALLY have to mess up to do that. Just remember to use the appropriate tool. Those itty-bitty 15 watt irons that are great for soldering the tiny decoder wires in a loco will NEVER heat up a section of #12 wire enough to solder it. I actually have 4 soldering tools, but I’ve been doign electronics stuff for a long time - and I guess just too cheap to get a single variable heat soldering station to replace the three iron sizes. I have 3 irons in various wattages depending on the task, plus a big heavy gun for the thick stuff like the bus/feeder connections.
–Randy
The 905 for #14 can tap off down to #22. So if #14 is enough for your bus it could be good. BUT, I think that if you tried to use the wrong connector for the wire size then it would not count as properly applied. I don’t like the rigidity of a solder joint, especially on a small wire. But if it is well done, and protected from movement it should last for the same forever as the Scotchlok should.
My experience is not in synch with that. I used them on a prior layout (much shorter runs and didn’t feel I needed 12 ga.). In my experience, they do loosen over time and eventually you get fidgety connections (“time” in this case being 4-5 years). It wasn’t universal for me, but of the couple-dozen I used, I’d say 6-8 became cranky. I’ve never, ever had a solder-joint just randomly fail, so that’s why I went back to the “old fashioned” way.
Jameco Electronics has everything you need. Call them for a catalogue or just go to google.
I’ve successfully used the Scotchloks on my layout but I’have a 12 guage bus and 18 guage feeders and I’ve had no issues with anything coming loose so far. I guess if one did, you could just apply a new one a lot easier that trying to resolder in an existing layout.